independentparticipialrelativepurposecomparativecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended
Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)
To Ephesus — first love abandoned 2:1–7
v. 1 — the address and the self-predication
1
Τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς ἐν Ἐφέσῳ ἐκκλησίας γράψον·independent — the dictation frame — the first of four oracles on the Asian circuit
Τάδε λέγει ὁ κρατῶν τοὺς ἑπτὰ ἀστέρας ἐν τῇ δεξιᾷ αὐτοῦ,content — the speech-frame — Τάδε λέγει, the LXX 'thus says the Lord' now on Christ's lips; the title from 1:16, 20
ὁ περιπατῶν ἐν μέσῳ τῶν ἑπτὰ λυχνιῶν τῶν χρυσῶν·participial — the second title hangs under the frame — present among the churches he inspects (1:13)
vv. 2–3 — the diagnosis: Οἶδα and the commendation chain
2
Οἶδα τὰ ἔργα σου καὶ τὸν κόπον καὶ τὴν ὑπομονήν σου,independent — the diagnostic οἶδα — the letter body set flush left, at Christ's own discourse level
καὶ ὅτι οὐ δύνῃ βαστάσαι κακούς,content — the object-chain turns to a ὅτι clause
καὶ ἐπείρασας τοὺς λέγοντας ἑαυτοὺς ἀποστόλουςcontent — ὅτι carried over — Semitic parataxis keeps the chain inside the 'I know'
καὶ οὐκ εἰσίν,relative — parataxis again — the finite καί-clause continues the participle; flagged, not corrected
καὶ εὗρες αὐτοὺς ψευδεῖς·content — the verdict on the false apostles — tested and exposed
3
καὶ ὑπομονὴν ἔχεις,independent — direct address now — the flush-left καί-chain, Revelation's paratactic idiom
καὶ ἐβάστασας διὰ τὸ ὄνομά μου,independent — βαστάζω again — they cannot 'bear' the evil (v. 2) yet have 'borne' for the name
καὶ οὐ κεκοπίακες.independent — the wordplay seals it — κόπος (v. 2) without κοπιάω: toil, yet no weariness
vv. 4–6 — the charge, the triple summons, the concession
4
ἀλλὰ ἔχω κατὰ σοῦindependent — the ἀλλά-turn — the letters' fixed charge formula
ὅτι τὴν ἀγάπην σου τὴν πρώτην ἀφῆκες.content — the charge — τὴν πρώτην fronted for weight: the first love left behind
5
μνημόνευε οὖνindependent — the triple summons opens — present imperative: keep remembering
πόθεν πέπτωκας,content — indirect question — the fall measured from the height
καὶ μετανόησονindependent — aorist now — a decisive break
καὶ τὰ πρῶτα ἔργα ποίησον·independent — the third command — τὰ πρῶτα answering τὴν πρώτην (v. 4)
εἰ δὲ μή,conditional — elliptical protasis leaning forward on the threat below (so no anchor)
ἔρχομαί σοιindependent — futuristic present — the visitation already under way
καὶ κινήσω τὴν λυχνίαν σου ἐκ τοῦ τόπου αὐτῆς,independent — the sanction — the church itself (1:20) taken off its stand
ἐὰν μὴ μετανοήσῃς.conditional — trailing protasis — backward-leaning, so anchored: the threat still conditional
6
ἀλλὰ τοῦτο ἔχεις,independent — the concession — ἀλλά once more, now in their favor
ὅτι μισεῖς τὰ ἔργα τῶν Νικολαϊτῶν,content — epexegetic ὅτι on τοῦτο — the right hatred
ἃ κἀγὼ μισῶ.relative — Christ's own concurrence — κἀγώ
v. 7 — the call to hear and the conqueror's promise
7
Ὁ ἔχων οὖς ἀκουσάτωindependent — the prophetic-call refrain that closes every letter
τί τὸ πνεῦμα λέγει ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις.content — indirect question — Christ's words are the Spirit's, and to all the churches
τῷ νικῶντι δώσω αὐτῷ φαγεῖν ἐκ τοῦ ξύλου τῆς ζωῆς,independent — pendent dative resumed by the redundant αὐτῷ — the Semitic casus-pendens idiom, kept, not corrected
ὅ ἐστιν ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ τοῦ θεοῦ.relative — Gen 2:9 — Eden's tree regained: the first promise
To Smyrna — poor, yet rich 2:8–11
v. 8 — the address: the First and the Last
8
Καὶ τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς ἐν Σμύρνῃ ἐκκλησίας γράψον·independent — the second oracle — the frame verbatim
Τάδε λέγει ὁ πρῶτος καὶ ὁ ἔσχατος,content — the title from 1:17 — Isa 44:6, God's own name on Christ
ὃς ἐγένετο νεκρὸς καὶ ἔζησεν·relative — the credential for a martyr church — death entered, death exited
v. 9 — the diagnosis: poor, yet rich
9
Οἶδά σου τὴν θλῖψιν καὶ τὴν πτωχείαν,independent — the οἶδα opening — the one letter (with Philadelphia) that carries no charge
ἀλλὰ πλούσιος εἶ,independent — adversative parenthesis breaking the object-chain: the paradox of Smyrna
καὶ τὴν βλασφημίαν ἐκ τῶν λεγόντων Ἰουδαίους εἶναιphrase modifier — the object-chain resumes on Οἶδα — the third thing known
ἑαυτούς, καὶ οὐκrelative — Semitic parataxis — the finite clause rides the participle (as in v. 2)
εἰσὶν ἀλλὰ συναγωγὴ τοῦ Σατανᾶ.relative — the verbless verdict — the counter-name: not the assembly of the Lord but Satan's
vv. 10–11 — fear nothing: the ten days, the crown, the second death
10
μηδὲν φοβοῦindependent — present imperative — stop fearing, keep not fearing
ἃ μέλλεις πάσχειν.relative — headless relative on μηδέν — the suffering foreseen and bounded
ἰδοὺ μέλλει βάλλειν ὁ διάβολος ἐξ ὑμῶν εἰς φυλακὴνindependent — ἰδού — the apocalyptic pointer; ἐξ ὑμῶν partitive with its object ('some') unexpressed
ἵνα πειρασθῆτε,purpose — the purpose — the devil's assault doubling as the proving
καὶ ἕξετε θλῖψιν ἡμερῶν δέκα.independent — the affliction numbered — ten days: severe, but set and short
γίνου πιστὸς ἄχρι θανάτου,independent — γίνου — keep proving faithful, to the point of dying
καὶ δώσω σοι τὸν στέφανον τῆς ζωῆς.independent — paratactic καί with conditional force — be faithful, and (then) the victor's στέφανος
11
Ὁ ἔχων οὖς ἀκουσάτωindependent — the refrain
τί τὸ πνεῦμα λέγει ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις.content — the Spirit's word to all
ὁ νικῶν οὐ μὴ ἀδικηθῇ ἐκ τοῦ θανάτου τοῦ δευτέρου.independent — here a plain nominative subject — οὐ μή, the strongest denial: death may come once, not twice (20:6, 14)
To Pergamum — where Satan's throne is 2:12–17
v. 12 — the address: the sharp two-edged sword
12
Καὶ τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς ἐν Περγάμῳ ἐκκλησίας γράψον·independent — the third oracle
Τάδε λέγει ὁ ἔχων τὴν ῥομφαίαν τὴν δίστομον τὴν ὀξεῖαν·content — the title from 1:16 — the ῥομφαία that returns as threat in v. 16
v. 13 — the diagnosis: holding fast where Satan is enthroned
13
Οἶδαindependent — the diagnostic verb alone — everything that follows is its object
ποῦ κατοικεῖς,content — indirect question — the address itself is the trial
ὅπου ὁ θρόνος τοῦ Σατανᾶ,relative — verbless local relative — Satan's θρόνος: the imperial-cult seat (or the great altar) of Pergamum
καὶ κρατεῖς τὸ ὄνομά μου,independent — κρατέω — the church grips the name as Christ grips the stars (v. 1)
καὶ οὐκ ἠρνήσω τὴν πίστιν μουindependent — aorist — one remembered crisis, not a general habit
καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις Ἀντιπᾶς ὁ μάρτυς μου ὁ πιστός μου,phrase modifier — solecism — indeclinable Ἀντιπᾶς stands nominative where the genitive is required; flagged, not corrected
ὃς ἀπεκτάνθη παρ' ὑμῖν,relative — the one named martyr of the seven letters
ὅπου ὁ Σατανᾶς κατοικεῖ.relative — the ring closes — κατοικεῖ frames the verse: you dwell where Satan dwells
vv. 14–16 — the charge: Balaam's teaching, and the sword of the mouth
14
ἀλλὰ ἔχω κατὰ σοῦ ὀλίγα,independent — the charge formula — ὀλίγα: few, yet lethal
ὅτι ἔχεις ἐκεῖ κρατοῦντας τὴν διδαχὴν Βαλαάμ,content — epexegetic ὅτι on ὀλίγα — the same κρατέω: some grip Balaam's teaching as the church grips the name (v. 13)
ὃς ἐδίδασκεν τῷ Βαλὰκ βαλεῖν σκάνδαλον ἐνώπιον τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ,relative — Num 25 read through 31:16 — διδάσκω with the dative τῷ Βαλάκ, a Semitizing rection; the Βαλαάμ/Βαλάκ/βαλεῖν jingle
φαγεῖν εἰδωλόθυτα καὶ πορνεῦσαι.content — epexegetic infinitives — the stumbling block itemized: idol-meat and immorality
15
οὕτως ἔχεις καὶ σὺ κρατοῦντας τὴν διδαχὴν τῶν Νικολαϊτῶν ὁμοίως.independent — οὕτως … ὁμοίως — the ancient error under its modern name: what Ephesus hates (v. 6), Pergamum houses
16
μετανόησον οὖν·independent — one aorist command — the church repents of harboring them
εἰ δὲ μή,conditional — elliptical protasis leaning forward on the threat below (so no anchor)
ἔρχομαί σοι ταχὺindependent — the visitation formula of v. 5, now with ταχύ
καὶ πολεμήσω μετ' αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ ῥομφαίᾳ τοῦ στόματός μου.independent — the title cashes out (v. 12) — war on 'them,' the Balaamites, not the church; the word itself the weapon (Isa 49:2)
v. 17 — the call to hear and the conqueror's promise
17
Ὁ ἔχων οὖς ἀκουσάτωindependent — the refrain
τί τὸ πνεῦμα λέγει ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις.content — the Spirit's word to all
τῷ νικῶντι δώσω αὐτῷ τοῦ μάννα τοῦ κεκρυμμένου,independent — the pendent dative with redundant αὐτῷ again; partitive genitive — 'some of' the hidden manna, food from God against idol-meat
καὶ δώσω αὐτῷ ψῆφον λευκήν,independent — the ψῆφος — acquittal-pebble, admission-token, or amulet: a private gift where Satan holds the public square
καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν ψῆφον ὄνομα καινὸν γεγραμμένονindependent — verbless — δώσω carried over; the καινόν of the coming age (3:12; 21:5)
ὃ οὐδεὶς οἶδεν εἰ μὴ ὁ λαμβάνων.relative — the secret name — οἶδεν answers the letter's Οἶδα: he knows the church; the conqueror alone knows the name
To Thyatira — the eyes like a flame of fire 2:18–29
v. 18 — the address: the Son of God with eyes of flame
18
Καὶ τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς ἐν Θυατείροις ἐκκλησίας γράψον·independent — the fourth and longest oracle — to the least of the cities
Τάδε λέγει ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ,content — the only 'Son of God' in Revelation — anticipating Ps 2:7 behind vv. 26–28
ὁ ἔχων τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ ὡς φλόγα πυρός,participial — from 1:14 — the eyes that will search (v. 23)
καὶ οἱ πόδες αὐτοῦ ὅμοιοι χαλκολιβάνῳ·phrase modifier — verbless nominative continuation — the participial frame lapses into parataxis (1:15); χαλκολίβανον, the bronze-workers' own word
v. 19 — the diagnosis: last works more than the first
19
Οἶδά σου τὰ ἔργα καὶ τὴν ἀγάπην καὶ τὴν πίστιν καὶ τὴν διακονίαν καὶ τὴν ὑπομονήν σου,independent — the fullest object-chain of the seven — and love first, Ephesus' missing grace
καὶ τὰ ἔργα σου τὰ ἔσχατα πλείονα τῶν πρώτων.content — verbless accusative clause — εἶναι supplied; the exact reverse of Ephesus: the last exceed the first
vv. 20–23 — the charge: Jezebel, the bed, and the searcher of hearts
20
ἀλλὰ ἔχω κατὰ σοῦindependent — the charge formula a third time
ὅτι ἀφεῖς τὴν γυναῖκα Ἰεζάβελ,content — ἀφεῖς — the sin is toleration; 'Jezebel,' the name of the idolatry-importing queen (1 Kgs 16–21)
ἡ λέγουσα ἑαυτὴν προφῆτιν,participial — solecism — nominative ἡ λέγουσα in apposition to the accusative τὴν γυναῖκα; flagged, not corrected
καὶ διδάσκει καὶ πλανᾷ τοὺς ἐμοὺς δούλουςrelative — Semitic parataxis — finite verbs continue the participle: she teaches, and she leads astray
πορνεῦσαι καὶ φαγεῖν εἰδωλόθυτα.content — the Balaam pair (v. 14) in reverse order — the same program under a prophetess' name
21
καὶ ἔδωκα αὐτῇ χρόνονindependent — grace before judgment — time granted even to Jezebel
ἵνα μετανοήσῃ,purpose — the purpose of the delay
καὶ οὐ θέλει μετανοῆσαι ἐκ τῆς πορνείας αὐτῆς.independent — adversative καί — 'and yet'; the refusal is present-tense and standing
22
ἰδοὺ βάλλω αὐτὴν εἰς κλίνην,independent — futuristic present — the bed of luxury becomes a sickbed: measure for measure
καὶ τοὺς μοιχεύοντας μετ' αὐτῆς εἰς θλῖψιν μεγάλην,phrase modifier — the verb carried over — her partners thrown with her; the adultery is covenant-infidelity
ἐὰν μὴ μετανοήσωσιν ἐκ τῶν ἔργων αὐτῆς·conditional — trailing protasis, backward-leaning — the door still open for the partners; and the works are 'hers'
23
καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῆς ἀποκτενῶ ἐν θανάτῳ·independent — ἀποκτενῶ ἐν θανάτῳ — the LXX pestilence formula (Ezek 33:27); her 'children,' the movement's own offspring
καὶ γνώσονται πᾶσαι αἱ ἐκκλησίαιindependent — the judgment is public — all seven, and beyond, will learn
ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ἐραυνῶν νεφροὺς καὶ καρδίας,content — Jer 17:10 — YHWH's self-title claimed by the flame-eyed Son (v. 18)
καὶ δώσω ὑμῖν ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα ὑμῶν.independent — Ps 62:12 / Jer 17:10 — the first δώσω: recompense, before the promise's gifts
vv. 24–25 — to the rest: no other burden
24
ὑμῖν δὲ λέγω τοῖς λοιποῖς τοῖς ἐν Θυατείροις,independent — the turn — ὑμῖν fronted: the faithful remnant addressed directly
ὅσοι οὐκ ἔχουσιν τὴν διδαχὴν ταύτην,relative — ὅσοι — nominative after the dative τοῖς λοιποῖς: the case slips as the group defines itself
οἵτινες οὐκ ἔγνωσαν τὰ βαθέα τοῦ Σατανᾶ,relative — the sect's slogan turned — 'the deep things' (of God, they claimed; cf. 1 Cor 2:10): of Satan, says Christ
ὡς λέγουσιν·comparative — the aside — the label is theirs, the genitive is his
οὐ βάλλω ἐφ' ὑμᾶς ἄλλο βάρος·content — what he says to the rest — βάλλω a third time (vv. 14, 22): no burden thrown; the apostolic-decree echo (Acts 15:28)
25
πλὴν ὃ ἔχετε κρατήσατεcontent — πλήν — the one requirement; κρατέω again: grip what you have as Pergamum grips the name
ἄχρι οὗ ἂν ἥξω.relative — ἄχρι οὗ ἄν — the indefinite temporal relative: the horizon is the parousia, not relief
vv. 26–29 — the conqueror's promise: Ps 2, the morning star, the call to hear
26
καὶ ὁ νικῶν καὶ ὁ τηρῶν ἄχρι τέλους τὰ ἔργα μου,independent — suspended nominative (casus pendens), resumed by δώσω αὐτῷ below — dashed, not corrected; 'my works' against 'her works' (v. 22)
δώσω αὐτῷ ἐξουσίαν ἐπὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν,independent — the resumption — αὐτῷ picks up the pendent nominative; Ps 2:8's grant handed onward
27
καὶ ποιμανεῖ αὐτοὺς ἐν ῥάβδῳ σιδηρᾷindependent — Ps 2:9 (LXX ποιμανεῖ) — Scripture's words carried as Christ's own promise, the Prov 25 precedent: the conqueror made shepherd-king
ὡς τὰ σκεύη τὰ κεραμικὰ συντρίβεται,comparative — Ps 2:9's second limb — the simile keeps the LXX's finite συντρίβεται (neuter plural with singular verb)
28
ὡς κἀγὼ εἴληφα παρὰ τοῦ πατρός μου,comparative — the comparison reaches back over the whole grant (vv. 26–27) — Ps 2:7–9 was spoken to him first
καὶ δώσω αὐτῷ τὸν ἀστέρα τὸν πρωϊνόν.independent — the second δώσω — the morning star: dominion's sign (Num 24:17), and Christ himself at last (22:16)
29
ὁ ἔχων οὖς ἀκουσάτωindependent — the refrain — from Thyatira on it follows the promise rather than precedes it
τί τὸ πνεῦμα λέγει ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις.content — the seal of the fourth letter
Analysis. Revelation 2 is four letters, and each is laid out on the same frame: the flush-left dictation command Τῷ ἀγγέλῳ … γράψον; hanging beneath it as its content, the speech-frame Τάδε λέγει ὁ … , which carries the christological self-description drawn from the inaugural vision (the participial titles hang under the frame); and then the letter BODY set flush left as direct discourse at Christ's own discourse level — the Prov 25 precedent of Romans 12 — since a page of solid indented content lines would bury the letters; subordination inside the speech is drawn normally. The syntax is Semitic parataxis, and the flush-left καί-chains are deliberate: ὅτι after Οἶδα is carried silently over the following finite verbs (v. 2), finite clauses ride participles (καὶ οὐκ εἰσίν, vv. 2 and 9; καὶ διδάσκει καὶ πλανᾷ, v. 20), and the solecisms are flagged, never corrected — indeclinable Ἀντιπᾶς nominative for the genitive (v. 13), nominative ἡ λέγουσα in apposition to accusative τὴν γυναῖκα (v. 20), the verbless nominative καὶ οἱ πόδες αὐτοῦ continuing the participial titles (v. 18). The conqueror-promises are set consistently: the pendent datives τῷ νικῶντι (vv. 7, 17), resumed by a redundant αὐτῷ, stay inside their δώσω line with the Semitism noted, while Thyatira's ὁ νικῶν καὶ ὁ τηρῶν (v. 26) — a true suspended nominative resumed by δώσω αὐτῷ — gets its own dashed line. Both εἰ δὲ μή protases (vv. 5, 16) lean forward, anchorless, on the ἔρχομαί σοι threat below; the trailing ἐὰν μή conditionals (vv. 5, 22) lean backward and are anchored. And Ps 2:8–9 in Thyatira's promise (ποιμανεῖ αὐτοὺς ἐν ῥάβδῳ σιδηρᾷ, ὡς τὰ σκεύη τὰ κεραμικὰ συντρίβεται) is carried at Christ's own discourse level, tagged as quotation — the words were spoken to him first (ὡς κἀγὼ εἴληφα), and he hands them on.