Revelation 2:10
in Revelation 2Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days. Be faithful even unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Fear not the things which thou art about to suffer: behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life.
KJV
Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
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This verse in Revelation 2
Commentary
5 notes on this verseOf the benefits of martyrdom. In the Proverbs of Solomon: "The faithful martyr delivers his soul from evils." Also in the same place: "Then shall the righteous stand in great boldness against them who have afflicted them, and who took away their labours.
This site's exposition
Fear none of those things
on Revelation 2:10-11
Alone among the seven, Smyrna receives no charge, only comfort: fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, and ye shall have tribulation ten days. The ten days is read two ways with holders, a short, limited season of testing in the plain sense, or ten literal periods of imperial persecution reaching to Diocletian in an older historicist scheme; either way the church's own martyr Polycarp, its bishop within a generation of this letter, died faithful unto death exactly as commanded. The overcomer's promise, shall not be hurt of the second death, answers 20:6 and 20:14 by name, the lake of fire holding no claim on those already secure in Christ.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Those who will be faithful to Christ must expect to go through many tribulations; but Jesus Christ takes particular notice of all their troubles. In all their afflictions, he is afflicted, and he will recompense tribulation to those who trouble them, but to those that are troubled rest with himself.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer - This may be addressed particularly to Polycarp, if he was at that time the bishop of this Church. He had much to suffer; and was at last burnt alive at Smyrna, about the year of our Lord 166. We have a very ancient account of his martyrdom, which has been translated by Cave, and is worthy of the reader’s perusal. That account states that the Jews were particularly active in this martyrdom, and brought the fagots, etc., by which he was consumed.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
"The Captain of our salvation never keeps back what those who faithfully witness for Him may have to bear for His name's sake; never entices recruits by the promise they shall find all things easy and pleasant there" [TRENCH]. devil--"the accuser." He acted, through Jewish accusers against Christ and His people.
The words behind it
32 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| μηδὲν | meden | nothing | G3367 → | |
| φοβοῦ | phobou | do fear | G5399 → | 95 times |
| ἃ | ha | what | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| μέλλεις | melleis | you are about | G3195 → | 109 times |
| πάσχειν· | paschein | to suffer; | G3958 → | |
| ἰδοὺ | idou | Behold | G2400 → | 200 times |
| μέλλει | mellei | is about | G3195 → | 109 times |
| βάλλειν | ballein | to cast | G906 → | 121 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| διάβολος | diabolos | devil | G1228 → | 37 times |
| ἐξ | ex | [some] of | G1537 → | 911 times |
| ὑμῶν | humon | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| εἰς | eis | into | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| φυλακὴν | phulaken | prison | G5438 → | 47 times |
| ἵνα | ina | so that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| πειρασθῆτε, | peirasthete | you may be tested, | G3985 → | 37 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἕξετε | hexete | you will have | G2192 → | 707 times |
| θλῖψιν | thlipsin | tribulation | G2347 → | 44 times |
| ἡμερῶν | hemeron | for days | G2250 → | 389 times |
| δέκα. | deka | ten. | G1176 → | 27 times |
| γίνου | ginou | do be | G1096 → | 667 times |
| πιστὸς | pistos | faithful | G4103 → | 67 times |
| ἄχρι | achri | unto | G891 → | 48 times |
| θανάτου, | thanatou | death, | G2288 → | 120 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| δώσω | doso | I will give | G1325 → | 412 times |
| σοι | soi | to you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| στέφανον | stephanon | crown | G4735 → | 18 times |
| τῆς | tes | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ζωῆς. | zoes | of life. | G2222 → | 135 times |
μηδὲνnothing
medenG3367 →
φοβοῦdo fear
phobouG5399 →95 times
ἃwhat
haG3739 →1405 times
μέλλειςyou are about
melleisG3195 →109 times
πάσχειν·to suffer;
pascheinG3958 →
ἰδοὺBehold
idouG2400 →200 times
μέλλειis about
melleiG3195 →109 times
βάλλεινto cast
balleinG906 →121 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
διάβολοςdevil
diabolosG1228 →37 times
ἐξ[some] of
exG1537 →911 times
ὑμῶνyou
humonG4771 →2973 times
εἰςinto
eisG1519 →1755 times
φυλακὴνprison
phulakenG5438 →47 times
ἵναso that
inaG2443 →668 times
πειρασθῆτε,you may be tested,
peirastheteG3985 →37 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἕξετεyou will have
hexeteG2192 →707 times
θλῖψινtribulation
thlipsinG2347 →44 times
ἡμερῶνfor days
hemeronG2250 →389 times
δέκα.ten.
dekaG1176 →27 times
γίνουdo be
ginouG1096 →667 times
πιστὸςfaithful
pistosG4103 →67 times
ἄχριunto
achriG891 →48 times
θανάτου,death,
thanatouG2288 →120 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
δώσωI will give
dosoG1325 →412 times
σοιto you
soiG4771 →2973 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
στέφανονcrown
stephanonG4735 →18 times
τῆς<the>
tesG3588 →19766 times
ζωῆς.of life.
zoesG2222 →135 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
James 1:12Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 5:10
And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore you, secure you, strengthen you, and establish…
- Matthew 10:22
You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Peter 1:6–8
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in various trials
- James 5:11
See how blessed we consider those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen the outcome from the Lord. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
- Romans 8:28
And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.
- 1 Peter 5:10
Through
Matthew 10:22You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.
it leads to
- Matthew 24:13
But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.
- James 1:12
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.
- Mark 13:13
You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.
- Matthew 24:13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Revelation

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Cyprian, Treatise XII Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
