New Living Translation
Revelation 2:8
8“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Smyrna. This is the message from the one who is the First and the Last, who was dead but is now alive:
Revelation 2:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
- New International Version (NIV)“To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: 'The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, ‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life:
Context of Revelation 2:8
6But this is in your favor: You hate the evil deeds of the Nicolaitans, just as I do. 7“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 fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God. “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Smyrna. This is the message from the one who is the First and the Last, who was dead but is now alive: 9“I know about your suffering and your poverty—but you are rich! I know the blasphemy of those opposing you. They say they are Jews, but they are not, because their synagogue belongs to Satan. 10Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life.
Read all of Revelation 2Revelation 2:8 word by word
Καὶ τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς ἐν Σμύρνῃ ἐκκλησίας γράψον· τάδε λέγει ὁ πρῶτος καὶ ὁ ἔσχατος, ὃς ἐγένετο νεκρὸς καὶ ἔζησεν·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- unto the angelὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- unto the angelἄγγελοςaggelos · angelG32
- of the churchἐκκλησίαekklēsia · assemblyG1577
- in SmyrnaΣμύρναSmurnaios · SmyrnaG4668
- writeγράφωgraphō · to writeG1125
- These thingsὅδεhode hēde tode · thisG3592
- saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- the firstπρῶτοςprōtos · firstG4413
- the lastἔσχατοςeschatos · last/leastG2078
- whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- wasγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
- deadνεκρόςnekros · deadG3498
- is aliveζάωzaō · to liveG2198
Cross-references for Revelation 2:8
- Revelation 2:1“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Ephesus. This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands:
- Revelation 1:8“I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.”
Commentaries on Revelation 2:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Unto the angel - This was probably the famous Polycarp. See below. These things saith the first and the last - He who is eternal; from whom all things come, and to whom all things must return. Which was dead, for the redemption of the world; and is alive to die no more for ever, his glorified humanity being enthroned at the Father's right hand.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write - On the meaning of the word “angel,” see the notes on Revelation 1:20. These things saith the first and the last - See the notes on Revelation 1:8, Revelation 1:17. Which was dead, and is alive - See the notes on Revelation 1:18. The idea is, that he is a Living Saviour; and there was a propriety in referring to that fact here from the nature of the promise which he was about to make to the church at…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-11Verses 8-11 Our Lord Jesus is the First, for by him were all things made; he was before all things, with God, and is God himself. He is the Last, for he will be the Judge of all. As this First and Last, who was dead and is alive, is the believer's Brother and Friend, he must be rich in the deepest poverty, honourable amidst the lowest abasement, and happy under the heaviest tribulation, like the church of Smyrna. Many who are rich as to this world, are…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8The seaport village of Smyrna was destroyed and rebuilt many times. Like Christ, the city was once dead but is now alive. It is the only one of the seven cities that still exists today as Izmir in modern Turkey.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. Smyrna--in Ionia, a little to the north of Ephesus. Polycarp, martyred in A.D. 168, eighty-six years after his conversion, was bishop, and probably "the angel of the Church in Smyrna" meant here. The allusions to persecutions and faithfulness unto death accord with this view. Ignatius [The Martyrdom of Ignatius 3], on his way to martyrdom in Rome, wrote to Polycarp, then (A.D. 108) bishop of Smyrna; if his bishopric commenced ten or twelve years…Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 2:8
In the dictionaries
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
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