Revelation 2:10
Bible Verses. Also called Rev 2:10, Revelation 2.10, Be thou faithful unto death, Be faithful unto death, Crown of life, Church in Smyrna.
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.
Scripture quotation from the King James Version (KJV). Read this chapter
Revelation 2:10 is Christ's word to the church in Smyrna: "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." The verse calls believers to remain faithful even to martyrdom under persecution. In Korean Protestant churches it is widely used to encourage church officers at their ordination and in their service, although this application has been questioned.
About this articleAI draft from a Korean source. Notes on Korean Protestant practice. No sources listed. Not yet reviewed by a person.
- Origin
Drafted by AI from the Korean church.wiki article, then translated and adapted for English readers on 5 November 2026.
- Perspective
Includes notes on Korean Protestant practice; other traditions are noted where they differ.
- Sources
None listed yet. The article draws on the biblical text and general reference works. Add a source
- Review
Not yet reviewed by a person. Last edited by a person: never. Translation updated 5 November 2026. Edit history
Context
Chapters 2–3 of Revelation contain letters from the risen Christ to seven churches in Asia Minor. The letter to the church in Smyrna (2:8–11) is one of only two that contain no rebuke and offer only comfort and encouragement. Christ says that he knows the church's tribulation and poverty and the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews. He foretells that the devil will cast some of them into prison, where they will have tribulation "ten days." Verse 10 is the command and promise that close this prediction. Smyrna is present-day İzmir in Turkey and is known as the city whose bishop, Polycarp, was martyred there in the second century.
Interpretation
- Faithfulness even to martyrdom: The common interpretation holds that "unto death" (Greek achri thanatou) means not "as zealously as one possibly can" but "up to the point of death"—that is, believers should not abandon the faith even if it costs them their lives. Likewise, pistos ("faithful") is closer in sense to fidelity or trustworthiness.
- "Ten days": The phrase has been read as a symbol of a short, limited period; as an actual brief period of persecution; or as a reference to the ten persecutions of church history.
- The crown of life: The image is that of the wreath given to the victor in an athletic contest, and many interpreters hold that it refers to eternal life itself.
Questions Concerning Application
In Korean Protestant churches, the verse is frequently used to exhort church officers to devote themselves to the work of the church. Critics argue that this turns words originally meant to urge believers to keep the faith under persecution into a demand for greater quantities of church service and zeal, and the issue is sometimes raised in connection with burnout among church workers. Others hold that applying the verse as a principle of remaining faithful to the end in one's assigned office does not conflict with its context.
Perspective: Korean Protestant practiceHow this idea is used in Korean churches, kept from the original Korean article.
In Korean Protestant churches, it is one of the verses most often used at ordination services for elders, exhorters (gwonsa), and deacons. It is also frequently cited in commemorating Korean Christian martyrs, such as Ju Ki-chul, who died in prison during the Japanese colonial period after refusing Shinto shrine worship.
Related Passages
See also 6
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