Revelation 2 · Verse 8

Revelation 2:8

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

Revelation 2:8, King James Version

Revelation 2:8 in other translations

BSB	To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of the First and the Last, who died and returned to life.
WEB	“To the angel of the assembly in Smyrna write: “The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life says these things:
ASV	And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These things saith the first and the last, who was dead, and lived again:
YLT	‘And to the messenger of the assembly of the Smyrneans write: These things saith the First and the Last, who did become dead and did live;
DARBY	And to the angel of the assembly in Smyrna write: These things says the first and the last, who became dead, and lived:
BBE	And to the angel of the church in Smyrna say: These things says the first and the last, who was dead and is living:
Webster	And to the angel of the church in Smyrna, write; These things saith the first and the last, who was dead, and is alive;

What does Revelation 2:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

8. Smyrna--in Ionia, a little to the north of Ephesus. Polycarp, martyred in A.D. 168, eighty-six years after his conversion, was bishop, and probably "the angel of the Church in Smyrna" meant here. The allusions to persecutions and faithfulness unto death accord with this view. Ignatius [The Martyrdom of Ignatius 3], on his way to martyrdom in Rome, wrote to Polycarp, then (A.D. 108) bishop of Smyrna; if his bishopric commenced ten or twelve years earlier, the dates will harmonize. Tertullian [The Prescription against Heretics, 32], and Irenæus, who had talked with Polycarp in youth, tell us Polycarp was consecrated bishop of Smyrna by St. John. the first ... the last ... was dead ... is alive--The attributes of Christ most calculated to comfort the Church of Smyrna under its persecutions; resumed from Re 1:17, 18. As death was to Him but the gate to life eternal, so it is to be to them (Re 2:10, 11).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 8. And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write. On the meaning of the word angel, Rev 1:20.

These things saith the first and the last. Rev 1:8, Rev 1:17.

Which was dead, and is alive. Rev 1:18. The idea is, that he is a living Saviour; and there was a propriety in referring to that fact here from the nature of the promise which he was about to make to the church at Smyrna: "He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death," Rev 2:11. As he had himself triumphed over death in all its forms, and was now alive for ever, it was appropriate that he should promise to his true friends the same protection from the second death. He who was wholly beyond the reach of death could give the assurance that they who put their trust in him should come off victorious.

(a) "the first" Rev 1:8,17

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 8 Unto the angel - This was probably the famous Polycarp. See below. These things saith the first and the last - He who is eternal; from whom all things come, and to whom all things must return. Which was dead, for the redemption of the world; and is alive to die no more for ever, his glorified humanity being enthroned at the Father's right hand.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Revelation 2:8-11

Our Lord Jesus is the First, for by him were all things made; he was before all things, with God, and is God himself. He is the Last, for he will be the Judge of all. As this First and Last, who was dead and is alive, is the believer's Brother and Friend, he must be rich in the deepest poverty, honourable amidst the lowest abasement, and happy under the heaviest tribulation, like the church of Smyrna. Many who are rich as to this world, are poor as to the next; and some who are poor outwardly, are inwardly rich; rich in faith, in good works, rich in privileges, rich in gifts, rich in hope. Where there is spiritual plenty, outward poverty may be well borne; and when God's people are made poor as to this life, for the sake of Christ and a good conscience, he makes all up to them in spiritual riches. Christ arms against coming troubles. Fear none of these things; not only forbid slavish fear, but subdue it, furnishing the soul with strength and courage. It should be to try them, not to destroy them. Observe, the sureness of the reward; "I will give thee:" they shall have the reward from Christ's own hand. Also, how suitable it is; "a crown of life:" the life worn out in his service, or laid down in his cause, shall be rewarded with a much better life, which shall be eternal. The second death is unspeakably worse than the first death, both in the agonies of it, and as it is eternal death: it is indeed awful to die, and to be always dying. If a man is kept from the second death and wrath to come, he may patiently endure whatever he meets with in this world.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Revelation 2:8 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΚαὶKaiAndG2532

τῷtōto theG3588

ἀγγέλῳangelōangelG32

τῆςtēsof theG3588

ΣμύρνῃSmurnēSmyrnaG4667

ἐκκλησίαςekklēsiaschurchG1577

γράψον·grapsondo write:G1125

τάδεtadeThese thingsG3592

λέγειlegeisaysG3004

ὁhotheG3588

πρῶτοςprōtosFirstG4413

καὶkaiandG2532

ὁhotheG3588

ἔσχατος,eschatosLast,G2078

ὃςhoswhoG3739

ἐγένετοegenetobecameG1096

νεκρὸςnekrosdeadG3498

καὶkaiandG2532

ἔζησεν·ezēsencame to life;G2198

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Revelation 2:8

Revelation 1:17-18
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: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
Revelation 1:8
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
Revelation 1:11
Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
Revelation 2:1
Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

the angel.
1
the first.
1:8,11,17,18

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Revelation 2:7
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
Revelation 2:8
And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
Revelation 2:9
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.

Read all of Revelation 2

Revelation 2:8 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y escribe al ángel de la iglesia en SMIRNA: El primero y postrero, que fué muerto, y vivió, dice estas cosas:
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et à l’ange de l’assemblée qui est à Smyrne, écris: Voici ce que dit le premier et le dernier, qui a été mort et qui a repris vie:
German Elberfelder 1871	Und dem Engel der Versammlung in Smyrna schreibe: Dieses sagt der Erste und der Letzte, der starb und wieder lebendig wurde:
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Et angelo Smyrnæ ecclesiæ scribe: Hæc dicit primus, et novissimus, qui fuit mortuus, et vivit: