I know your deeds—your love, your faith, your service, your perseverance—and your latter deeds are greater than your first.
Parallel translations
- WEB “I know your works, your love, faith, service, patient endurance, and that your last works are more than the first.
- KJV I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.
- NKJV “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first.
- NASB ‘I know your deeds, and your love and faith, and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first.
- NLT “I know all the things you do. I have seen your love, your faith, your service, and your patient endurance. And I can see your constant improvement in all these things.
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
Christ commends Thyatira's love, faith, service, endurance, and growth in good works. It matters because he genuinely honors their progress and active love.
Overview
Unlike Ephesus, this church's later works exceed its first, showing growth in love and service. Christ knows and praises their faith and patient endurance. Yet, as the following verses reveal, this commendation does not excuse the serious error they tolerate.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- 1 Tim 1:5The goal of our instruction is the love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith.
- John 15:2He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes to make it even more fruitful.
- 2 Pet 1:7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.
- 2 Th 1:3We are obligated to thank God for you all the time, brothers, as is fitting, because your faith is growing more and more, and your love for one another is increasing.
- Rev 2:2–4I 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.
- 1 Cor 13:1–8If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal.
- Col 3:14And over all these virtues put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity.
- 1 Th 3:6But just now, Timothy has returned from his visit with the good news about your faith, your love, and the fond memories you have preserved, longing to see us just as we long to see you.
- 1 Pet 4:8Above all, love one another deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
- 2 Pet 3:18But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
- Ps 92:14In old age they will still bear fruit; healthy and green they will remain,
- Rev 2:9I know your affliction and your poverty—though you are rich! And I am aware of the slander of those who falsely claim to be Jews, but are in fact a synagogue of Satan.
- Rev 2:13I know where you live, where the throne of Satan sits. Yet you have held fast to My name and have not denied your faith in Me, even in the day when My faithful witness Antipas was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
- Prov 4:18The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.
- Job 17:9Yet a righteous one holds to his way, and the one with clean hands grows stronger.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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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 2:19 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.