Revelation 2:8 Meaning and Explanation
“And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The second letter is addressed to Smyrna by the One who is the first and the last, who died and is alive again.
What Does Revelation 2:8 Mean?
Smyrna was a city of beauty and wealth, yet its church was poor and pressed by persecution. The Lord introduces Himself with titles fitted to their trial: He is the first and the last, the One who passed through death and rose to unending life.
To a suffering and threatened church, the Lord speaks first of Himself. Because He has conquered death, no enemy can speak the final word over His people. The titles are a quiet comfort: the One who governs all of history, beginning to end, and who has already walked through the grave, now stands beside them. They are not abandoned to their fear.
Revelation 2:8 in the Original Language
protos (πρῶτος), 'first' -- foremost in time and rank, the One before whom there is no other.
Frequently Asked Questions About Revelation 2:8
What does Revelation 2:8 mean?
The second letter is addressed to Smyrna by the One who is the first and the last, who died and is alive again.