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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war 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.

Context of Revelation 2:16

14“But I have a few complaints against you. You tolerate some among you whose teaching is like that of Balaam, who showed Balak how to trip up the people of Israel. He taught them to sin by eating food offered to idols and by committing sexual sin. 15In a similar way, you have some Nicolaitans among you who follow the same teaching. Repent of your sin, or I will come to you suddenly and fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 17“Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give some of the manna that has been hidden away in heaven. And I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one understands except the one who receives it. 18“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Thyatira. This is the message from the Son of God, whose eyes are like flames of fire, whose feet are like polished 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 2:5Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches.
• Revelation 3:19I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.
• Revelation 16:9Everyone was burned by this blast of heat, and they cursed the name of God, who had control over all these plagues. They did not repent of their sins and turn to God and give him glory.
• Acts 17:30“God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him.
• Revelation 2:12“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Pergamum. This is the message from the one with the sharp two-edged sword:
• Revelation 1:16He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance.
• Revelation 19:15From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress.
• Isaiah 11:4He will give justice to the poor and make fair decisions for the exploited. The earth will shake at the force of his word, and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked.
• Isaiah 49:2He made my words of judgment as sharp as a sword. He has hidden me in the shadow of his hand. I am like a sharp arrow in his quiver.
• Ephesians 6:17Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:8Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, but the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor 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