Revelation
Chapter 2
1 1 2 ＂To the angel of the church 3 in Ephesus, write this: ＂ 'The one who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks in the midst of the seven gold lampstands says this:
你给厄弗所教会的天使写：＂那右手握著七颗星，而在那七盏金灯台当中行走的这样说：
2 ＂I know your works, your labor, and your endurance, and that you cannot tolerate the wicked; you have tested those who call themselves apostles but are not, and discovered that they are impostors. 4
我知道你的作为、你的苦劳和你的坚忍；也知道你不能容忍恶人，并且你也曾查验出那些自称为宗徒而实非宗徒的人，发现他们是撒谎的人；
3 Moreover, you have endurance and have suffered for my name, and you have not grown weary.
也知道你有坚忍，为了我的名字受了苦，而毫不厌倦。
4 Yet I hold this against you: you have lost the love you had at first.
可是，我有反对你的一条，就是你抛弃了你起初的爱德，
5 Realize how far you have fallen. Repent, and do the works you did at first. Otherwise, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.
所以你该回想你是从那里跌下的，你该悔改，行先前所行的事：若你不悔改，我就要临于你，把你的灯台从原处挪去。
6 But you have this in your favor: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, 5 which I also hate.
不过你有一条：就是你恼恨了尼苛劳党人的行为，这也是我所恼恨的。
7 ‘＂Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the victor 6 I will give the right to eat from the tree of life that is in the garden of God.＂'
有耳朵的，应听圣神向各教会说的话：胜利的，我要把天主乐园中生命树的果实，赐给他吃。＂
8 7 ＂To the angel of the church in Smyrna, 8 write this: ＂ 'The first and the last, who once died but came to life, says this:
你给斯米那教会的天使写：＂那身为元始和终末，曾死过而复生的这样说：
9 ＂I know your tribulation and poverty, but you are rich. 9 I know the slander of those who claim to be Jews and are not, but rather are members of the assembly of Satan.
我知道你的困苦和贫穷，其实你是富足的；也知道你由那些自称为犹太人的人受的诽谤，其实他们不是犹太人，而是撒殚的会众。
10 Do not be afraid of anything that you are going to suffer. Indeed, the devil will throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will face an ordeal for ten days. Remain faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
不要怕你要受的苦！看，魔鬼要把你们中的一些人投在监里，叫你们受试探；你们要遭受困难十天之久。你应当忠信至死，我必要赐给你生命的华冠。
11 ‘＂Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The victor shall not be harmed by the second death.＂' 10
有耳朵的，应听圣神向各教会说的话：胜利的必不受第二次死亡的害。＂
12 11 ＂To the angel of the church in Pergamum, 12 write this: ＂ ‘The one with the sharp two-edged sword says this:
你给培尔加摩教会的天使写：＂那持有双刃利剑的这样说：
13 ＂I know that you live where Satan's throne 13 is, and yet you hold fast to my name and have not denied your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was martyred among you, where Satan lives.
我知道你居住的地方，在那里有撒殚的宝座；当我忠信的见证安提帕在你们中间，即在撒殚居住的地方被杀的时日，你仍坚持了我的名字，从未否认对我的信仰。
14 14 Yet I have a few things against you. You have some people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who instructed Balak to put a stumbling block before the Israelites: to eat food sacrificed to idols and to play the harlot.
可是，我有反对你的几条，就是：在你们那里，你容忍了一些坚持巴郎教训的人；巴郎曾教巴拉克在以色列子民前安放了绊脚石，叫他们吃祭肉，行邪淫；
15 Likewise, you also have some people who hold to the teaching of (the) Nicolaitans.
同样，你也容忍了一些坚持尼苛劳党人教训的人。
16 Therefore, repent. Otherwise, I will come to you quickly and wage war against them with the sword of my mouth.
所以你应当悔改，不然，我就要迅速临於你，用我口中的利剑攻击他们。
17 ‘＂Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the victor I shall give some of the hidden manna; 15 I shall also give a white amulet upon which is inscribed a new name, which no one knows except the one who receives it.'
有耳朵的，应听圣神向各教会说的话：胜利的，我要赐给他隐藏的＂玛纳＂，也要赐给他一块刻有新名号的白石，除领受的人外，谁也不认得这名号。＂
18 16 ＂To the angel of the church in Thyatira, 17 write this: ＂ 'The Son of God, whose eyes are like a fiery flame and whose feet are like polished brass, says this:
你给提雅提辣教会的天使写：＂那位眼睛有如火焰，双脚有如光铜的天主子这样说：
19 ＂I know your works, your love, faith, service, and endurance, and that your last works are greater than the first.
我知道你的作为、你的爱德、信德、服务和坚忍，也知道你末后的作为比先前的更多。
20 Yet I hold this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, who teaches and misleads my servants to play the harlot and to eat food sacrificed to idols. 18
可是我有反对你的一条，就是你曾容许那自称为先知的妇人依则贝耳教训我的仆人，并引诱他们行邪淫，吃祭肉。
21 I have given her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her harlotry.
我原给了她悔改的时间，可是她不肯悔改自己的淫行。
22 So I will cast her on a sickbed and plunge those who commit adultery with her into intense suffering unless they repent of her works.
看，我要把她投在病床上，并且把那些与她行邪淫的人，若他们对她的恶行不予以悔改，也投到重大的困苦中，
23 I will also put her children 19 to death. Thus shall all the churches come to know that I am the searcher of hearts and minds and that I will give each of you what your works deserve.
并将她的子女置於死地；这样各教会都知道我是洞察人心和肺腑的主，并且我要按照你们的行为，报应你们每一个人。
24 But I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not uphold this teaching and know nothing of the so-called deep secrets of Satan: 20 on you I will place no further burden,
至於你们其余的提雅提辣人，凡不随从这种教训，不认识那所谓＂撒殚奥义＂的人，我对你们说：我不再把别的重担加在你们身上，
25 except that you must hold fast to what you have until I come.
可是你们应该坚持已有的，直到我来。
26 ‘＂To the victor, 21 who keeps to my ways 22 until the end, I will give authority over the nations.
胜利的，并且到最末坚守我事业的人，我必赐给他治理万民的权柄－－
27 He will rule them with an iron rod. Like clay vessels will they be smashed,
他将用铁杖管辖他们，有如打碎瓦器－－
28 just as I received authority from my Father. And to him I will give the morning star.
正如我由我父所领受的权柄一样；我还要赐给他那颗晨星。
29 ‘＂Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.＂'
有耳朵的，应听圣神向各教会说的话。＂
Footnotes(注解)
1 [2:1-3:22] Each of the seven letters follows the same pattern: address; description of the exalted Christ; blame and/or praise for the church addressed; threat and/or admonition; final exhortation and promise to all Christians.
2 [1-7] The letter to Ephesus praises the members of the church there for their works and virtues, including discerning false teachers (Rev 2:2-3), but admonishes them to repent and return to their former devotion (Rev 2:4-5). It concludes with a reference to the Nicolaitans (see the note on Rev 2:6) and a promise that the victor will have access to eternal life (Rev 2:7).
3 [1] Ephesus: this great ancient city had a population of ca. 250,000; it was the capital of the Roman province of Asia and the commercial, cultural, and religious center of Asia. The other six churches were located in the same province, situated roughly in a circle; they were selected for geographical reasons rather than for the size of their Christian communities. Walks in the midst of the seven gold lampstands: this signifies that Christ is always present in the church; see the note on Rev 1:4.
4 [2] Who call themselves . . . impostors: this refers to unauthorized and perverse missionaries; cf Acts 20:29-30.
5 [6] Nicolaitans: these are perhaps the impostors of Rev 2:2; see the note on Rev 2:14-15. There is little evidence for connecting this group with Nicolaus, the proselyte from Antioch, mentioned in Acts 6:5.
6 [7] Victor: referring to any Christian individual who holds fast to the faith and does God's will in the face of persecution. The tree of life that is in the garden of God: this is a reference to the tree in the primeval paradise (Genesis 2:9); cf Rev 22:2, 14, 19. The decree excluding humanity from the tree of life has been revoked by Christ.
7 [8-11] The letter to Smyrna encourages the Christians in this important commercial center by telling them that although they are impoverished, they are nevertheless rich, and calls those Jews who are slandering them members of the assembly of Satan (Rev 2:9). There is no admonition; rather, the Christians are told that they will suffer much, even death, but the time of tribulation will be short compared to their eternal reward (Rev 2:10), and they will thus escape final damnation (Rev 2:11).
8 [8] Smyrna: modern Izmir, ca. thirty miles north of Ephesus, and the chief city of Lydia, with a temple to the goddess Roma. It was renowned for its loyalty to Rome, and it also had a large Jewish community very hostile toward Christians.
9 [9-10] The church in Smyrna was materially poor but spiritually rich. Accusations made by Jewish brethren there occasioned the persecution of Christians; cf Acts 14:2, 19; 17:5, 13.
10 [11] The second death: this refers to the eternal death, when sinners will receive their final punishment; cf Rev 20:6, 14-15; 21:8.
11 [12-17] The letter to Pergamum praises the members of the church for persevering in their faith in Christ even in the midst of a pagan setting and in face of persecution and martyrdom (Rev 2:13). But it admonishes them about members who advocate an unprincipled morality (Rev 2:14; cf 2 Peter 2:15; Jude 1:11) and others who follow the teaching of the Nicolaitans (Rev 2:15; see the note there). It urges them to repent (Rev 2:16) and promises them the hidden manna and Christ's amulet (Rev 2:17).
12 [12] Pergamum: modern Bergama, ca. forty-five miles northeast of Smyrna, a center for various kinds of pagan worship. It also had an outstanding library (the word parchment is derived from its name).
13 [13] Satan's throne: the reference is to emperor worship and other pagan practices that flourished in Pergamum, perhaps specifically to the white marble altar erected and dedicated to Zeus by Eumenes II (197-160 B.C.).
14 [14-15] Like Balaam, the biblical prototype of the religious compromiser (cf Numbers 25:1-3; 31:16; 2 Peter 2:15; Jude 1:11), the Nicolaitans in Pergamum and Ephesus (Rev 2:6) accommodated their Christian faith to paganism. They abused the principle of liberty enunciated by Paul (1 Cor 9:19-23).
15 [17] The hidden manna: this is the food of life; cf Psalm 78:24-25. White amulet: literally, ＂white stone,＂ on which was written a magical name, whose power could be tapped by one who knew the secret name. It is used here as a symbol of victory and joy; cf Rev 3:4-5. New name: this is a reference to the Christian's rebirth in Christ; cf Rev 3:12; 19:12; Isaiah 62:2; 65:15.
16 [18-29] The letter to Thyatira praises the progress in virtue of this small Christian community (Rev 2:19) but admonishes them for tolerating a false prophet who leads them astray (Rev 2:20). Her fate is sealed, but there is hope of repentance for her followers (Rev 2:21-22). Otherwise, they too shall die (Rev 2:23). They are warned against Satanic power or knowledge (Rev 2:24-25). Those who remain faithful will share in the messianic reign, having authority over nations (Rev 2:26-27), and will in fact possess Christ himself (Rev 2:8).
17 [18] Thyatira: modern Akhisar, ca. forty miles southeast of Pergamum, a frontier town famous for its workers' guilds (cf Acts 16:14), membership in which may have involved festal meals in pagan temples.
18 [20] The scheming and treacherous Jezebel of old (cf 1 Kings 19:1-2; 21:1-14; 2 Kings 9:22, 30-34) introduced pagan customs into the religion of Israel; this new Jezebel was doing the same to Christianity.
19 [23] Children: spiritual descendants.
20 [24] The so-called deep secrets of Satan: literally, ＂the deep things of Satan,＂ a scathing reference to the perverse teaching of the Nicolaitans (Rev 2:15).
21 [26-28] The Christian who perseveres in faith will share in Christ's messianic authority (cf Psalm 2:8-9) and resurrection victory over death, symbolized by the morning star; cf Rev 22:16.
22 [26] Who keeps to my ways: literally, ＂who keeps my works.＂