Revelation 2:9

2:9 ‘I know the distress you are suffering¹ and your poverty (but you are rich). I also know² the slander against you³ by those who call themselves Jews and really are not, but are a synagogue⁴ of Satan.

Revelation 21:27

21:27 but⁵ nothing ritually unclean⁶ will ever enter into it, nor anyone who does what is detestable⁷ or practices falsehood,⁸ but only those whose names⁹ are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

¹tn Or “know your suffering.” This could refer to suffering or distress caused by persecution (see L&N 22.2).

²tn Because of the length and complexity of this Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the phrase “I also know” to link this English sentence back to “I know” at the beginning of the verse.

³tn The words “against you” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

⁴sn A synagogue was a place for Jewish prayer and worship, with recognized leadership (e.g., Mt 4:23, Mk 1:21, Lk 4:15, Jn 6:59).

⁵tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

⁶tn Here BDAG 552 s.v. κοινός 2 states, “pert. to being of little value because of being common, common, ordinary, profane…b. specifically, of that which is ceremonially impure: Rv 21:27.”

⁷tn Or “what is abhorrent”; Grk “who practices abominations.”

⁸tn Grk “practicing abomination or falsehood.” Because of the way βδέλυγμα (bdelugma) has been translated (“does what is detestable”) it was necessary to repeat the idea from the participle ποιῶν (poiwn, “practices”) before the term “falsehood.” On this term, BDAG 1097 s.v. ψεῦδος states, “ποιεῖν ψεῦδος practice (the things that go with) falsehood Rv 21:27; 22:15.” Cf. Rev 3:9.

⁹tn Grk “those who are written”; the word “names” is implied.