rd

Revelation 2

1 He exhorts four Churches, 5 To repentance, 10 To perseverance, patience and amendment, 5.14 20 23 As well by threatens , 7.10 17.26 As promises of reward.
1.Unto the aAngel of the Church of Ephesus write, These things saith he that bholdeth the seven stars in his cright hand, and dwalketh in the middes of the seven golden candlesticks.
2.I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not forbear them which are evil, and hast examined them which say they are Apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars.
3.And thou hast suffered, 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 elove.
5.Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works: or else I will come against thee shortly, and will remove thy fcandlestick out of his place, except thou amend.
6.But this thou hast, that thou hatest the works of the gNicolaitans, which I also hate.
7.Let him that hath an ear, hear, what the Spirit saith unto the Churches, To him that overcometh, will I give to eat of the tree of hlife which is in the middes of the Paradise of God.
8.¶ And unto the iAngel of the Church of the Smyrnians write, These things saith he that is first, and last, Which was dead and is kalive.
9.I know thy works and ltribulation, and poverty (but thou art mrich) and I know the blasphemy of them, which say they are Jews and nare not, but are the Synagogue of Satan.
10.Fear none of those things, which thou shalt suffer: behold, it shall come to pass, that the odevil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be ptried, and ye shall have tribulation qten days: be thou faithful unto the death, and I will give thee the crown of life.
11.Let him that hath an ear, hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches. He that overcometh, shall not be hurt of the rsecond death.
12.And to the Angel of the Church which is at Pergamus write, This saith he which hath the sharp ssword with two edges.
13.I know thy works and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s tthrone is, and thou keepest my Name, and hast not denied my faith, ueven in those days when Antipas my faithful martyr was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
14.But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that maintain the xdoctrine of *Balaam, which taught Balac, to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, that they should eat of things sacrificed unto idols, and commit fornication.
15.Even so hast thou them, that maintain the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.
16.Repent thyself, or else I will come unto thee shortly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
17.Let him that hath an ear, hear what the spirit saith unto the Churches, To him that overcometh, will I give to eat of the Manna that is yhid, and will give him a zwhite stone, and in the stone a anew name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
18.¶ And unto the Angel of the Church which is at Thyatira write, These things saith the Son of God, which hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet like ^fine brass.
19.I know thy works and thy love, and bservice, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works, and that they are more at the last, then at the first.
20.Notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee, that thou sufferest the woman *cJezabel, which calleth herself a Prophettess, to teach and to deceive my servants to make them dcommit fornication, and to eat meats 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 a bed, and them that commit fornication with her, into great affliction, except they repent them of their works.
23.And I will kill her echildren with death: and all the Churches shall know that I am he which *search the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according unto your works.
24.And unto you I say, the rest of them of Thyatira, As many as have not this learning, neither have known the fdeepness of Satan (as gthey speak) I will put upon you none other burden.
25.But that which ye have all ready, hold fast till I come.
26.For he that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end, *to him will I give power over nations,
27.And he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and as the vessels of a potter, shall they be broken.
28.Even as I received of my Father, so will I give him the morning star.
29.Let him that hath an ear, hear what the Spirit saith to the Churchs.

Notes

1-a.
To the Pastor or minister which are called by this Name, because they are God’s messengers, and have their office commune with Jesus Christ who also is called an Angel.
1-b.
Read chap. 11.3.
1-c.
In his protection.
1-d.
According to his promise, Mat. 28.20 he will be with them to the end of the world.
4-e.
Thy first love, that thou had toward God and thy neighbour at the first preaching of the Gospel.
5-f.
The office of the Pastor is compared to a candlestick or lamp forasmuch as he ought to shine before men.
6-g.
These were heretics which held that wives should be common, and as some think were named of one called Nicolas, of whom is writ Acts 6.5, which was chosen among the Deacons.
7-h.
Meaning, the life everlasting: thus by corporal benefits he raises them up to consider spiritual blessings.
8-i.
This is thought to be Policarpus who was minister of Smyrna 86 years, as he himself confessed before Herodes when he was lead to be burned for Christ’s cause.
8-k.
The eternal Divinity of Jesus Christ is here most plainly declared with his manhood, and victory over death to assure his that they shall not be overcome by death.
9-l.
This was the persecution under the emperor Domitian.
9-m.
In spiritual treasures.
9-n.
They are not Abraham’s children according to the faith.
10-o.
Here he names the author of all our calamity, encouraging us manfully to fight against him, in promising us the victory.
10-p.
The end of affliction is that we may be tried and not destroyed.
10-q.
Signifying many times as Gen. 31.41, Num. 14.22, although there shalbe comfort and release.
11-r.
The first death is the natural death of the body, the second is the eternal death: from the which all are free that believe in Jesus Christ, John 5.24.
12-s.
The word of God is the sword with two edged, Ebr. 4.12.
13-t.
All towns and countries whence God’s word, and good living is banished, are the throne of Satan, and also those places where the word is not preached sincerely, or manners a right reformed.
13-u.
In the very heat of persecution and slaughter of the Martyrs they continued in the pure faith, and therefore are commended after a sort.
14-*.
Num. 24.14, and 25.1.
14-x.
All such are like counsellors to Balaam, which for lucre persuade to idiolatry, or whoredom.
17-a.
The new name also signifies, renome ad honour.
17-y.
And not common to all.
17-z.
Such a stone was wont to be given to them that had gotten any victory or praise, in sign of honour, and therefore it signifies here a token of God’s favour and grace: also it was a sign that one was cleared in judgement.
18-^.
Or, alcamine.
19-b.
To help the Saints.
20-*.
1 Kings 16.31.
20-c.
As that harlot Jezabel maintained strange religion and exercised cruelty against the servants of God, so are there among them that do the like.
20-d.
They that consent to idolatry and false doctrine, commit spiritual whoredom, whereof follows corporal whoredom, Hos. 4.13.
23-*.
1 Sam. 16.7, Psal. 7.10, Jere. 11.20, and 17.10.
23-e.
Them that follow her ways.
24-f.
The false teachers termed their doctrine by this name, as though it contained the most deep knowledge of heavenly things, and was indeed drawn out of the deep dungeon of hell: by such terms now the Anabaptists, Libertines, Papists, Arrians, &c use to beautify their monstr- ous errors and blasphemies.
24-g.
The children of Jezebel.
26-*.
Psal. 2.8