2:16a
repent!: This word is a command to change one’s mind, heart, and actions. See how you translated this word in 2:5.
2:16b
Otherwise: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Otherwise is literally “But if not.” It introduces what will happen to those holding to the teachings of Balaam and the Nicolaitans if they do not repent. Other ways to translate the Greek phrase are:
If not, (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
or (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
But if you do not ⌊repent⌋
I will come to you shortly: Christ indicated here that he would come for the purpose of fighting against the sinners in the church in Pergamum (2:16c). This purpose is not in regard to gathering all believers. In other words, this action does not refer to the second coming of Jesus.
2:16c
wage war against them with the sword of My mouth: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as wage war means “make war” (as in the New Revised Standard Version). Other ways to translate this word are:
fight a war against them with the sword of my mouth
-or-
war against them with the sword of my mouth
If this group in the church was sinning believers, then these words refer to severe discipline. If this group was Nicolaitans pretending to be believers, then these words may refer to judging them worthy of death. Translate these words so that they allow either interpretation.
them: This pronoun refers to those people in the church who follow the false teachings of Balaam and the Nicolaitans.
with the sword of My mouth: This phrase refers to the sword also mentioned in 1:16b and 2:12b. The sword is of Jesus’ mouth because it came out from Jesus’ mouth.
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