Revised Literal Translation
Revelation 2:4
4Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
Revelation 2:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
- New International Version (NIV)Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
Context of Revelation 2:4
2I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy lampstand out of his place, except thou repent. 6But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
Read all of Revelation 2Revelation 2:4 word by word
ἀλλ᾽ ἔχω κατὰ σοῦ ὅτι τὴν ἀγάπην σου τὴν πρώτην ἀφῆκες.Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Revelation 2:4
- Revelation 2:14But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
- Revelation 3:14And unto the angel of the Assembly of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the head of the creation of God;
- Jeremiah 2:2Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith Yhwh; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.
- Matthew 24:12And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
- Philippians 1:9And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
- Philippians 3:13Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
- 1 Thessalonians 4:9But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.
- 2 Thessalonians 1:3We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;
- Hebrews 6:10For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
Commentaries on Revelation 2:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee - The clause should be read, according to the Greek, thus: But I have against thee that thou hast left thy first love. They did not retain that strong and ardent affection for God and sacred things which they had when first brought to the knowledge of the truth, and justified by faith in Christ.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee - Notwithstanding this general commendation, there are things which I cannot approve. Because thou hast left thy first love - Thou hast “remitted” ( ̓͂ aphēkas) or let down thy early love; that is, it is less glowing and ardent than it was at first. The love here referred to is evidently love to the Saviour; and the idea is, that, as a church, they had less of this than formerly characterized them. In this…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4You have abandoned your first love: When the church began, their love for Christ and each other was strong. Struggles with false teachers and persecution caused that original love to grow cold. Correct beliefs, action, and even suffering (Revelation 2:2–3) are only an empty form of Christian life if living and active love is missing (1 Corinthians 13).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. somewhat ... because--Translate, "I have against thee (this) that," &c. It is not a mere somewhat"; it is everything. How characteristic of our gracious Lord, that He puts foremost all He can find to approve, and only after this notes the shortcomings! left thy first love--to Christ. Compare 1Ti 5:12, "cast off their first faith." See the Ephesians' first love, Ep 1:15. This epistle was written under Domitian, when thirty years had elapsed since Paul…Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 2:4
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
Revised Literal Translation — © 2018 Michael W. Jones, Sr. — GPL
Commentaries