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Darby's translation notes (1890)

Revelation 3:2

3:2 (c-1) Ginomai . Lit. 'become so.' are (d-10) The imperfect tense. I translate 'are,' because 'were' supposes they are no longer 'about to die,' which is contrary to the passage. Perhaps 'have been' may be used. It refers to what they were found to be when he strengthened them. The point of departure of thought is not the writer's when writing, but the strengthener's when strengthening.

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See also Revelation 3:2 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Revelation 3:2. _BE WATCHFUL_] Ye have lost ground by carelessness and inattention. Awake, and keep awake! _STRENGTHEN THE THINGS WHICH REMAIN_] The convictions and good desires, with any meas...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    BE WATCHFUL - Be wakeful; be attentive and earnest - in contradistinction from the drowsy condition of the church. STRENGTHEN THE THINGS WHICH REMAIN - The true piety that still lives and lingers amon...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 3 Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea _ 1. Sardis: The reformation period (Revelation 3:1)_ 2. Philadelphia: The faithful remnant (Revelation 3:7) 3. Laodicea: The indifferent and apostate Churc...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    REVELATION 2:1 TO REVELATION 3:22. THE LETTERS TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES. These letters are addressed to individual churches, but their messages are intended for the Church as a whole. In every letter the...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    THE LETTER TO THE CHURCH AT SARDIS. Sardis was a little more than 30 miles SE. of Thyatira: formerly a city of great importance, at this time it had become a town of the second rank. It had been destr...

  • B. W. Johnson's Bible Commentary

    _Sardis_ was the capital of the great ancient kingdom of Lydia, which was overthrown by the Persian Cyrus. It was the residence of the rich King Croesus, whose name has passed into. proverb. Of the hi...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    And to the angel of the Church in Sardis, write: These things says he who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your works; I know that you have a reputation for life, but that you...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    THE LETTER TO SARDIS (Revelation 3:1-6)...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    BE. Become. WATCHFUL. See Matthew 24:42. THE... REMAIN. the remaining (things). App-124. ARE. were, with the texts. PERFECT. App-125....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _Be watchful_ Literally, BECOME WATCHING: "awake and watch."] _the things which remain_ The elements of goodness, or means of goodness, which thou hast not yet lost. Cf. Revelation 2:6, and the first...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ἜΜΕΛΛΟΝ�. B2 reads ἤμελλες�. ΕὝΡΗΚΑ. B2 reads εὕρηκαν. 2. ΓΊΝΟΥ ΓΡΗΓΟΡΩ͂Ν. Lit. “become watching,” “awake and watch.” ΤᾺ ΛΟΙΠΆ. The elements of goodness, or means of goodness, which thou hast not y...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    Revelation 3:1-6. THE CHURCH IN SARDIS...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _LETTER TO THE CHURCH AT SARDIS REVELATION 3:1-6:_ Sardis was a wealthy city that had started to decline in the days of John. It was situated at the junction of several trade routes. It was a place of...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΓΊΝΟΥ _praes. imper. med. (dep.) от_ ΓΊΝΟΜΑΙ (G1096) становиться. _Praes. imper._ призывает к постоянному отношению как жизненной привычке, ΓΡΉΓΟΡΩΝ _praes. act. part. от_ ΓΡΗΓΟΡΈΩ (G1127) бодрствова...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 2495 EPISTLE TO SARDIS Revelation 3:2. _Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God_. THESE words reflect...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    THAT ARE READY TO DIE:— By this _death_ we must understand the death of their faith, since, when men lose their faith, they are dead to Christ. When our Saviour says in the beginning, _that he hath th...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    Strauss-' Comments SECTION 8 Text Revelation 3:1-6 And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars: I know thy works, tha...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. BE, [ ginou (G1096)] - 'Become' what thou art not, 'watchful' [ greeg...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    __ The Prophetic Section THYATIRA 18 Tertullian and Epiphanius say that there was no ecclesia in Thyatira when John wrote these letters. On this ground many rejected this prophecy in early times. T...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    NOT FOUND THY WORKS PERFECT] RV 'found no works of thine fulfilled,' i.e. up to the proper standard....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE EPISTLES TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES (CONCLUDED) 1-6. To the Church in Sardis Christ speaks as He who gives the spirit and looks for spiritual life. There is no praise for this Church. Its life is witho...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    FROM NOW TO THE END OF TIME REVELATION _IAN MACKERVOY_ CHAPTER 3 TO THE *CHURCH IN SARDIS - REVELATION 3:1-6 V1 ‘Write to the *angel of the *church in Sardis. I hold the 7 spirits of God and the...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    BE WATCHFUL. — Rather, _become wakeful._ It will not do simply to rouse and sleepily grasp at their spiritual weapons, or even to stand for once at arms; you must become of wakeful habit. Strengthen t...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    ἔμελλον, epistol. impf. σου ἔργα, “any works of thine”. Judged from the Divine standpoint (ἐνωπ. θ.), no matter how satisfactory is the verdict of outsiders upon her or of her own complacency, her con...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    The message to Sardis. The title of the speaker (drawn from Revelation 1:4; Revelation 1:16; Revelation 1:20), as general as in the similar letter to Ephesus, has no special bearing on the subsequent...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    “ESTABLISH THE THINGS THAT REMAIN” Revelation 3:1 In other addresses to the churches our Lord began with commendation, but no such word is here. He is described in the fullness of His glorious nature...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The letter to the Church in Sardis covers the period of the Reformation. The Church was addressed as "dead." Yet there were things remaining which were not dead, but "ready to die." The address is lar...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    TO THE DEAD CHURCH On a plateau at the foot of Mount Timolous, in a fertile valley, at the intersection of several roads, stood the city of Sardis. It was 35 miles southeast of Thyatira. Three sides o...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are (c) ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. (c) Other things, whose state is such, that they are now going, and...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    [BIBLIOGRAPHY] Et ceteræ quæ moitura erant, _Greek: ta loipa a mellei apothanein, meaning persons, not things._...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    To the Angel of the church of Sardis. He begins with a severe reprehension, thou hast the name of being alive, and thou art dead, which we may understand of the greatest part of them, and of being dea...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (1) And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art d...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    That God should have chosen John to be the instrument of communicating the closing volume of the New Testament is worthy of our consideration. It is not a new thing for God thus to set out the stronge...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _A FALSE REPUTATION_ ‘I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.’ Revelation 3:1 In God’s sight the Church of Sardis was like the corpse of the ancient Scythian—men rev...

  • John Brown Commentaries Selected Books of the Bible

    The Church in Sardis The doldrums is a part of the ocean near the equator, with abounding calms, and light, timid winds. The weather is hot and extreemely dispiriting. The old sailing vessels, when c...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    There is no threat of removing the candlestick: that was settled. Judgment, setting aside the assembly, was fixed. But this body would be treated as the world, not ecclesiastically as a corrupt assemb...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    BE WATCHFUL,.... Which may respect both ministers and members: the ministers of the Gospel, whose business is to watch over themselves, their conversation and doctrine, and watch every opportunity to...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Ver. 2. _Be watchful_] Rouse up thyself, and wrestle with God, shake the...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Be watchful_ Therefore awake to a sense of thy danger, and stand on thy guard against the enemies, visible and invisible, which threaten thy eternal destruction; _and strengthen_ By prayer, hearing a...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    THINGS WHICH REMAIN; their remaining attachment to truth and duty....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    PASTORAL LETTERS TO THE CONGREGATIONS AT SARDIS, AT PHILADELPHIA, AND AT LAODICEA. The letter to the congregation at Sardis:...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    BE WATCHFUL AND STRENGTHEN THE THINGS WHICH REMAIN, THAT ARE READY TO DIE; FOR I HAVE NOT FOUND THY WORKS PERFECT BEFORE GOD....

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    THE ASSEMBLY AT SARDIS (vv. 1-6) The message to the assembly at Sardis has a very different character, for instead of being a development from Thyatira, it is rather a revulsion from it. Sardis mean...

  • Manly Luscombe Commentary on New Testament

    SARDIS (VERSES 1-6) The City Sardis was one of the richest cities of the ancient world. It had a 2,000 year history. Sardis was built on Mount Timolus. 600 years before Christ, Sardis was the capita...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    BE WATCHFUL, against sin, and unto thy duty, to perform it in a better manner than formerly. AND STRENGTHEN THE THINGS WHICH REMAIN, THAT ARE READY TO DIE; improve those gifts and good habits which ar...

  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

    Tertullian On Repentance accuses the Sardians of "works not full; "[73] 2 Clement and has saved many by coming and calling us when hastening to destruction.[23]...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Revelation 3:2 Be G1096 (G5737) watchful G1127 (G5723) and G2532 strengthen G4741 (G5657) remain G3062 that...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘Be watchful and establish the things which remain, which were ready to die, for I have not found any works of yours fulfilled before God. Remember therefore how you received and heard, and keep it an...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    The fifth church addressed is that of Sardis, one of the most famous of the seven cities to which these Epistles are sent, the capital in former days of the great kingdom of Lydia, Croesus' kingdom, l...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    Revelation 3:2. BECOME WATCHFUL. Sardis had failed to ‘watch,' the very sin into which spiritual pride is sure to fall. Therefore must she first of all awake, discover what her temptation is, and put...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    BE THOU WATCHFUL (γινου γρηγορων). Periphrastic imperative with present middle of γινομα (keep on becoming) and present active participle of γρηγορεω (late present from perfect εγρηγορα and that fro...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    PERFECT (_ See Scofield) - (Matthew 5:48). _...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Message to Sardis concerning their hypocrisy. Message to Philadelphia on hollow profession. Message to Laodicea on apostasy. Christ's attitude to the Church in its final stage in the world....

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Epistle the fifth._ Revelation 3:1. _Sardis,_ once a flourishing city, the residence of ancient kings, now a miserable village, having but few christians. This is not the Sardis, capital of Lydia, wh...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    SO WAKE UP. Sardis still has a good name, but it sleeps spiritually. In Pergamum and Thyatira, a small part of the church had been captured by the temptation of the world. At Sardis, almost the entire...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    REVELATION—NOTE ON REVELATION 3:1 The church in _Sardis_ has a few who remain faithful, but their faith does not result in good works. Most of the impressive Roman-era remains now visible at Sardis we...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    REVELATION—NOTE ON REVELATION 3:2 The church in Sardis is near death, but not beyond Christ’s ability to WAKE them UP. Twice in its history Sardis had been conquered when its watchmen failed to see th...

  • The Message from Patmos by David Scott Clark

    5. SARDIS. Vs. 1-6. Sardis, the capital of Lydia, the citadel of the world famed Croesus, has fulfilled the prophecy that "the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish," Sardis and rui...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL NOTES_ Revelation 3:1. SARDIS.—Modern, _Sart_; once the capital of the old Lydian monarchy, now a village of paltry huts. SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD.—Most writers see in this the en...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION REVELATION 3:1 _The epistle to the Church at Sardis. _This Church is one of the two which receives unmixed reproof. Smyrna and Philadelphia receive no blame; Sardis and Laodicea receive no...

  • The Revelation of Jesus Christ Through the Ages by Donald A. Koenig

    CHAPTER 3 - LAST 3 LETTERS TO SEVEN CHURCHES 5. Sardis: The spiritually dead carnal church Background: Sardis was also one of the oldest cities in Asia Minor. Sardis was a city of commerce that was n...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    And unto the angel of the church in Sardis (Protestant Reformation) write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God (Revelation 3:1), And so the fullness of the Spirit as it dwelt in...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Kings 11:4; 1 Kings 15:3; 1 Peter 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8; 2 Chronicles 25:2

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    THE CHURCHES AT SARDIS, PHILADELPHIA, AND LAODICEA Revelation 3:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS We present some of the outstanding things written to the Church at Sardis. This is the fifth Church in the seven...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    The things which remain — In thy soul; knowledge of the truth, good desires, and convictions. Which were ready to die — Wherever pride, indolence, or levity revives, all the fruits of the Spirit are r...

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