Revelation 2:11

11 'Those who have ears should listen to what the Holy Spirit says to the churches. Those who overcome will not be hurt at all by the second death.'

Revelation 2:11 Meaning and Commentary

Revelation 2:11

He that hath an ear, let him hear
(See Gill on Revelation 2:7);

he that overcometh;
and is not intimidated by poverty, confiscation of goods, tribulation, persecution, and death itself, but through Christ is a conqueror, and more than a conqueror over all these things:

shall not be hurt of the second death;
by which is meant eternal death, in distinction from a corporeal and temporal one; and lies in a destruction of both body and soul in hell, and in an everlasting separation from God, and a continual sense of divine wrath; but of this the saints shall never be hurt, they are ordained to eternal life; this is secured for them in Christ, and he has it in his hands for them, and will give it to them. The phrase is Jewish, and is opposed to the first death, or the death of the body; which is the effect of sin, and is appointed of God, and which the people of God die as well as others; but the second death is peculiar to wicked men. So the Jerusalem Targum on ( Deuteronomy 33:6 ) ; paraphrases those words, "let Reuben live, and not die", thus;

``let Reuben live in this world, and not die (anyynt atwmb) , "by the second death", with which the wicked die in the world to come.''

Of which sense of the text and phrase Epiphanius makes mention ^F17. See the same phrase in the Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel, in ( Isaiah 22:14 ) ( Isaiah 65:6 Isaiah 65:15 ) ; and in ( Jeremiah 51:39 Jeremiah 51:57 ) ; and in Philo the Jew ^F18.

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 Contr. Haeres. Haeres. 9.
F18 De Praemiis & Poenis, p. 921.

Revelation 2:11 In-Context

9 'I know that you suffer and are poor. But you are rich! Some people say they are Jews but are not. I know that their words are evil. Their worship is satanic.

10 'Don't be afraid of what you are going to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you. You will be treated badly for ten days. Be faithful, even if it means you must die. Then I will give you a crown. The crown is life itself.

11 'Those who have ears should listen to what the Holy Spirit says to the churches. Those who overcome will not be hurt at all by the second death.'

12 "Here is what I command you to write to the church in Pergamum. Here are the words of the One with the sharp sword that has two edges. He says,

13 'I know that you live where Satan has his throne. But you remain true to me. You did not give up your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness. He was put to death in your city, where Satan lives.