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The Message to Pergamum

12 “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write:

“This is the message from the one who has the sharp two-edged sword. 13 I know where you live, there where Satan has his throne. You are true to me, and you did not abandon your faith in me even during the time when Antipas, my faithful witness, was killed there where Satan lives. 14 (A)But there are a few things I have against you: there are some among you who follow the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak how to lead the people of Israel into sin by persuading them to eat food that had been offered to idols and to practice sexual immorality.

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To the Church in Pergamum

12 “To[a] the angel of the church in Pergamum write the following:[b]

“This is the solemn pronouncement of[c] the one who has the sharp double-edged sword:[d] 13 ‘I know[e] where you live—where Satan’s throne is. Yet[f] you continue to cling[g] to my name and you have not denied your[h] faith in me,[i] even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness,[j] who was killed in your city[k] where Satan lives. 14 But I have a few things against you: You have some people there who follow the teaching of Balaam,[l] who instructed Balak to put a stumbling block[m] before the people[n] of Israel so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality.[o]

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 2:12 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.
  2. Revelation 2:12 tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.
  3. Revelation 2:12 tn 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.
  4. Revelation 2:12 sn On the sharp double-edged sword see 1:16.
  5. Revelation 2:13 tc The shorter reading adopted here has superior ms support (א A C P 2053 al latt co), while the inclusion of “your works and” (τὰ ἔργα σου καί, ta erga sou kai) before “where you reside” is supported by the Byzantine witnesses and is evidently a secondary attempt to harmonize the passage with 2:2, 19; 3:1, 8, 15.
  6. Revelation 2:13 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Yet” to indicate the contrast between their location and their faithful behavior.
  7. Revelation 2:13 tn The present indicative verb κρατεῖς (krateis) has been translated as a progressive present.
  8. Revelation 2:13 tn Grk “the faith”; here the Greek article is used as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).
  9. Revelation 2:13 tn Grk “the faith of me” (τὴν πίστιν μου, tēn pistin mou) with the genitive “of me” (μου) functioning objectively.
  10. Revelation 2:13 tn Or “martyr.” The Greek word μάρτυς can mean either “witness” or “martyr.”
  11. Revelation 2:13 tn Grk “killed among you.” The term “city” does not occur in the Greek text of course, but the expression παρ᾿ ὑμῖν, ὅπου ὁ σατανᾶς κατοικεῖ (parhumin, hopou ho satanas katoikei) seems to indicate that this is what is meant. See G. B. Caird, Revelation (HNTC), 36-38.
  12. Revelation 2:14 sn See Num 22-24; 31:16.
  13. Revelation 2:14 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…”
  14. Revelation 2:14 tn Grk “sons,” but the expression υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραήλ (huioi Israēl) is an idiom for the people of Israel as an ethnic entity (see L&N 11.58).
  15. Revelation 2:14 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.”

To the Church in Pergamum

12 “To the angel of the church in Pergamum(A) write:

These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.(B) 13 I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me,(C) not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness,(D) who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives.(E)

14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you:(F) There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam,(G) who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols(H) and committed sexual immorality.(I)

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12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;

13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

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The Compromising Church

12 “And to the [a]angel of the church in Pergamos write,

‘These things says (A)He who has the sharp two-edged sword: 13 “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of (B)Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, (C)to eat things sacrificed to idols, (D)and to commit sexual immorality.

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 2:12 Or messenger