“I know your works, your love, faith, service, patient endurance, and that your last works are more than the first.
Parallel translations
- 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.
- BSB I know your deeds—your love, your faith, your service, your perseverance—and your latter deeds are greater than your 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 1:5but the goal of this command is love, out of a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith;
- John 15:2Every branch in me that doesn’t bear fruit, he takes away. Every branch that bears fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
- 2 Pet 1:7and in godliness brotherly affection; and in brotherly affection, love.
- 2 Th 1:3We are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers, even as it is appropriate, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of each and every one of you towards one another abounds;
- Rev 2:2–4“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.
- 1 Cor 13:1–8If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don’t have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.
- Col 3:14Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of perfection.
- 1 Th 3:6But when Timothy came just now to us from you, and brought us glad news of your faith and love, and that you have good memories of us always, longing to see us, even as we also long to see you;
- 1 Pet 4:8And above all things be earnest in your love among yourselves, for love covers 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 forever. Amen.
- Ps 92:14They will still produce fruit in old age. They will be full of sap and green,
- Rev 2:9“I know your works, oppression, and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews, and they are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
- Rev 2:13“I know your works and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. You hold firmly to my name, and didn’t deny my faith in the days of Antipas my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
- Prov 4:18But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light, that shines more and more until the perfect day.
- Job 17:9Yet shall the righteous hold on his way. He who has clean hands shall grow stronger and stronger.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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.