Letter to Smyrna: Persecution and the Crown of Life
Revelation 2:8-11
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Rev.2.8 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- αγγελω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- εν: PREP
- Σμυρνη: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- εκκλησιας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- γραψον·Ταδε: VERB,aor,act,imp,2,sg
- λεγει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- πρωτος: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- εσχατος: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- ος: PRON,nom,sg,m
- εγενετο: VERB,aor,mid,ind,3,sg
- νεκρος: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- εζησεν·: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
Parallels
- Revelation 1:17–18 (verbal): Same self‑identification — 'the First and the Last' — and the declaration of having died and now living (I died and am alive), repeated by the risen Lord in the opening vision.
- Revelation 22:13 (verbal): Reiterates the title 'the first and the last' (with Alpha and Omega language), framing Christ's eternal authority that parallels the designation in Rev 2:8.
- Isaiah 44:6 (allusion): Old Testament source for the phrase 'I am the first and I am the last' applied to Yahweh; Revelation echoes and applies this divine title to Christ.
- Romans 6:9 (thematic): Affirms the core claim that Christ died and was raised (he lives), paralleling the proclamation in Rev 2:8 that he 'was dead and is alive' — a resurrection/Christological theme.
Alternative generated candidates
- To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: Thus says the First and the Last, who was dead and is alive:
- To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: Thus says the First and the Last, who was dead and is alive.
Rev.2.9 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Οιδα: VERB,perf,act,ind,1,sg
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- θλιψιν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- πτωχειαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- αλλα: CONJ
- πλουσιος: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- ει: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,sg
- και: CONJ
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- βλασφημιαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- εκ: PREP
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- λεγοντων: PART,pres,act,gen,pl,m
- Ιουδαιους: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- ειναι: VERB,pres,act,inf
- εαυτους: PRON,acc,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- ουκ: PART,neg
- εισιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,pl
- αλλα: CONJ
- συναγωγη: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- Σατανα: NOUN,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Revelation 3:9 (verbal): Uses the identical designation “those who say they are Jews and are not” and the phrase “synagogue of Satan,” a direct verbal parallel within the letters to the seven churches.
- Matthew 5:3 (thematic): “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (cf. beatitude about poverty and spiritual blessing)—connects the paradoxical claim here that the church is ‘poor, but rich.’
- James 2:5 (thematic): James affirms God’s preferential regard for the poor—‘God has chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith’—echoing the theme of earthly poverty paired with true spiritual riches.
- 1 Peter 4:12-13 (thematic): Encourages believers not to be surprised by suffering but to rejoice in sharing Christ’s sufferings—parallels the Smyrna church’s tribulation and persecution context.
- Revelation 2:10 (structural): Immediate contextual parallel within the Smyrna address: continues the theme of suffering, imprisonment, and faithfulness unto death, reinforcing the promise to those who endure.
Alternative generated candidates
- I know your tribulation and your poverty—yet you are rich—and the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
- I know your affliction and your poverty—yet you are rich—and the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
Rev.2.10 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- μηδεν: PRON,acc,sg,n
- φοβου: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,sg
- α: PRON,nom,sg,n
- μελλεις: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,sg
- πασχειν: VERB,pres,act,inf
- ιδου: PART
- μελλει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- βαλλειν: VERB,pres,act,inf
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- διαβολος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- εξ: PREP
- υμων: PRON,gen,pl,2
- εις: PREP
- φυλακην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- ινα: CONJ
- πειρασθητε: VERB,aor,pass,subj,2,pl
- και: CONJ
- εξετε: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,pl
- θλιψιν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- ημερων: NOUN,gen,pl,f
- δεκα: NUM,nom,pl,m
- γινου: VERB,pres,mid,imp,2,sg
- πιστος: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- αχρι: PREP
- θανατου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- δωσω: VERB,fut,act,ind,1,sg
- σοι: PRON,dat,sg,2
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- στεφανον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- ζωης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
Parallels
- James 1:12 (verbal): Promises a 'crown of life' to the one who perseveres under trial — the same technical phrase and link between testing and reward found in Rev 2:10.
- Matthew 10:22 (thematic): Calls for endurance amid persecution ('endures to the end will be saved'), paralleling the call in Rev 2:10 to be faithful under suffering and unto death.
- 1 Peter 4:12-13 (thematic): Frames believers' suffering as a testing/trial and urges rejoicing in sharing Christ's sufferings — resonates with Rev 2:10's identification of imprisonment/tribulation as testing and the call to faithfulness.
- Revelation 3:10 (structural): Another promise within Revelation tied to patient endurance through trial — connects the book's recurring theme of testing, preservation, and reward for those who endure.
Alternative generated candidates
- Do not fear the things you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
- Do not fear the things you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that you may be tested; and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Rev.2.11 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- εχων: VERB,pres,act,ptc,nom,sg,m
- ους: PRON,acc,pl,m
- ακουσατω: VERB,aor,act,imp,3,sg
- τι: PRON,int,nom,sg,n
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- πνευμα: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- λεγει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- ταις: ART,dat,pl,f
- εκκλησιαις: NOUN,dat,pl,f
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- νικων: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,sg,m
- ου: PART,neg
- μη: PART
- αδικηθη: VERB,aor,pass,subj,3,sg
- εκ: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- θανατου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- δευτερου: ADJ,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Revelation 3:6 (verbal): Repeats the exact opening formula 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches,' linking the address to all seven messages.
- Revelation 13:9 (verbal): Uses the same summons 'If anyone has an ear, let him hear,' applying the call to discernment and endurance in a different prophetic context.
- Revelation 20:6 (thematic): Affirms the same promise about the second death—those who share the first resurrection (the overcomers) are not subject to the second death.
- Revelation 20:14-15 (structural): Provides the fuller definition and consequence of the 'second death' (death and Hades thrown into the lake of fire; those not in the book of life suffer the second death).
Alternative generated candidates
- He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.
- He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be harmed by the second death.
To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: Thus says the First and the Last, who died and came to life:
I know your works and your tribulation and your poverty—yet you are rich—and the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that you may be tested; and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be harmed by the second death.