which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, | and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;

13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt

19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;

20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

CHAPTER II.

[NTO the angel of the church

14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for ever more, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

mus. Philadelphia. A city east of Sardis and further up the valley. Laodicea. A city east of Ephesus and near the head waters of the Mæander. It was the most interior of the seven cities. The greatest distance between any two of them was not more than 150 miles.

13. The Son of man. The name which our Saviour so constantly used of himself to denote his true humanity.15. The sound. Literally "the voice." -18. Hell. Rather the invisible world."-20. Angels. These must

saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;

2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:

3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and rebe the chief elders of these Churches. See chap. ii. 1, 8, &c. This is the most reasonable conclusion of the commentators.

II-1. The angel of the church of Ephesus. See chap. i. 11, 20. The seven stars, i. e., the angels, or chief elders. See chap. i. 16, 20. The seven golden candlesticks, i. e., the seven Churches. See chap. i. 12, 20.-2. Thou canst not bear with satisfaction them which are evil.-3. Hast borne afflictions.5. Will remove thy candlestick out of

7 He that hath an ear, let him
hear what the Spirit saith unto
the churches; To him that over-
cometh will I give to eat of the
tree of life, which is in the midst
of the paradise of God.

8 And unto the angel of the
church in Smyrna write; These
things saith the first and the last,
which was dead, and is alive;

9 I know thy works, and tribu-
lation, and poverty, (but thou art
rich) and I know the blasphemy of
them which say they are Jews,
and are not, but are the synagogue
of Satan.

10 Fear none of those things
which thou shalt suffer: behold,
the devil shall cast some of you
into prison, that ye may be tried;
and ye shall have tribulation ten
days: be thou faithful unto death;
and I will give thee a crown of
life.

his place, i. e., will have no Ephesian
Church.- -6. The Nicolaitanes are sup-
posed by many to have been followers of
Nicolas, the proselyte one of the seven,
mentioned in Acts vi. 5. They were a
sect in the Church who permitted idol-
atry and fornication. See ver. 15.-
7. Tree of life. See chap. xxii. 2.
8. The angel of the church in Smyrna.
See chap. i. 11, 20. The first and the
last, who was dead, and is alive. See
chap. i. 17, 18.- -10. Ten days.
may be for ten years (a year for a day),
or more probably a round number for
some short time. A crown of life. Rath-

It

11 He that hath an ear, let him
hear what the Spirit saith unto
the churches; He that overcom-
eth shall not be hurt of the second
death.

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 where-
in Antipas was my faithful mar-
tyr, 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 Balak to
cast a stumblingblock before the
children of Israel, to eat things
sacrificed unto idols, and to com-
mit fornication.

15 So hast thou also them that
hold the doctrine of the Nicolai-
tans, which thing I hate.

16 Repent; or else I will come
unto thee quickly, and will fight
against them with the sword of my
mouth.

18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass; 19 I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.

20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.

22 Behold, I will cast her into

tanes is described in the preceding verse. -16. The sword of my mouth. See ver. 12.-17. The hidden manna. See John vi. 31-35. Perhaps reference is had to the manna hidden in the ark. See Heb. ix. 4. The white stone is supposed to refer to a stone used as a ticket of hospitality (tessera hospitalis). Half the stone (or astragalus) was held by the host, and half by the guest. A new name may be a name newly conferred as a mark of honour.- -18. The angel of the church in Thyatira. See chap. i. 11, 20. His eyes. his feet. See chap. i. 14, 15.- -19. "I know thy works, even thy love and faith exhibited in service and patient endurance of suffering, and thy works under thy latter days of persecution, to be even more

23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

24 But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.

25 But that which ye have already, hold fast till I come.

26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:

27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

28 And I will give him the morning star.

hearty than before."- -20. That woman Jezebel. Probably some prominent female preacher of the Nicolaitan doctrines. See above in ver. 15. Those doctrines seem to have gained a formidable foothold in the Churches of Asia Minor.- -21, 22. Spiritual fornication and adultery (i. e., idolatry) are intended, doubtless, as well as the literal sins. This woman, as an influential promoter of the Nicolaitan doctrines, which permitted idolatry and fornication, probably practised both sins. I will cast her into a bed. This probably denotes the infliction of a judicial sickness.-24. Burden, in the sense of " injunction."

-26, 27. The faithful Christian shall participate in Christ's victorious rule.

-28. The morning star. See chap.

CHAPTER III.

ND unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven - stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.

5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

7 And to the angel of the

xxii. 16. -29. This formula is, in the messages to the Churches of Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea, placed at the close of each message. In the other messages, it is placed before the promise to the faithful.

III-1. The angel of the church in Sardis. See chap. i. 11, 20. The seven

These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

13 He that hath an ear, let him Spirits of God. See chap. i. 4 and iv. 5. The seven stars. See chap. i. 16, 20.5. The book of life. See chap. xx. 12, 15 and xxi. 27.- -7. The angel of the church in Philadelphia. See chap. i. 11, 20. Holy... true. See chap. vi. 10. The key of David, &c. Isaiah xxii. 22. -9. Worship. Not in the sense of

hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.

and knock: i. any man hear my voice, and open the door, I wil come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

CHAPTER IV.

FTER this I looked, and, be

and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

20 Behold, I stand at the door,

divine worship, but of obeisance.-12. My new name.. See chap. ii. 17.-14. The angel of the church of the Laodiceans. See chap. i. 11, 20. The Amen, i. e., he whose word is sure, "Amen " being the expression of certainty. It is a Heb. word meaning "firm." Witness. See chap. i. 5; also xix. 11. Beginning of the creation. See Col. i. 15.

IV.-1. In heaven. Or "in the heaven," i. e., the visible heavens, or the sky. "And behold a door opened in the sky, and the first voice (which I heard as of a trumpet speaking to me), saying, &c." The apostle means the voice which he

heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trum, pet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.

2 And immediately I was in the Spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.

3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.

had heard at first (see chap. i. 10) was now again heard by him. Our English rendering is erroneous.- -2. In the Spirit. See chap. i. 10.- 3. Jasper. This is a variety of quartz, of green, red, yellow, and other colours, bearing a high polish. It was one of the stones borne in the high priest's breastplate (Exod. xxviii. 20). The light of the holy Jerusalem is likened to it (chap. xxi. 11), and the first foundation and the wall of the city was of the same (chap. xxi. 18, 19). Sardine stone, called "sardius" in chap. xxi. 20 and elsewhere. It is our carnelian," a flesh-red stone. Perhaps the

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