the Fifth Week after Easter
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THE MESSAGE
Revelation 2:8
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
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- InternationalParallel Translations
“Write to the angel of the church in Smyrna: Thus says the First and the Last,
And vnto the Angel of the Church in Smyrna, write, These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is aliue,
And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
"And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.
"And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this:
"Write this to the angel of the church in Smyrna: "The One who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again, says this:
"And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this:
To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of the First and the Last, who died and returned to life.
This is what you must write to the angel of the church in Smyrna: I am the first and the last. I died, but now I am alive! Listen to what I say.
"To the angel of the Messianic Community in Smyrna, write: ‘Here is the message from the First and the Last, who died and came alive again:
And to the angel of the assembly in Smyrna write: These things says the first and the last, who became dead, and lived:
"Write this to the angel of the church in Smyrna: "Here is a message from the one who is the First and the Last, the one who died and came to life again.
And vnto the Angel of the Church of the Smyrnians write, These things saith he that is first, and last, which was dead and is aliue.
And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, These things says the first and the last, which was dead and is alive:
"To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: "This is the message from the one who is the first and the last, who died and lived again.
"And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: "This is what the first and the last says, who was dead and came to life:
And to the angel of the assembly of Smyrna, write: These things says the First and the Last, Who became dead, and lived:
"And to the angel (divine messenger) of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of the First and the Last [absolute Deity, the Son of God] who died and came to life [again]:
And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These things saith the first and the last, who was dead, and lived again:
And to the angel of the church in Smyrna say: These things says the first and the last, who was dead and is living:
"To the angel of the assembly in Smyrna write: "The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life says these things:
"To the messengerangel">[fn] of the church in Smyrna, write:Revelation 1:8,17-18;">[xr] 'The first and the last, who was dead and became alive, says this:
And to the angel of the church which is in Smurna, write: These saith the First and the Last, who was dead, and liveth.
And to the angel of the church which is at Smyrna, write: These things saith the First and the Last, he who was dead, and liveth.
And vnto the Angel of the Churche of Smyrna, write: These thynges sayth he that is first and the last, which was dead, and is alyue.
And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and lived again:
"To the angel of the assembly in Smyrna write: "The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life says these things:
And to the angel of the church of Smyrna write, These things saith the First and the Last, who was dead and is alive.
"To the minister of the Church at Smyrna write as follows: "`This is what the First and the Last says--He who died and has returned to life.
And to the aungel of the chirche of Smyrma write thou, These thingis seith the firste and the laste, that was deed, and lyueth.
And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These things says the first and the last, who became dead, and lived [again]:
And to the angel of the church in Smyrna, write; These things saith the first and the last, who was dead, and is alive;
"To the angel of the church in Smyrna write the following: "This is the solemn pronouncement of the one who is the first and the last, the one who was dead, but came to life:
"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:
"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:
"Write this to the angel of the church in the city of Smyrna: ‘The One Who is First and Last, the One Who died and came to life again, says this:
"And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of the first and the last, who was dead and came to life:
And, unto the messenger of the assembly, in Smyrna, write: - These things, saith the first and the last, who became dead, and lived:
And to the angel of the church of Smyrna write: These things saith the First and the Last, who was dead and is alive:
"And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: 'The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.
And vnto the angell of the congregacion of Smyrna wryte: These thynges sayth he that is fyrst and the laste which was deed and is alive.
`And to the messenger of the assembly of the Smyrneans write: These things saith the First and the Last, who did become dead and did live;
And vnto the angell of the congregacion of Smyrna wryte: These thinges saith he that is fyrst, and the last, which was deed, and is aliue:
And to the angel of the church in Smyrna, write, "THESE things saith the first and last, who was dead, and is alive."
"To the angel of the outfit in Smyrna, write these words:
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
the angel: Revelation 2:1
the first: Revelation 1:8, Revelation 1:11, Revelation 1:17, Revelation 1:18
Reciprocal: Exodus 23:21 - my name Deuteronomy 32:39 - even I 1 Kings 18:18 - in that ye have Psalms 93:2 - thou Isaiah 41:4 - I the Lord Isaiah 41:27 - first Isaiah 44:6 - I am the first Isaiah 48:12 - I am he Ezekiel 44:15 - the sons Micah 5:2 - whose Luke 24:5 - the living John 1:1 - the beginning John 1:15 - he was John 8:58 - Before Romans 1:7 - To all 1 Corinthians 3:14 - General 2 Corinthians 3:3 - the epistle Galatians 1:1 - raised Philippians 1:1 - the bishops Colossians 1:17 - he 1 Thessalonians 5:12 - and are Hebrews 1:11 - thou Hebrews 12:2 - the author 1 John 1:1 - That which Revelation 1:4 - to the Revelation 1:20 - The seven stars Revelation 19:9 - Write
Cross-References
Then God planted a garden in Eden, in the east. He put the Man he had just made in it. God made all kinds of trees grow from the ground, trees beautiful to look at and good to eat. The Tree-of-Life was in the middle of the garden, also the Tree-of-Knowledge-of-Good-and-Evil.
Cain left the presence of God and lived in No-Man's-Land, east of Eden.
Lot looked. He saw the whole plain of the Jordan spread out, well watered (this was before God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah), like God 's garden, like Egypt, and stretching all the way to Zoar. Lot took the whole plain of the Jordan. Lot set out to the east. That's how they came to part company, uncle and nephew. Abram settled in Canaan; Lot settled in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent near Sodom. The people of Sodom were evil—flagrant sinners against God . After Lot separated from him, God said to Abram, "Open your eyes, look around. Look north, south, east, and west. Everything you see, the whole land spread out before you, I will give to you and your children forever. I'll make your descendants like dust—counting your descendants will be as impossible as counting the dust of the Earth. So—on your feet, get moving! Walk through the country, its length and breadth; I'm giving it all to you." Abram moved his tent. He went and settled by the Oaks of Mamre in Hebron. There he built an altar to God .
"‘Haran, Canneh, and Eden from the east in Assyria and Media traded with you, bringing elegant clothes, dyed textiles, and elaborate carpets to your bazaars.
The Money Has Gone to Your Head God's Message came to me, "Son of man, tell the prince of Tyre, ‘This is what God , the Master, says: "‘Your heart is proud, going around saying, "I'm a god. I sit on God's divine throne, ruling the sea"— You, a mere mortal, not even close to being a god, A mere mortal trying to be a god. Look, you think you're smarter than Daniel. No enigmas can stump you. Your sharp intelligence made you world-wealthy. You piled up gold and silver in your banks. You used your head well, worked good deals, made a lot of money. But the money has gone to your head, swelled your head—what a big head! "‘Therefore, God , the Master, says: "‘Because you're acting like a god, pretending to be a god, I'm giving fair warning: I'm bringing strangers down on you, the most vicious of all nations. They'll pull their swords and make hash of your reputation for knowing it all. They'll puncture the balloon of your god-pretensions. They'll bring you down from your self-made pedestal and bury you in the deep blue sea. Will you protest to your assassins, "You can't do that! I'm a god"? To them you're a mere mortal. They're killing a man, not a god. You'll die like a stray dog, killed by strangers— Because I said so. Decree of God , the Master.'" God 's Message came to me: "Son of man, raise a funeral song over the king of Tyre. Tell him, A Message from God , the Master: "You had everything going for you. You were in Eden, God's garden. You were dressed in splendor, your robe studded with jewels: Carnelian, peridot, and moonstone, beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald, all in settings of engraved gold. A robe was prepared for you the same day you were created. You were the anointed cherub. I placed you on the mountain of God. You strolled in magnificence among the stones of fire. From the day of your creation you were sheer perfection... and then imperfection—evil!—was detected in you. In much buying and selling you turned violent, you sinned! I threw you, disgraced, off the mountain of God. I threw you out—you, the anointed angel-cherub. No more strolling among the gems of fire for you! Your beauty went to your head. You corrupted wisdom by using it to get worldly fame. I threw you to the ground, sent you sprawling before an audience of kings and let them gloat over your demise. By sin after sin after sin, by your corrupt ways of doing business, you defiled your holy places of worship. So I set a fire around and within you. It burned you up. I reduced you to ashes. All anyone sees now when they look for you is ashes, a pitiful mound of ashes. All who once knew you now throw up their hands: ‘This can't have happened! This has happened!'" God 's Message came to me: "Son of man, confront Sidon. Preach against it. Say, ‘Message from God , the Master: "‘Look! I'm against you, Sidon. I intend to be known for who I truly am among you.' They'll know that I am God when I set things right and reveal my holy presence. I'll order an epidemic of disease there, along with murder and mayhem in the streets. People will drop dead right and left, as war presses in from every side. Then they'll realize that I mean business, that I am God . "No longer will Israel have to put up with their thistle-and-thorn neighbors Who have treated them so contemptuously. And they also will realize that I am God ." God , the Master, says, "When I gather Israel from the peoples among whom they've been scattered and put my holiness on display among them with all the nations looking on, then they'll live in their own land that I gave to my servant Jacob. They'll live there in safety. They'll build houses. They'll plant vineyards, living in safety. Meanwhile, I'll bring judgment on all the neighbors who have treated them with such contempt. And they'll realize that I am God ."
"‘Which of the trees of Eden came anywhere close to you in splendor and size? But you're slated to be cut down to take your place in the underworld with the trees of Eden, to be a dead log stacked with all the other dead logs, among the other uncircumcised who are dead and buried. "‘This means Pharaoh, the pompous old goat. "‘Decree of God , the Master.'"
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write,.... Of the city of Smyrna, :-. That there was a church of Christ here is not to be doubted, though by whom it was founded is not certain; very likely by the Apostle Paul, who was in those parts, and by whose means all Asia heard the Gospel of Christ, Acts 19:10. Some think the present angel or pastor of this church, was Polycarp, the disciple of John. Irenaeus f, who knew him, says he was appointed bishop of Smyrna by the apostles. Here he suffered martyrdom, and was buried: the large amphitheatre, in which he was put to death, is still to be seen, and his sepulchre is yet preserved in this place g: a very famous epistle, sent by this church at Smyrna to the churches at Pontus, giving an account of the martyrdom of Polycarp, and others, is extant in Eusebius h. According to the Apostolical Constitutions i, the first bishops of Smyrna were Aristo Strataeas and Aristo the second, and Apelles, of whom mention is made in Romans 16:10; and who is reckoned among the seventy disciples; Romans 16:10- :; and is said to be bishop of Smyrna before Polycarp; who succeeded Polycarp, I do not find; but it is said there was a church at Smyrna in the "third" century; and so there was in the beginning of the "fourth", since there was a bishop from hence in the council at Nice: and in the "fifth" century, mention is made of several bishops of this place; as of Cyrus, a native of Constantinople; and Protherius, who, it is thought, succeeded him, and was present in the synod at Chalcedon; and Aethericus, who assisted at three synods in this century, at Constantinople, Ephesus, and Chalcedon: and in the "sixth" century, there was a bishop of Smyrna in the fifth synod held at Rome and Constantinople: and even in the "eighth" century, one Antony, a monk, supplied the place of the bishop of Smyrna in the Nicene synod k. The Turks have in this place now thirteen mosques, the Jews two synagogues, and of the Christians there are two churches belonging to the Greeks, and one to the Armenians l. This church, and its pastor, represent the state of the church under the persecutions of the Roman emperors. Smyrna signifies "myrrh", which being bitter of taste, is expressive of the bitter afflictions, and persecutions, and deaths, the people of God in this interval endured; and yet, as myrrh is of a sweet smell, so were those saints, in their sufferings for Christ, exceeding grateful and well pleasing to him; wherefore nothing is said by way of complaint to this church; not that she was without fault, but it was proper to use her tenderly in her afflicted state: and, as Dr. More observes, as myrrh was used in the embalming of dead bodies, it may point to the many deaths and martyrdoms of the saints in this period, whereby their names and memories are perpetuated and eternized.
These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive. Of these characters of Christ, Romans 16:10- :,
Romans 16:10- :,
Romans 16:10- :,
Romans 16:10- :; and they are very appropriately mentioned, to encourage the saints under their sufferings of death; since Christ, who is the eternal God, had in human nature tasted of the bitterness of death for them, and was risen again; suggesting, that though they were called to undergo the bitterest deaths for his sake, they should be raised again as he was, and live with him for ever. The Ethiopic version reads, "thus saith the holy Spirit"; but it cannot be said of him that "he was dead".
f Adv. Haeres. l. 3. c. 3. g Vid. Smith. Notitia septem Eccles. Asiae, p. 164, 165. h Hist. Eccles. l. 4. c. 15. i L. 7. c. 46. k Hist. Eccles. Magdeburg. cent. 3. c. p. 2. cent. 4. c. 2. p. 3. cent. 5. c. 2. p. 3. c. 10. p. 595, 596. cent. 6. c. 2. p. 4. cent. 8. c. 2. p. 4. l Smith. Notitia, p. 167.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write - On the meaning of the word âangel,â 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 Smyrna: âHe that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death,â Revelation 2:11. As he had himself triumphed over death in all its forms, and was now alive forever, it was appropriate that he should promise to his true friends the same protection from the second death. He who was wholly beyond the reach of death could give the assurance that they who put their trust in him should come off victorious.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
The Epistle to the Church at Smyrna.
Verse Revelation 2:8. Unto 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.
