Apocalypse 2:8

Darby's French Translation

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:

Parallel Translations

La Bible David Martin (1744)
Ecris aussi � l'Ange de l'Eglise de Smyrne : Le premier et le dernier, qui a �t� mort, et qui est retourn� en vie, dit ces choses :

La Bible Ostervald (1996)
�cris aussi � l'ange de l'�glise de SMYRNE: Voici ce que dit le Premier et le Dernier, qui a �t� mort, et qui a repris la vie:

Louis Segond (1910)
Ecris � l'ange de l'Eglise de Smyrne: Voici ce que dit le premier et le dernier, celui qui �tait mort, et qui est revenu � la vie:

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the angel: Revelation 2:1

the first: Revelation 1:8, Revelation 1:11, Revelation 1:17, Revelation 1:18

Reciprocal: Exodus 23:21 - my name Deuteronomy 32:39 - even I 1 Kings 18:18 - in that ye have Psalms 93:2 - thou Isaiah 41:4 - I the Lord Isaiah 41:27 - first Isaiah 44:6 - I am the first Isaiah 48:12 - I am he Ezekiel 44:15 - the sons Micah 5:2 - whose Luke 24:5 - the living John 1:1 - the beginning John 1:15 - he was John 8:58 - Before Romans 1:7 - To all 1 Corinthians 3:14 - General 2 Corinthians 3:3 - the epistle Galatians 1:1 - raised Philippians 1:1 - the bishops Colossians 1:17 - he 1 Thessalonians 5:12 - and are Hebrews 1:11 - thou Hebrews 12:2 - the author 1 John 1:1 - That which Revelation 1:4 - to the Revelation 1:20 - The seven stars Revelation 19:9 - Write

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write,.... Of the city of Smyrna, :-. That there was a church of Christ here is not to be doubted, though by whom it was founded is not certain; very likely by the Apostle Paul, who was in those parts, and by whose means all Asia heard the Gospel of Christ, Acts 19:10. Some think the present angel or pastor of this church, was Polycarp, the disciple of John. Irenaeus f, who knew him, says he was appointed bishop of Smyrna by the apostles. Here he suffered martyrdom, and was buried: the large amphitheatre, in which he was put to death, is still to be seen, and his sepulchre is yet preserved in this place g: a very famous epistle, sent by this church at Smyrna to the churches at Pontus, giving an account of the martyrdom of Polycarp, and others, is extant in Eusebius h. According to the Apostolical Constitutions i, the first bishops of Smyrna were Aristo Strataeas and Aristo the second, and Apelles, of whom mention is made in Romans 16:10; and who is reckoned among the seventy disciples; Romans 16:10- :; and is said to be bishop of Smyrna before Polycarp; who succeeded Polycarp, I do not find; but it is said there was a church at Smyrna in the "third" century; and so there was in the beginning of the "fourth", since there was a bishop from hence in the council at Nice: and in the "fifth" century, mention is made of several bishops of this place; as of Cyrus, a native of Constantinople; and Protherius, who, it is thought, succeeded him, and was present in the synod at Chalcedon; and Aethericus, who assisted at three synods in this century, at Constantinople, Ephesus, and Chalcedon: and in the "sixth" century, there was a bishop of Smyrna in the fifth synod held at Rome and Constantinople: and even in the "eighth" century, one Antony, a monk, supplied the place of the bishop of Smyrna in the Nicene synod k. The Turks have in this place now thirteen mosques, the Jews two synagogues, and of the Christians there are two churches belonging to the Greeks, and one to the Armenians l. This church, and its pastor, represent the state of the church under the persecutions of the Roman emperors. Smyrna signifies "myrrh", which being bitter of taste, is expressive of the bitter afflictions, and persecutions, and deaths, the people of God in this interval endured; and yet, as myrrh is of a sweet smell, so were those saints, in their sufferings for Christ, exceeding grateful and well pleasing to him; wherefore nothing is said by way of complaint to this church; not that she was without fault, but it was proper to use her tenderly in her afflicted state: and, as Dr. More observes, as myrrh was used in the embalming of dead bodies, it may point to the many deaths and martyrdoms of the saints in this period, whereby their names and memories are perpetuated and eternized.

These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive. Of these characters of Christ, Romans 16:10- :,

Romans 16:10- :,

Romans 16:10- :,

Romans 16:10- :; and they are very appropriately mentioned, to encourage the saints under their sufferings of death; since Christ, who is the eternal God, had in human nature tasted of the bitterness of death for them, and was risen again; suggesting, that though they were called to undergo the bitterest deaths for his sake, they should be raised again as he was, and live with him for ever. The Ethiopic version reads, "thus saith the holy Spirit"; but it cannot be said of him that "he was dead".

f Adv. Haeres. l. 3. c. 3. g Vid. Smith. Notitia septem Eccles. Asiae, p. 164, 165. h Hist. Eccles. l. 4. c. 15. i L. 7. c. 46. k Hist. Eccles. Magdeburg. cent. 3. c. p. 2. cent. 4. c. 2. p. 3. cent. 5. c. 2. p. 3. c. 10. p. 595, 596. cent. 6. c. 2. p. 4. cent. 8. c. 2. p. 4. l Smith. Notitia, p. 167.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write - On the meaning of the word “angel,” see the notes on Revelation 1:20.

These things saith the first and the last - See the notes on Revelation 1:8, Revelation 1:17.

Which was dead, and is alive - See the notes on Revelation 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,” Revelation 2:11. As he had himself triumphed over death in all its forms, and was now alive forever, 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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

The Epistle to the Church at Smyrna.

Verse Revelation 2:8. 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.