REV 2:18-29

To the Church in Thyatira

18To the messenger of the assembly in Thyatira write: These things says the Son of God, the one having eyes like a flame of fire and feet like refined bronze:

19'Your works are known to me — your love and faith and service and steadfast endurance — and that your last works exceed the first.

20But I hold this against you: that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and teaches and leads my servants astray to commit sexual immorality and to eat things sacrificed to idols.

21And I gave her time to repent, and she is not willing to repent of her sexual immorality.

22Look — I am throwing her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great affliction, unless they repent of her works.

23And her children I will strike dead. And all the assemblies will know that I am the one who searches the inmost desires and the heart. And to each of you I will give according to your works.

24But to the rest of you in Thyatira — as many as do not hold this teaching, who have not known what some call the deep things of Satan — I say to you: I lay no other burden on you.

25Yet what you do have — hold fast until I come.

26And to the one who conquers and keeps my works to the end, I will give authority over the nations —

27and he will shepherd them with an iron rod, as clay vessels are shattered — even as I myself have received from my Father.

28And I will give him the morning star.

29Let the one who has an ear hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.'

In the world it was spoken into

The church in Thyatira, a city known for its trade guilds and artisan industries, would have understood this message within the context of their socio-economic and religious environment. Thyatira’s guilds often required participation in idolatrous practices and communal meals, which could involve sexual immorality, as part of their social and economic cohesion. The mention of Jezebel, a self-proclaimed prophetess, likely refers to a prominent female figure advocating for accommodation to these guild practices, framing them as spiritually permissible. The description of the Son of God with eyes like flame and feet like burnished bronze evokes divine judgment and unyielding purity, contrasting sharply with the moral compromise tolerated in the church. The reference to 'burnished bronze' would resonate with Thyatira’s metalworking industry, symbolizing both refinement and unrelenting scrutiny. The warning against eating food sacrificed to idols and committing sexual immorality directly challenges the guild practices that threatened the church’s fidelity to Christ. The promise of authority over the nations and the morning star reflects the eschatological hope of divine vindication for those who resist cultural assimilation.

›See the receipts

How other translations render this

REV 2:18

KJV: 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;
BSB: To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like a blazing fire and whose feet are like polished bronze.
Koinōnos: To the messenger of the assembly in Thyatira write: These things says the Son of God, the one having eyes like a flame of fire and feet like refined bronze:

REV 2:19

KJV: 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.
BSB: I know your deeds—your love, your faith, your service, your perseverance—and your latest deeds are greater than your first.
Koinōnos: Your works are known to me — your love and faith and service and steadfast endurance — and that your last works exceed the first.

REV 2:20

KJV: 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.
BSB: But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads My servants to be sexually immoral and to eat food sacrificed to idols.
Koinōnos: But I hold this against you: that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and teaches and leads my servants astray to commit sexual immorality and to eat things sacrificed to idols.

REV 2:21

KJV: And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.
BSB: Even though I have given her time to repent of her immorality, she is unwilling.
Koinōnos: And I gave her time to repent, and she is not willing to repent of her sexual immorality.

REV 2:22

KJV: Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
BSB: Behold, I will cast her onto a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her will suffer great tribulation unless they repent of her deeds.
Koinōnos: Look — I am throwing her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great affliction, unless they repent of her works.

REV 2:23

KJV: 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.
BSB: Then I will strike her children dead, and all the churches will know that I am the One who searches minds and hearts, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.
Koinōnos: And her children I will strike dead. And all the assemblies will know that I am the one who searches the inmost desires and the heart. And to each of you I will give according to your works.

REV 2:24

KJV: 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.
BSB: But I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned the so-called deep things of Satan: I will place no further burden upon you
Koinōnos: But to the rest of you in Thyatira — as many as do not hold this teaching, who have not known what some call the deep things of Satan — I say to you: I lay no other burden on you.

REV 2:25

KJV: But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.
BSB: than to hold fast to what you have until I come.
Koinōnos: Yet what you do have — hold fast until I come.

REV 2:26

KJV: And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
BSB: And to the one who overcomes and continues in My work until the end, I will give authority over the nations.
Koinōnos: And to the one who conquers and keeps my works to the end, I will give authority over the nations —

REV 2:27

KJV: 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.
BSB: He will rule them with an iron scepter and shatter them like pottery—just as I have received authority from My Father.
Koinōnos: and he will shepherd them with an iron rod, as clay vessels are shattered — even as I myself have received from my Father.

REV 2:29

KJV: He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
BSB: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Koinōnos: Let the one who has an ear hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

REV 2:18

as burnished bronze;:The word translated 'burnished bronze' refers to a highly refined and gleaming form of bronze, possibly even a precious alloy, suggesting exceptional purity and brilliance.

REV 2:20

the:The term used here for 'woman' is a general one, referring to an adult female, and does not carry any specific negative or positive connotations in itself.

REV 2:22

into:The word translated 'bed' here could refer to a couch used for reclining at meals as well as for sleeping, indicating a place of rest or illness.

REV 2:23

affections:The word translated 'affections' literally refers to the kidneys, which in ancient thought were considered the seat of emotions, desires, and the deepest inner self.