Revelation 2:3 - An Understandable Version (2005 edition) And you have persevered and endured [suffering] for my name’s sake [i.e., in my service] and [yet] have not grown weary. More versionsKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 and hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Amplified Bible - Classic Edition I know you are enduring patiently and are bearing up for My name's sake, and you have not fainted or become exhausted or grown weary. American Standard Version (1901) and thou hast patience and didst bear for my name’s sake, and hast not grown weary. Common English Bible You have shown endurance and put up with a lot for my name’s sake, and you haven’t gotten tired. Catholic Public Domain Version And you have patient endurance for the sake of my name, and you have not fallen away. Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version And thou hast patience, and hast endured for my name, and hast not fainted. |
They forced a passerby, named Simon of Cyrene [Note: This was a city in the northern African country of Libya], the father of Alexander and Rufus, who was coming in from the countryside, to go with them so he could carry Jesus’ cross [i.e., probably only the cross-beam portion].
[And] whoever does not carry his own cross [i.e., his responsibilities with all their difficulties] and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Then Jesus told His disciples a parable for the purpose of showing them that they should pray continually and not become discouraged.
[But], by holding out steadfastly, you will gain your life. [Note: This means either “preserve your earthly life,” or “attain never ending life”].
Simon replied, “Master, we worked all night, but did not catch anything. But I will lower the nets if you say so.”
And those people [represented by seed falling] in the fertile soil are those who possess a good and honest heart when they hear the word [of God]. They hold on to it and patiently [continue until they] produce a crop.
They would not be guilty of sinning if I had not come and spoken to them. But now [that I have], they have no excuse for their sin.
Be joyful as you hope [i.e., for future blessings]. Persevere in spite of the troubles you experience. Continue steadfastly in prayer.
Greetings to Tryphena and Tryphosa, who are workers in [the service of] the Lord and to Persis, my dear friend who worked hard in [the service of] the Lord.
To the ones who continue doing what is good and who look for glory, honor and immortal life [God will give] never ending life.
But if we hope for what we cannot see, then we [must] patiently wait for it [to be received].
[Love] conceals all [people’s] faults; it believes [the best about] all people; it hopes [for the best in] all people; it endures [ill treatment from] all people.
Now I urge you, brothers, that you should also submit to [the leadership of] such people and to everyone [else] who works and labors [with them]
So, we will not go beyond our proper limits by boasting of work [already] done by others, but we hope that, as your faith increases, our field of service among you will [also] greatly expand.
Are they servants of Christ? (I am really talking like a crazy person now). I am more [of a servant, than they are]. I have worked much harder. I have been in prison more often. I have been flogged more severely. I have been in danger of death more frequently.
So, having obtained this ministry through [God’s] mercy, we do not become discouraged.
Therefore, we do not get discouraged, for though our physical body is decaying, yet our inner person is being renewed daily.
So, we are also eager to please God very much, whether we are at home [in our body] or away from it.
[We have been] beaten, jailed, and mobbed. [We have] worked hard, missed sleep and gone without food.
Take on yourselves the [spiritual] burdens of one another, for in doing so you will be fulfilling Christ’s law [of love, John 13:35].
And we should not become tired of doing good things, for eventually we will receive [never ending life] if we do not give up.
as you hold out [i.e., offer to people] the message of [never ending] life. Then I will have something to boast about on the day of Christ’s [return, See 1:6], that I had not run the race for nothing nor had worked for nothing.
Yes, and I am asking you also, [my] faithful partner [Note: This person is unknown, but may have been one of Paul’s preacher companions], help those women, for they have worked hard with me in [spreading] the Gospel, along with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow-workers, whose names are in the book of life. [See Rev. 3:5; Heb. 12:23].
[We also pray that you will be] strengthened with great power, according to God’s glorious might, so that you will have great endurance and patience [coupled] with joy.
We continually remember, in the presence of our God and Father, the work produced by your faith, the labor prompted by your love, and your endurance motivated by your hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
For you brothers remember how we labored and toiled, working hard night and day, so that we would not burden any of you [while] we proclaimed to you the Gospel of God.
But we urge you, brothers, to know [i.e., appreciate and respect] those who work hard among you, and who lead you and warn you in [the fellowship of] the Lord. [Note: These men were probably the elders. See Acts 20:28; Heb. 13:17].
And may the Lord direct your hearts to love [people] as God does, and to be steadfast as Christ was.
neither did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. But by hard labor and toil, we worked night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you.
For that reason we work hard and struggle, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, [and] especially of those who believe [in Christ].
The elders who lead [the church] well should be considered deserving of double honor [Note: This probably refers to financial support in addition to the honor of the office], especially those who work hard at [preaching] the word and at teaching it.
For you need to be steadfast so that, after you have done what God wants, you will receive the promise [of an inheritance. See 9:15].
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a large crowd of spectators [Note: Christians are pictured here as being in a crowded arena, performing in the games], we should lay aside every [excessive] weight and sin that so easily entangles us, and with perseverance, we should run the race [of life] that lies before us.
So, we should go out to Him, outside of the camp [Note: This probably signifies separating from the whole system of Judaism, as well as full commitment to Christ], bearing the abuse that He suffered.
For God is not [so] unjust as to forget the work you are doing and the love you have shown for Him, as you ministered to the saints [i.e., His holy people] and continue to minister [to them].
We do not want you people to be [spiritually] slack, but to imitate those who will inherit [God’s] promises because of their faith and patience.
And so, after waiting patiently, Abraham received what [God] had promised.
and self-control along with your knowledge, and endurance along with your self-control, and godliness along with your endurance,
I [am] John, your brother who participates with you in the suffering and kingdom and endurance [which we experience] in [fellowship with] Jesus. I was on the island called Patmos for [preaching] God’s message and for testifying about Jesus. [Note: Patmos was located in the Aegean Sea between present-day Greece and Turkey].
Because you have obeyed my command to remain steadfast [in the face of difficult times], I will also keep you from [giving up when] the time of trial comes, which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those living on the earth.