Wahyu 2:16

2:16 Therefore, ¹  repent! If not, I will come against you quickly and make war against those people ²  with the sword of my mouth.

Wahyu 2:22-23

2:22 Look! I am throwing her onto a bed of violent illness, ³  and those who commit adultery with her into terrible suffering, ⁴  unless they repent of her deeds. 2:23 Furthermore, I will strike her followers ⁵  with a deadly disease, ⁶  and then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches minds and hearts. I will repay ⁷  each one of you ⁸  what your deeds deserve. ⁹ 

¹ tc The “therefore” (οὖν, oun) is not found in א 2053 2329 2351 Ï^A or the Latin mss. It is, however, included in impressive witnesses such as {A C 046 1006 1611 sy^p,h co}. Though the conjunction looks at first glance like a scribal clarification, its omission may be explained on the basis of its similarity to the last three letters of the verb “repent” (μετανόησον, metanohson; since οὖν is a postpositive conjunction in Greek, the final three letters of the verb [-σον, -son] would have been immediately followed by ουν). A scribe could have simply passed over the conjunction in his copy when he saw the last three letters of the imperative verb. A decision is difficult, however, because of the motivation to add to the text and the quality of witnesses that lack the conjunction.

² tn Grk “with them”; the referent (those people who follow the teaching of Balaam and the Nicolaitans) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

³ tn Grk “onto a bed,” in this context an idiom for severe illness (L&N 23.152).

⁴ tn Or “into great distress.” The suffering here is not specified as physical or emotional, and could involve persecution.

⁵ tn Grk “her children,” but in this context a reference to this woman’s followers or disciples is more likely meant.

⁶ tn Grk “I will kill with death.” θάνατος (qanatos) can in particular contexts refer to a manner of death, specifically a contagious disease (see BDAG 443 s.v. 3; L&N 23.158).

⁷ tn Grk “I will give.” The sense of δίδωμι (didwmi) in this context is more “repay” than “give.”

⁸ sn This pronoun and the following one are plural in the Greek text.

⁹ tn Grk “each one of you according to your works.”