And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;
Parallel translations
- WEB “To the angel of the assembly in Pergamum write: “He who has the sharp two-edged sword says these things:
- BSB To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of the One who holds the sharp, double-edged sword.
- NKJV “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, ‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword:
- NASB “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this:
- NLT “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Pergamum. This is the message from the one with the sharp two-edged sword:
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
To Pergamum, Christ presents himself as the one with the sharp two-edged sword. It matters because his word will judge the compromise in their midst.
Overview
The title highlights the penetrating, judging power of Christ's word, fitting for a church tempted toward false teaching. Pergamum was a center of pagan worship and emperor cult. The image prepares for both warning and the promise of Christ's righteous intervention.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Rev 2:16Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
- Heb 4:12For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
- Rev 1:16And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
- Rev 1:11Saying, 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.
- Rev 19:15And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
- Isa 11:4But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
- Rev 19:21And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
- Rev 2:1Unto 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;
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Revelation ends the story with the slain-yet-standing Lamb who is worthy, the Lion of Judah, the Alpha and Omega, the returning King who makes all things new and dwells with his people forever.
How Revelation 2:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.