Revelation 2:2

2:2 ‘I know your works as well as your ¹  labor and steadfast endurance, and that you cannot tolerate ²  evil. You have even put to the test ³  those who refer to themselves as apostles (but are not), and have discovered that they are false.

Revelation 2:14

2:14 But I have a few things against you: You have some people there who follow the teaching of Balaam, ⁴  who instructed Balak to put a stumbling block ⁵  before the people ⁶  of Israel so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality. ⁷ 

Revelation 7:14

7:14 So ⁸  I said to him, “My lord, you know the answer.” ⁹  Then ¹⁰  he said to me, “These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation. They ¹¹  have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb!

Revelation 11:6

11:6 These two have the power ¹²  to close up the sky so that it does not rain during the time ¹³  they are prophesying. They ¹⁴  have power ¹⁵  to turn the waters to blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague whenever they want.

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¹ 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 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.”

³ 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.

⁴ sn See Num 22-24; 31:16.

⁵ tn That is, a cause for sinning. An alternate translation is “who instructed Balak to cause the people of Israel to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols…”

⁶ tn Grk “sons,” but the expression υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραήλ (Juioi Israhl) is an idiom for the people of Israel as an ethnic entity (see L&N 11.58).

⁷ tn Due to the actual events in the OT (Num 22-24; 31:16), πορνεῦσαι (porneusai) is taken to mean “sexual immorality.” BDAG 854 s.v. πορνεύω 1 states, “engage in illicit sex, to fornicate, to whore…W. φαγεῖν εἰδωλόθυτα ‘eat meat offered to idols’ Rv 2:14, 20.”

⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the previous question.

⁹ tn Though the expression “the answer” is not in the Greek text, it is clearly implied. Direct objects in Greek were frequently omitted when clear from the context.

¹⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

¹¹ tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

¹² tn Or “authority.”

¹³ tn Grk “the days.”

¹⁴ tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

¹⁵ tn Or “authority.”