Revelation 3:8 BSB — MannaFest

Revelation 3:8

I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door, which no one can shut. For you have only a little strength, yet you have kept My word and have not denied My name.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

I know thy works (behold, I have set before thee a door opened, which none can shut), that thou hast a little power, and didst keep my word, and didst not deny my name.

KJV

I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

⋯

Commentary

4 voices

Victorinus of Pettau

Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John (304)

The sixth class is the mode of life of the best election. The habit of saints is set forth; of those, to wit, who are lowly in the world, and unskilled in the Scriptures, and who hold the faith immoveably, and are not at all broken down by any chance, or withdrawn from the faith by any fear. Therefore He says to them:- "I have set before thee an open door, because thou hast kept the word of my patience." In such little strength.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

I have given before thee an opened door - To enter into the joy of thy Lord; and, meantime, to go on unhindered in every good work. Thou hast a little strength - But little outward human strength; a little, poor, mean, despicable company. Yet thou hast kept my word - Both in judgment and practice.

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible (1832)

I have set before thee an open door - I have opened to thee a door to proclaim and diffuse my word; and, notwithstanding there are many adversaries to the spread of my Gospel, yet none of them shall be able to prevent it. Thou hast a little strength - Very little political authority or influence; yet thou hast kept my word - hast kept the true doctrine; and hast not denied my name, by taking shelter in heathenism when Christianity was persecuted.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

I prefer the view given above. The Greek verbs are in the aorist tense: "Thou didst keep . . . didst not deny My name": alluding to some particular occasion when her faithfulness was put to the test.

Voices on this verse

loading…

Original language & word study

30 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
οἶδά	oida	I know
σου	sou	your	G4771 →
τὰ	ta	<the>	G3588 →
ἔργα.	erga	deeds.	G2041 →
ἰδοὺ	idou	Behold	G2400 →
δέδωκα	dedōka	I have set	G1325 →
ἐνώπιόν	enōpion	before	G1799 →
σου	sou	you	G4771 →
θύραν	thuran	a door	G2374 →
ἠνεῳγμένην	ēneōgmenēn	opened	G455 →
ἣν	hēn	which	G3739 →
οὐδεὶς	oudeis	no [one]	G3762 →
δύναται	dunatai	is able	G1410 →
κλεῖσαι	kleisai	to shut	G2808 →
αὐτήν·	autēn	it;	G846 →
ὅτι	hoti	because	G3754 →
μικρὰν	mikran	little	G3398 →
ἔχεις	echeis	you have	G2192 →
δύναμιν	dunamin	power	G1411 →
καὶ	kai	and yet	G2532 →
ἐτήρησάς	etērēsas	you have kept	G5083 →
μου	mou	My	G3165 →
τὸν	ton	<the>	G3588 →
λόγον	logon	word	G3056 →
καὶ	kai	and	G2532 →
οὐκ	ouk	not	G3756 →
ἠρνήσω	ērnēsō	denied	G720 →
τὸ	to	the	G3588 →
ὄνομά	onoma	name	G3686 →
μου.	mou	of Me.	G3165 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
leads to
- Isaiah 41:10
  Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand…
- 2 Corinthians 12:9–10
  But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of…
- Colossians 1:11
  being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have full endurance and patience, and joyfully
- Ephesians 6:10
  Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
- Isaiah 40:29–31
  He gives power to the faint and increases the strength of the weak.
Through
1 Corinthians 16:9
because a great door for effective work has opened to me, even though many oppose me.
leads to
- Acts 14:27
  When they arrived, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them, and how He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
  Reached by 3 independent paths from here.
- Colossians 4:3
  as you pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
Through
Revelation 3:7
To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of the One who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What He opens no one can shut,…
leads to
- Isaiah 22:22
  I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.

Featured studies on this passage

On Revelation 3:8

The Seven Churches of Revelation

Asia Minor, late 1st century. Seven cities along a clockwise postal route — Ephesus to Laodicea — each receiving a letter from the risen Christ. Praises, rebukes, promises. A Matt-13 parallel reading discoverable for those who want it.

Open the study →