Revelation 2:9

 

Revelation 2:9

(KJV) I know thy works, and tribulation, 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.

(1611 KJV) I know thy works, and tribulation, and pouertie, but thou art rich, and I know the blasphemie of them which say they are Iewes and are not, but are the Synagogue of Satan.

(1568 Bishops Bible) I knowe thy workes, and tribulation, and pouertie: but thou art riche. And I know the blasphemie of them which cal them selues Iewes, and are not, but (are) the synagogue of Satan.

(1526 Tyndale) I knowe thy workes and tribulacion and poverte but thou art ryche: And I knowe the blaspemy of them whiche call them selves Iewes and are not: but are the congregacio of sathan.

 

Counterfeit Versions

(1881 RV) I know thy tribulation, and thy poverty (but thou art rich), and the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and they art not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

(1901 ASV) I know thy tribulation, and thy poverty (but thou art rich), and the blasphemy of them that say they are Jews, and they art not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

(CSB) I know your affliction and poverty, but you are rich. I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

(NIV) I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

(NASV) 'I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

(THE MESSAGE) "I can see your pain and poverty—constant pain, dire poverty—but I also see your wealth. And I hear the lie in the claims of those who pretend to be good Jews, who in fact belong to Satan's crowd.

(AMP) I know your affliction and distress and pressing trouble and your poverty--but you are rich! and how you are abused and reviled and slandered by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

(NLT) “I know about your suffering and your poverty—but you are rich! I know the blasphemy of those opposing you. They say they are Jews, but they are not, because their synagogue belongs to Satan.

(ESV) "'I know your tribulation and your poverty ( but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

(CEV) I know how much you suffer and how poor you are, but you are rich. I also know the cruel things being said about you by people who claim to be Jews. But they are not really Jews. They are a group that belongs to Satan.

(NCV) I know your troubles and that you are poor, but really you are rich! I know the bad things some people say about you. They say they are Jews, but they are not true Jews. They are a synagogue that belongs to Satan.

(CEB) I know your hardship and poverty (though you are actually rich). I also know the hurtful things that have been spoken about you by those who say they are Jews (though they are not, but are really Satan’s synagogue).

(HCSB) I know your tribulation and poverty, yet you are rich. [I know] the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

(NIRV) 'I know that you suffer and are poor. But you are rich! Some people say they are Jews but are not. I know that their words are evil. Their worship is satanic.

(RSV) "`I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

(NAB-Roman Catholic) "I know your tribulation and poverty, but you are rich. I know the slander of those who claim to be Jews and are not, but rather are members of the assembly of Satan.

(NWT-Jehovah’s Witnesses) ‘I know your tribulation and poverty—but you are rich—and the blasphemy by those who say they themselves are Jews, and yet they are not but are a synagogue of Satan.

 

Textus Receptus - Traditional Text

οιδα σου τα εργα και την θλιψιν και την πτωχειαν πλουσιος δε ει και την βλασφημιαν των λεγοντων ιουδαιους ειναι εαυτους και ουκ εισιν αλλα συναγωγη του σατανα

 

Hort-Westcott - Critical Text

οιδα σου την θλιψιν και την πτωχειαν αλλα πλουσιος ει και την βλασφημιαν εκ των λεγοντων ιουδαιους ειναι εαυτους και ουκ εισιν αλλα συναγωγη του σατανα

 

Corrupted Manuscripts

This verse is corrupted in the following manuscripts:

A 02 - Alexandrinus - Fifth century

C 04 - Ephraemi Rescriptus - Fifth century

P 025 - Ninth century

 

Manuscripts which agree with the Textus Receptus for this verse

Byzantine Text (450-1450 A.D.)

Aleph 01 - Sinaiticus - Nineteenth Century Counterfeit

 

Published Critical Greek Texts with Corruptions

Omit “works”

Lachmann, Karl - 1842

Tischendorf, Constantine - 1869

Tregelles, Samuel - 1857

Alford, Henry - 1849 revised in 1871

Weiss - Critically revised Greek text - 1894

Westcott and Hort - 1881

Nestle - 1927 as revised in seventeenth edition in 1941

Nestle-Aland - 1979 - Twenty Sixth Edition

Nestle-Aland - 1993 - Twenty Seventh Edition

United Bible Societies - 1983 - Fourth Edition

 

Affected Teaching

A very important teaching has been omitted from this verse. Notice it starts out by the Lord saying, “I know thy works…” The church at Smyrna was working hard for the Lord to send forth the Gospel and as a result they were suffering much persecution for their deeds. The Lord Jesus Christ was acknowledging the fact that these Christians were working very hard on kingdom business but their testimony and works had reduced them to a state of poverty because of the persecution. (Heb 6:10 KJV) For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. This is a very important principle because no matter what works we do for the Kingdom of God, they never go unnoticed by the Lord Jesus Christ, regardless of how small the task may be. The reason that the Christians were being persecuted was because they were active in the Lord’s work. Satan does not care how much you know as long as you do nothing with it. Uninvolved Christians make no impact for the Kingdom of God and are no threat to the kingdom of Satan.

 

The moment you begin to invade Satan’s kingdom with the Gospel, you will be persecuted. The modern versions omit the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ is fully cognizant of the works we do after salvation because we can never work for salvation. They omit this great encouraging principle which harmonizes beautifully with Hebrews 6:10. Works are an important part of every Christian’s life. Polycarp lived from 69-155 A.D and became the Bishop of Smyrna. He was discipled by the Apostles themselves. In 155 A.D as he faced martyrdom, he was asked to renounce Christianity and they would spare his life. In his martyrdom, Polycarp is recorded as saying on the day of his death, "Eighty and six years I have served him, how then can I blaspheme my King and Savior? Bring forth what thou wilt." Polycarp was burned at the stake for refusing to burn incense to the Roman Emperor.

Back