Revelation 3:3

3:3 Therefore, remember what you received and heard, ¹  and obey it, ²  and repent. If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will never ³  know at what hour I will come against ⁴  you.

Revelation 3:8

3:8 ‘I know your deeds. (Look! I have put ⁵  in front of you an open door that no one can shut.) ⁶  I know ⁷  that you have little strength, ⁸  but ⁹  you have obeyed ¹⁰  my word and have not denied my name.

Revelation 3:10

3:10 Because you have kept ¹¹  my admonition ¹²  to endure steadfastly, ¹³  I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is about to come on the whole world to test those who live on the earth.

---

¹ tn The expression πῶς εἴληφας καὶ ἤκουσας (pw" eilhfa" kai hkousa") probably refers to the initial instruction in the Christian life they had received and been taught; this included doctrine and ethical teaching.

² tn Grk “keep it,” in the sense of obeying what they had initially been taught.

³ tn The negation here is with οὐ μή (ou mh, the strongest possible form of negation in Koine Greek).

⁴ tn Or “come on.”

⁵ tn Grk “I have given.”

⁶ tn Grk “to shut it,” but English would leave the direct object understood in this case.

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.

⁷ 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.”

⁸ tn Or “little power.”

⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

¹⁰ 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.

¹¹ tn Or “obey.” For the translation of τηρέω (threw) as “obey” see L&N 36.19. In the Greek there is a wordplay: “because you have kept my word…I will keep you,” though the meaning of τηρέω is different each time.

¹² tn The Greek term λόγον (logon) is understood here in the sense of admonition or encouragement.

¹³ tn Or “to persevere.” Here ὑπομονῆς (Jupomonhs) has been translated as a genitive of reference/respect related to τὸν λόγον (ton logon).