Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Revelation 2:10

"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." — Revelation 2:10 (ASV)

The speaker’s command immediately follows since no word of verdict or fault is spoken of. The prospect of further and imminent suffering may have made the believers at Smyrna fearful: “Do not be afraid [lit., Stop being afraid] of what you are about to suffer.” The risen Christ reveals that some of them will be imprisoned by the devil in order to test them, and they will have ten days of persecution. Who will do this—whether Jew or pagan—is not stated. The testing will show where their true loyalty lies. For a faithful and suffering church, Christ offers further trial and suffering. The “ten days” may be ten actual days, or it may be an expression for an indeterminate but short period of time (cf. Nehemiah 4:12; Daniel 1:12). In the Roman world, prison was usually not punitive but a prelude to trial and execution; hence the words “Be faithful, even to the point of death.” For those who would face martyrdom out of loyalty to Christ, there was to be a “crown of life” given by Christ himself. People at Smyrna were familiar with the term “the crown of Smyrna,” which no doubt alluded to the beautiful skyline formed around the city by the hill Pagos and the public buildings on its sloping sides. The “crown” usually referred to a garland of flowers worn chiefly in the worship of the pagan gods. Faithful servants of the city appeared on coins with laurel wreaths on their heads. As the patriots of Smyrna were faithful to Rome and to their crown city, so Christ’s people are to be faithful unto death to him who will give them the imperishable crown of life (James 1:12; 1 Peter 5:4).