REV 2:2 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) “I know about your activities and work, and your endurance and that you can’t tolerate evil people, and that you’ve investigated the ones who call themselves missionaries but are not, and you’ve found them to be frauds.

Key: khaki:verbs, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, red:negative.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT “I know your works and labor and your endurance and that you can not tolerate evil ones and that you have tested the ones calling themselves apostles but are not and you have found them to be false

UST “I am aware of all that you have done. I am aware of how hard you have worked for me. I am aware of how patiently you have endured difficult times. I am also aware that you do not accept wicked people. When people falsely claim to be genuine leaders, you prove that they are lying.

BSB I know your deeds, your labor, and [your] perseverance. [I know] that you cannot tolerate [those who are] evil, and you have tested and exposed as liars those who falsely claim to be apostles.

BLB I know your works and your labor and endurance, and that you are not able to tolerate evil ones. And you have tested those claiming to be apostles and are not, and you have found them false.

AICNT “I know your works, {the}[fn] labor, and your endurance, and that you cannot bear evil ones, and you have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and have found them to be false;

2:2, the: Some manuscripts read “your.” ℵ(01) BYZ TR

OEB I know your life, your toil and endurance, and I know that you cannot tolerate evildoers. I know, too, how you tested those who declare that they are apostles, though they are not, and how you proved them false.

WEBBE “I know your works, and your toil and perseverance, and that you can’t tolerate evil men, and have tested those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and found them false.

WMBB “I know your works, and your toil and perseverance, and that you can’t tolerate evil men, and have tested those who call themselves emissaries, and they are not, and found them false.

NET ‘I know your works as well as your labor and steadfast endurance, and that you cannot tolerate evil. You have even put to the test those who refer to themselves as apostles (but are not), and have discovered that they are false.

LSV I have known your works, and your labor, and your endurance, and that you are not able to bear evil ones, and that you have tried those saying themselves to be apostles and are not, and have found them liars,

FBV I know what you've accomplished, your hard work and perseverance. I know you can't tolerate evil people, and how you investigated those who claimed to be apostles but are not, and discovered they were frauds.

TCNT I know yoʋr works, [fn]yoʋr labor, and yoʋr endurance. I know that yoʋ cannot tolerate those who are evil, and that yoʋ have tested those who [fn]declare themselves [fn]to be apostles but are not, and have found them to be false.

2:2 yoʋr 𝔐^A+,K 68.5% ¦ — 𝔐^A−,C ECM^† NA PCK SBL TH WH 30%

2:2 declare themselves 𝔐^A,C,K [95.5%] ¦ say they TR [1.4%]

2:2 to be 84.8% 𝔐^A,C,K ¦ are TR 5.8% ¦ — CT 4.7%

T4T I know what you do: You labor for me intensely, and you continue to serve me steadfastly. I know that you cannot tolerate people who teach what is evil [MTY], and that you investigated people who falsely claimed that they are apostles, and you found that they were lying.

LEB ‘I know your works, and your labor and patient endurance, and that you are not able to tolerate evil, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles and are not, and you found them to be false.

BBE I have knowledge of your doings, and of your hard work and long waiting, and that you will not put up with evil men, and have put to the test those who say they are Apostles and are not, and have seen that they are false;

Moff I know your doings, your hard work and your patient endurance; I know that you cannot bear wicked men, and that you have tested those who style themselves apostles (no apostles they!) and detected them to be liars;

Wymth I know your doings and your toil and patient suffering. And I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, but have put to the test those who say that they themselves are Apostles but are not, and you have found them to be liars.

ASV I know thy works, and thy toil and patience, and that thou canst not bear evil men, and didst try them that call themselves apostles, and they are not, and didst find them false;

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

YLT I have known thy works, and thy labour, and thy endurance, and that thou art not able to bear evil ones, and that thou hast tried those saying themselves to be apostles and are not, and hast found them liars,

Drby I know thy works and [thy] labour, and thine endurance, and that thou canst not bear evil [men]; and thou hast tried them who say that themselves [are] apostles and are not, and hast found them liars;

RV I know thy works, and thy toil and patience, and that thou canst not bear evil men, and didst try them which call themselves apostles, and they are not, and didst find them false;
(I know thy/your works, and thy/your toil and patience, and that thou/you canst not bear evil men, and didst/did try them which call themselves apostles, and they are not, and didst/did find them false; )

SLT I know thy works, and thy fatigue, and thy patience, and that thou canst not bear the wicked: and thou hast tried them saying they are sent, and are not, and thou Last found them liars:

Wbstr I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and that thou canst not bear them who are evil; and thou hast tried them who say they are apostles, and are not; and hast found them liars:

KJB-1769 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:
( I know thy/your works, and thy/your labour, and thy/your patience, and how thou/you canst not bear them which are evil: and thou/you hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: )

KJB-1611 I know thy workes, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not beare them which are euil, and thou hast tried them which say they are Apostles, and are not, and hast found them lyers:
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from capitalisation and punctuation)

Bshps I knowe thy workes, and thy labour, and thy patience, and howe thou canst not forbeare them which are euyll: and hast examined them which say they are Apostles, and are not, and hast founde them lyers:
(I know thy/your works, and thy/your labour, and thy/your patience, and how thou/you canst not forbear them which are evil: and hast examined them which say they are Apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:)

Gnva I knowe thy workes, and thy labour, and thy patience, and howe thou canst not beare with them which are euill, and hast examined them which say they are Apostles, and are not, and hast found the liars.
(I know thy/your works, and thy/your labour, and thy/your patience, and how thou/you canst not bear with them which are evil, and hast examined them which say they are Apostles, and are not, and hast found the liars. )

Cvdl I knowe thy workes, and thy labour, and thy pacience, & howe thou cannest not forbeare them which are euell: and examinest them which saye they are Apostles, and are not: & hast founde the lyars
(I know thy/your works, and thy/your labour, and thy/your patience, and how thou/you cannest not forbear them which are evil: and examinest them which say they are Apostles, and are not: and hast found the lyars)

TNT I knowe thy workes and thy labour and thy pacience and howe thou cannest not forbeare the which are evyll: and examinedst them which saye they are Apostles and are not: and hast founde them lyars
(I know thy/your works and thy/your labour and thy/your patience and how thou/you cannest not forbear the which are evil: and examined them which say they are Apostles and are not: and hast found them lyars )

Wycl Y woot thi werkis, and trauel, and thi pacience, and that thou maist not suffre yuele men; and thou hast asaied hem that seien that thei ben apostlis, and ben not, and thou hast foundun hem lieris;
(I know thy/your works, and travel, and thy/your patience, and that thou/you mayest/may not suffer evil men; and thou/you hast asaied hem that said that they been apostles, and been not, and thou/you hast found hem liaris;)

Luth Ich weiß deine Werke und deine Arbeit und deine Geduld, und daß du die Bösen nicht tragen kannst und hast versucht die, so da sagen, sie seien Apostel, und sind‘s nicht, und hast sie Lügner erfunden,
(I white your work and your work/job and your Geduld, and that you(sg) the evil/evil_people not bear/carry can and have tried that, so there say, they/she/them be apostles, and are not, and have they/she/them liar(s) invented,)

ClVg Scio opera tua, et laborem, et patientiam tuam, et quia non potes sustinere malos: et tentasti eos, qui se dicunt apostolos esse, et non sunt: et invenisti eos mendaces:[fn]
(Scio works your, and work, and patience your(sg), and because not/no you_can to_endure I_prefers: and tentasti them, who/which himself they_say apostles to_be, and not/no are: and I_foundsti them mendaces: )

2.2 Tentasti eos qui se. Non tentantur nisi qui intus sunt in Ecclesia.

2.2 Tentasti them who/which himself. Not/No tentantur except who/which inside/within are in/into/on Assembly/Church.

UGNT οἶδα τὰ ἔργα σου, καὶ τὸν κόπον καὶ τὴν ὑπομονήν σου, καὶ ὅτι οὐ δύνῃ βαστάσαι κακούς; καὶ ἐπείρασας τοὺς λέγοντας ἑαυτοὺς ἀποστόλους, καὶ οὐκ εἰσίν, καὶ εὗρες αὐτοὺς ψευδεῖς;
(oida ta erga sou, kai ton kopon kai taʸn hupomonaʸn sou, kai hoti ou dunaʸ bastasai kakous; kai epeirasas tous legontas heautous apostolous, kai ouk eisin, kai heures autous pseudeis;)

SBL-GNT Οἶδα τὰ ἔργα σου, καὶ τὸν ⸀κόπον καὶ τὴν ὑπομονήν σου, καὶ ὅτι οὐ δύνῃ βαστάσαι κακούς, καὶ ἐπείρασας τοὺς λέγοντας ἑαυτοὺς ⸀ἀποστόλους, καὶ οὐκ εἰσίν, καὶ εὗρες αὐτοὺς ψευδεῖς·
(Oida ta erga sou, kai ton ⸀kopon kai taʸn hupomonaʸn sou, kai hoti ou dunaʸ bastasai kakous, kai epeirasas tous legontas heautous ⸀apostolous, kai ouk eisin, kai heures autous pseudeis;)

RP-GNT Οἶδα τὰ ἔργα σου, καὶ τὸν κόπον σου, καὶ τὴν ὑπομονήν σου, καὶ ὅτι οὐ δύνῃ βαστάσαι κακούς, καὶ ἐπείρασας τοὺς λέγοντας ἑαυτοὺς ἀποστόλους εἶναι καὶ οὐκ εἰσίν, καὶ εὗρες αὐτοὺς ψευδεῖς,
(Oida ta erga sou, kai ton kopon sou, kai taʸn hupomonaʸn sou, kai hoti ou dunaʸ bastasai kakous, kai epeirasas tous legontas heautous apostolous einai kai ouk eisin, kai heures autous pseudeis,)

TC-GNT Οἶδα τὰ ἔργα σου καὶ τὸν κόπον [fn]σου καὶ τὴν ὑπομονήν σου, καὶ ὅτι οὐ δύνῃ βαστάσαι κακούς, καὶ [fn]ἐπείρασας τοὺς [fn]λέγοντας ἑαυτοὺς [fn]ἀποστόλους εἶναι καὶ οὐκ εἰσί, καὶ εὗρες αὐτοὺς ψευδεῖς·
(Oida ta erga sou kai ton kopon sou kai taʸn hupomonaʸn sou, kai hoti ou dunaʸ bastasai kakous, kai epeirasas tous legontas heautous apostolous einai kai ouk eisi, kai heures autous pseudeis; )

2:2 σου 𝔐^A+,K 68.5% ¦ — 𝔐^A−,C ECM^† NA PCK SBL TH WH 30%

2:2 επειρασας 𝔐^A,C,K [97.3%] ¦ επειρασω TR [1.8%]

2:2 λεγοντας εαυτους 𝔐^A,C,K [95.5%] ¦ φασκοντας TR [1.4%]

2:2 αποστολους ειναι 𝔐^A,C,K 84.8% ¦ ειναι αποστολους TR 5.8% ¦ αποστολους CT 4.7%

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 2:1–7: Jesus spoke to the church at Ephesus

In this section, Jesus spoke to the people at Ephesus who believed in him. He said that they were doing some good things, but they were also doing a bad thing. He then encouraged them and warned them to repent. Lastly, he gave a promise to any believer who persevered in his faith.

Other examples of headings for this section are:

The Message to Ephesus (GNT)

Jesus gave a message to the church at Ephesus

Advice to the group of believers at Ephesus

2:2a

I know your deeds, your labor, and your perseverance.

I know your^(sing/plur) activities/accomplishments, that is, your toil and your patience to endure.
I know everything that you have done—the things that you have worked hard at and the way you have persevered in your faith.
I know what you have done, namely, how hard you have worked and how you have endured suffering.

I know your deeds, your labor, and your perseverance: Jesus indicated here that he knew what the believers had been doing. He was aware of all that they had done.

your deeds, your labor, and your perseverance: Here the deeds, labor, and perseverance are all things that the believers in Ephesus did because they believed in Jesus. There are two ways to interpret the connection of deeds to labor and perseverance:

The words labor and perseverance indicate the kinds of deeds. For example:
what you have done—how hard you have worked and how you have endured (GW) (RSV, GNT, GW, CEV, REB, ESV, NCV)
The deeds, labor, and perseverance are three separate things in a list. For example:
your deeds and your toil and perseverance (NASB) (BSB, NIV, NJB, NASB, NABRE, NET, KJV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because labor and perseverance can be included in the more general word deeds.Also, the Greek text only has “your” twice, once for “deeds” and once for “hard work and perseverance.”

your…your…your: The pronouns are singular. They refer to the angel of the church as the representative of all the believers there. But it was the believers who had been working hard and persevering. So in many languages it is more natural to use plural pronouns here.

deeds: The Greek word that the BSB translates as deeds means “actions” or “accomplishments.” Other ways to translate this word are:

activities (NJB)

the things that you have done

In some languages it is more natural to translate the word deeds with a verb. For example:

I know what you have been doing

labor: This phrase refers to the great efforts that the Ephesian believers had made to follow Christ. It was difficult for them to live as believers, and they worked hard at doing what God wanted them to do. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

toil (RSV)

the things that you have worked hard at

perseverance: This word refers to continuing to follow God even though there are hardships or people who oppose them. It is the same Greek word that the BSB translates as “perseverance” in 1:9b. Other ways to translate this word are:

steadfast endurance (NET)

how you…endure (REB)

how patient you have been (GNT)

how you have endured (CEV)

See how you translated the Greek word “perseverance” in 1:9.

2:2b

I know that you cannot tolerate those who are evil,

I know that you cannot endure wicked people,
I know that you do not accept evil people,
I know that you reject/oppose evildoers,

you cannot tolerate those who are evil: This clause indicates that the believers at Ephesus did not accept those who are evil as fellow believers. They did not permit unbelievers to teach or have influence in the church. Other ways to translate this clause are:

you cannot accept wicked men

you reject wicked men

you oppose wicked men

those who are evil: The word evil indicates that these people did bad things. For example:

evil people (GNT)

2:2c

and you have tested and exposed as liars those who falsely claim to be apostles.

and that you^(sing/plur) carefully questioned and observed those people who call themselves apostles even though they are not, and you saw/discovered that they are liars.
and that you have checked the beliefs of people who falsely/wrongly claim to be special messengers from Jesus. You realized/understood that they were lying about being apostles.

you have tested: Here the word tested may indicate that:

The believers questioned these evil people who claimed to be apostles about their beliefs.
The believers observed them and compared their teachings and behavior to the teachings and behavior of Jesus.

The believers probably did both (a) and (b). Translate this in a way that allows for both meanings. For example:

You have examined (NLT)

you carefully questioned and observed

exposed as liars: This phrase refers to what the believers in Ephesus determined after testing the false teachers. The believers saw that these false teachers were not apostles. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

have discovered that they are liars (GW)

saw/realized that they had lied

those who falsely claim to be apostles: These evil people came to the believers in Ephesus and lied to them saying, “We are apostles.” Other ways to translate this phrase are:

those who call themselves apostles, and they are not (NASB)

those who falsely say that they are apostles

apostles: In general, the Greek word that the BSB translates as apostles refers to those sent with a message. They are representatives or messengers of a higher authority. Here it refers to those sent to other cities with the gospel of Jesus (such as Barnabas and Saul in Acts 13:1–3).

The false apostles to whom Jesus referred here also claimed to have authority from him for their false teachings.

Some ways to translate this word are:

Translate the meaning. For example:
representatives
special messengers
sent-people If this word is too general, you may want to add the phrase “of Jesus Christ.” That phrase tells from whom they claimed to receive their authority. An example is:
representatives of Jesus Christ
Use the major language word if people are familiar with this word. You may want to explain it in a footnote. An example footnote is:
The word “apostles” refers to those sent to other places with the gospel of Jesus Christ. False apostles also claimed to have authority from Jesus for their false teachings, but they were lying.

Parallel REV 2:2

Section 2:1–7: Jesus spoke to the church at Ephesus

2:2a

2:2b

2:2c