Wahyu 1:20

1:20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and the seven golden lampstands is this: ¹  The seven stars are the angels ²  of the seven churches and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

Wahyu 2:2

2:2 ‘I know your works as well as your ³  labor and steadfast endurance, and that you cannot tolerate ⁴  evil. You have even put to the test ⁵  those who refer to themselves as apostles (but are not), and have discovered that they are false.

Wahyu 3:1

To the Church in Sardis

3:1 “To ⁶  the angel of the church in Sardis write the following: ⁷ 

“This is the solemn pronouncement of ⁸  the one who holds ⁹  the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a reputation ¹⁰  that you are alive, but ¹¹  in reality ¹²  you are dead.

Wahyu 3:8

3:8 ‘I know your deeds. (Look! I have put ¹³  in front of you an open door that no one can shut.) ¹⁴  I know ¹⁵  that you have little strength, ¹⁶  but ¹⁷  you have obeyed ¹⁸  my word and have not denied my name.

[1:20]  ¹ tn The words “is this” are supplied to make a complete sentence in English.

[1:20]  ² tn Or perhaps “the messengers.”

[2:2]  ³ tn Although the first possessive pronoun σου (sou) is connected to τὰ ἔργα (ta erga) and the second σου is connected to ὑπομονήν (Jupomonhn), semantically κόπον (kopon) is also to be understood as belonging to the Ephesian church. The translation reflects this.

[2:2]  ⁴ tn The translation “tolerate” seems to capture the sense of βαστάσαι (bastasai) here. BDAG 171 s.v. βαστάζω 2.b.β says, “bear, endure…κακούς Rv 2:2.…bear patiently, put up with: weaknesses of the weak Ro 15:1; cf. IPol 1:2; evil Rv 2:3.”

[2:2]  ⁵ tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the participle was broken off from the previous sentence and translated as an indicative verb beginning a new sentence here in the translation.

[3:1]  ⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.

[3:1]  ⁷ tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.

[3:1]  ⁸ tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.

[3:1]  sn The expression This is the solemn pronouncement of reflects an OT idiom. See the note on this phrase in 2:1.

[3:1]  ⁹ tn Grk “who has” (cf. 1:16).

[3:1]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “a name.”

[3:1]  ¹¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[3:1]  ¹² tn The prepositional phrase “in reality” is supplied in the translation to make explicit the idea that their being alive was only an illusion.

[3:8]  ¹³ tn Grk “I have given.”

[3:8]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “to shut it,” but English would leave the direct object understood in this case.

[3:8]  sn The entire statement is parenthetical, interrupting the construction found in other letters to the churches in 3:1 and 3:15, “I know your deeds, that…” where an enumeration of the deeds follows.

[3:8]  ¹⁵ tn This translation is based on connecting the ὅτι (Joti) clause with the οἶδα (oida) at the beginning of the verse, giving the content of what is known (see also 3:1, 3:15 for parallels). Because of the intervening clause that is virtually parenthetical (see the note on the word “shut” earlier in this verse), the words “I know that” from the beginning of the verse had to be repeated to make this connection clear for the English reader. However, the ὅτι could be understood as introducing a causal subordinate clause instead and thus translated, “because you have.”

[3:8]  ¹⁶ tn Or “little power.”

[3:8]  ¹⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[3:8]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “and having kept.” The participle ἐτήρησας (ethrhsas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. For the translation of τηρέω (threw) as “obey” see L&N 36.19. This is the same word that is used in 3:10 (there translated “kept”) where there is a play on words.