2:8 “To 7 the angel of the church in Smyrna write the following: 8
“This is the solemn pronouncement of 9 the one who is the first and the last, the one who was dead, but 10 came to life:
14:9 A 17 third angel 18 followed the first two, 19 declaring 20 in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and takes the mark on his forehead or his hand,
1 tn Grk “And when.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
2 tn Here the Greek conjunction καί (kai) has been translated as a contrastive (“but”) due to the contrast between the two clauses.
3 tn Grk “from where,” but status is in view rather than physical position. On this term BDAG 838 s.v. πόθεν 1 states, “from what place? from where?…In imagery μνημόνευε πόθεν πέπτωκες remember from what (state) you have fallen Rv 2:5.”
4 tn Grk “and do” (a continuation of the previous sentence in the Greek text). For stylistic reasons in English a new sentence was started here in the translation. The repeated mention of repenting at the end of the verse suggests that the intervening material (“do the deeds you did at first”) specifies how the repentance is to be demonstrated.
5 tn Or “you did formerly.”
6 tn Although the final clause is somewhat awkward, it is typical of the style of Revelation.
7 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.
8 tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.
9 tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.
sn The expression This is the solemn pronouncement of reflects an OT idiom. See the note on this phrase in 2:1.
10 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present between these two phrases.
11 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
12 tn Both here and before the phrase “the third,” καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
13 tn Grk “it”; the referent (the second beast) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
14 tn Grk “it was given [permitted] to it [the second beast].”
15 tn Grk “breath,” but in context the point is that the image of the first beast is made to come to life and speak.
16 tn Grk “of the beast”; the word “first” has been supplied to specify the referent.
17 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
18 tn Grk “And another angel, a third.”
19 tn Grk “followed them.”
20 tn For the translation of λέγω (legw) as “declare,” see BDAG 590 s.v. 2.e.
21 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the directions given by the voice from the temple.
22 tn Grk “the first”; the referent (the first angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
23 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
24 tn Or “ulcerated sores”; the term in the Greek text is singular but is probably best understood as a collective singular.
25 tn Grk ‘the men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") and refers to both men and women.
26 tn The perfect participle here has been translated as an intensive (resultative) perfect.
27 sn Agate (also called chalcedony) is a semiprecious stone usually milky or gray in color (L&N 2.32).