¹tn Here kaiv (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.
²tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.
³tn 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.
⁴tn Grk “who has” (cf. 1:16).
⁵tn Grk “a name.”
⁶tn Here kaiv (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
⁷tn The prepositional phrase “in reality” is supplied in the translation to make explicit the idea that their being alive was only an illusion.
⁸tn The verb e[mellon (emellon) is in the imperfect tense.
⁹tn The perfect passive participle has been translated as an intensive (resultative) perfect here.
¹⁰tn Or “in the judgment.” BDAG 342 s.v. ejnwvpion 3 states, “in the opinion/judgment of…As a rule…of qeov" or kuvrio"; so after…peplhrwmevno" Rv 3:2.”
¹¹tn The expression pw'" ei[lhfa" kaiV h[kousa" (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.
¹²tn Grk “keep it,” in the sense of obeying what they had initially been taught.
¹³tn The negation here is with ouj mhv (ou mh, the strongest possible form of negation in Koine Greek).
¹⁴tn Or “come on.”
¹⁵tn Grk “a few names”; here o[noma (onoma) is used by figurative extension to mean “person” or “people”; according to L&N 9.19 there is “the possible implication of existence or relevance as individuals.”
¹⁶tn Or “soiled” (so NAB, NRSV, NIV); NCV “have kept their clothes unstained; CEV “have not dirtied your clothes with sin.”
¹⁷tn The word “dressed” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
¹⁸tn Or “who overcomes.”
¹⁹tn Grk “thus.”
²⁰tn Or “white robes.”
²¹tn The negation here is with ouj mhv (ou mh), the strongest possible form of negation in Koine Greek.
²²tn Or “will never wipe out.”
²³tn Here kaiv (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
²⁴tn Grk “will confess.”
²⁵tn Here kaiv (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.
²⁶tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.
²⁷tn 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.
²⁸tn The word “door” is not in the Greek text but has been supplied in the translation. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context. Since the following verse does contain the word “door” (quvran, quran) that word has been supplied as the direct object here.
²⁹tn See the note on the word “door” earlier in this verse.
³⁰tn Grk “I have given.”
³¹tn 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.
³²tn This translation is based on connecting the o{ti (Joti) clause with the oi\da (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 o{ti could be understood as introducing a causal subordinate clause instead and thus translated, “because you have.”
³³tn Or “little power.”
³⁴tn Here kaiv (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
³⁵tn Grk “and having kept.” The participle ejthvrhsa" (ethrhsas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. For the translation of threvw (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.
³⁶tn Grk “behold” (L&N 91.13).
³⁷sn See the note on synagogue in 2:9.
³⁸tn Here kaiv (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast between what these people claimed and what they were.
³⁹tn The verb here is poievw (poiew), but in this context it has virtually the same meaning as divdwmi (didwmi) used at the beginning of the verse. Stylistic variation like this is typical of Johannine literature.
⁴⁰tn The verb here is proskunhvsousin (proskunhsousin), normally used to refer to worship.
⁴¹tn Or “and know,” “and recognize.”
⁴²tn Or “obey.” For the translation of threvw (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 threvw is different each time.
⁴³tn The Greek term lovgon (logon) is understood here in the sense of admonition or encouragement.
⁴⁴tn Or “to persevere.” Here uJpomonh'" (Jupomonhs) has been translated as a genitive of reference/respect related to toVn lovgon (ton logon).
⁴⁵tn On the verb lavbh/ (labh) here BDAG 583 s.v. lambavnw 2 states, “to take away, remove…with or without the use of force taV ajrguvria take away the silver coins (fr. the temple) Mt 27:6. taV" ajsqeneiva" diseases 8:17. toVn stevfanon Rv 3:11.”
⁴⁶sn Your crown refers to a wreath consisting either of foliage or of precious metals formed to resemble foliage and worn as a symbol of honor, victory, or as a badge of high office—‘wreath, crown’ (L&N 6.192).
⁴⁷tn Or “who is victorious”; traditionally, “who overcomes.”
⁴⁸tn Grk “I will make him,” but the pronoun (aujtovn, auton, “him”) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated here.
⁴⁹tn Here kaiv (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
⁵⁰sn This description of the city of my God is parenthetical, explaining further the previous phrase and interrupting the list of “new names” given here.
⁵¹tn Here kaiv (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.
⁵²tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.
⁵³tn 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.
⁵⁴tn Or “the beginning of God’s creation”; or “the ruler of God’s creation.” From a linguistic standpoint all three meanings for ajrchv (arch) are possible. The term is well attested in both LXX (Gen 40:13, 21; 41:13) and intertestamental Jewish literature (2 Macc 4:10, 50) as meaning “ruler, authority” (BDAG 138 s.v. 6). Some have connected this passage to Paul’s statements in Col 1:15, 18 which describe Christ as ajrchv and prwtovtoko" (prwtotoko"; e.g., see R. H. Mounce, Revelation [NICNT], 124) but the term ajrchv has been understood as either “beginning” or “ruler” in that passage as well. The most compelling connection is to be found in the prologue to John’s Gospel (1:2-4) where the lovgo" (logos) is said to be “in the beginning (ajrchv) with God,” a temporal reference connected with creation, and then v. 3 states that “all things were made through him.” The connection with the original creation suggests the meaning “originator” for ajrchv here. BDAG 138 s.v. 3 gives the meaning “the first cause” for the word in Rev 3:14, a term that is too philosophical for the general reader, so the translation “originator” was used instead. BDAG also notes, “but the mng. beginning = ‘first created’ is linguistically probable (s. above 1b and Job 40:19; also CBurney, Christ as the *Archv of Creation: JTS 27, 1926, 160-77).” Such a meaning is unlikely here, however, since the connections described above are much more probable.
⁵⁵sn Laodicea was near two other towns, each of which had a unique water source. To the north was Hierapolis which had a natural hot spring, often used for medicinal purposes. To the east was Colossae which had cold, pure waters. In contrast to these towns, Laodicea had no permanent supply of good water. Efforts to pipe water to the city from nearby springs were successful, but it would arrive lukewarm. The metaphor in the text is not meant to relate spiritual fervor to temperature. This would mean that Laodicea would be commended for being spiritually cold, but it is unlikely that Jesus would commend this. Instead, the metaphor condemns Laodicea for not providing spiritual healing (being hot) or spiritual refreshment (being cold) to those around them. It is a condemnation of their lack of works and lack of witness.
⁵⁶tn Or “I intend.”
⁵⁷tn This is the literal meaning of the Greek verb ejmevw (emew). It is usually translated with a much weaker term like “spit out” due to the unpleasant connotations of the English verb “vomit,” as noted by L&N 23.44. The situation confronting the Laodicean church is a dire one, however, and such a term is necessary if the modern reader is to understand the gravity of the situation.
⁵⁸tn Grk “and have become rich.” The semantic domains of the two terms for wealth here, plouvsio" (plousios, adjective) and ploutevw (ploutew, verb) overlap considerably, but are given slightly different English translations for stylistic reasons.
⁵⁹tn Here kaiv (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
⁶⁰tn All the terms in this series are preceded by kaiv (kai) in the Greek text, but contemporary English generally uses connectives only between the last two items in such a series.
⁶¹tn Grk “I counsel you to buy.”
⁶²tn Grk “rich, and.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation, repeating the words “Buy from me” to make the connection clear for the English reader.
⁶³tn Grk “the shame of the nakedness of you,” which has been translated as an attributed genitive like kainovthti zwh'" (kainothti zwh") in Rom 6:4 (ExSyn 89-90).
⁶⁴sn The city of Laodicea had a famous medical school and exported a powder (called a “Phrygian powder”) that was widely used as an eye salve. It was applied to the eyes in the form of a paste the consistency of dough (the Greek term for the salve here, kollouvrion, kollourion [Latin collyrium], is a diminutive form of the word for a long roll of bread).
⁶⁵tn The Greek pronoun o{so" (Josos) means “as many as” and can be translated “All those” or “Everyone.”
⁶⁶tn Grk “Behold.”
⁶⁷tn Grk “come in to him.”
sn The expression in Greek does not mean entrance into the person, as is popularly taken, but entrance into a room or building toward the person. See ExSyn 380-82. Some interpreters understand the door here to be the door to the Laodicean church, and thus a collective or corporate image rather than an individual one.
⁶⁸tn Grk “The one who conquers, to him I will grant.”
⁶⁹tn Or “who is victorious”; traditionally, “who overcomes.”
⁷⁰tn Grk “I will give [grant] to him.”
⁷¹tn Or “have been victorious”; traditionally, “have overcome.”