Revelation 3:8-10

3:8 ‘I know your deeds. (Look! I have put ¹  in front of you an open door that no one can shut.) ²  I know ³  that you have little strength, ⁴  but ⁵  you have obeyed ⁶  my word and have not denied my name. 3:9 Listen! ⁷  I am going to make those people from the synagogue ⁸  of Satan – who say they are Jews yet ⁹  are not, but are lying – Look, I will make ¹⁰  them come and bow down ¹¹  at your feet and acknowledge ¹²  that I have loved you. 3:10 Because you have kept ¹³  my admonition ¹⁴  to endure steadfastly, ¹⁵  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.

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¹ tn Grk “I have given.”

² 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.

³ 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.”

⁴ tn Or “little power.”

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

⁶ 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.

⁷ tn Grk “behold” (L&N 91.13).

⁸ sn See the note on synagogue in 2:9.

⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast between what these people claimed and what they were.

¹⁰ tn The verb here is ποιέω (poiew), but in this context it has virtually the same meaning as δίδωμι (didwmi) used at the beginning of the verse. Stylistic variation like this is typical of Johannine literature.

¹¹ tn The verb here is προσκυνήσουσιν (proskunhsousin), normally used to refer to worship.

¹² tn Or “and know,” “and recognize.”

¹³ 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.

¹⁴ tn The Greek term λόγον (logon) is understood here in the sense of admonition or encouragement.

¹⁵ tn Or “to persevere.” Here ὑπομονῆς (Jupomonhs) has been translated as a genitive of reference/respect related to τὸν λόγον (ton logon).