Revelation 2:16

Revelation 2:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
• New International Version (NIV)Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Repent of your sin, or I will come to you suddenly and fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

Context of Revelation 2:16

14But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. 15So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. 17He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.' 18"And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: 'The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.

Revelation 2:16 word by word

μετανόησον οὖν· εἰ δὲ μή, ἔρχομαί σοι ταχὺ καὶ πολεμήσω μετ᾽ αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ ῥομφαίᾳ τοῦ στόματός μου.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Repentμετανοέωmetanoeō · to repentG3340
• orεἰei · if: elseG1487
• elseμήmē · notG3361
• ·δέde · thenG1161
• I will comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• unto theeσύsu · youG4771
• quicklyταχύtachu · quicklyG5035
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• will fightπολεμέωpolemeō · to fightG4170
• againstμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
• themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• withἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the swordὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the swordῥομφαίαrhomphaia · swordG4501
• ofστόμαstoma · mouthG4750
• myἐγώegō · I/weG1473

Cross-references for Revelation 2:16

• Revelation 2:5Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.
• Revelation 3:19Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.
• Revelation 16:9They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.
• Acts 17:30The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
• Revelation 2:12"And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: 'The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.
• Revelation 1:16In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.
• Revelation 19:15From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.
• Isaiah 11:4but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
• Isaiah 49:2He made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow; in his quiver he hid me away.
• Ephesians 6:17and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
• 2 Thessalonians 2:8And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.

Commentaries on Revelation 2:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Will fight against them with the sword of my mouth - See on Revelation 2:12; (note). He now speaks for their edification and salvation; but if they do not repent, he will shortly declare those judgments which shall unavoidably fall upon them.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Repent - See Revelation 2:5. Or else I will come unto thee quickly - On the word “quickly,” see the notes on Revelation 1:1. The meaning here is, that he would come against them in judgment, or to punish them. And will fight against them - Against the Nicolaitanes. He would come against the church for tolerating them, but his opposition would be principally directed against the Nicolaitanes themselves. The church would excite his displeasure by retaining…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-17Verses 12-17 The word of God is a sword, able to slay both sin and sinners. It turns and cuts every way; but the believer need not fear this sword; yet this confidence cannot be supported without steady obedience. As our Lord notices all the advantages and opportunities we have for duty in the places where we dwell, so he notices our temptations and discouragements from the same causes. In a situation of trials, the church of Pergamos had not denied the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-17The letter to the church in Pergamum describes Christians facing temptations to compromise their morals and loyalty to God. Pergamum was the first capital of the Roman province of Asia. The city had a famous library, and its people developed the use of animal skins for writing.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. The three oldest manuscripts read, "Repent, therefore." Not only the Nicolaitanes, but the whole Church of Pergamos is called on to repent of not having hated the Nicolaitane teaching and practice. Contrast Paul, Ac 20:26. I will come--I am coming. fight against them--Greek, "war with them"; with the Nicolaitanes primarily; but including also chastisement of the whole Church at Pergamos: compare "unto THEE." with the sword of my mouth--resumed from Re…Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 2:16

• Church
• Fellowship
• Impenitence
• Lukewarmness
• Pergamos

In the dictionaries

• Angel
• Bed
• Faithful
• Alliance
• Apostolic Age
• Asia Minor
• Church Government
• Commandment, the New
• Ear
• Ephesians, Epistle to the

Commentaries on Revelation 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings