Smyrna was one of the seven churches of Asia Minor addressed in the Book of Revelation, known for its persecution and poverty, yet faithful to Christ (Rev. 1:11; 2:8-11).
Also known as Smyrnan
Smyrna, modern-day Izmir in Turkey, was one of the seven churches of Asia Minor addressed in the Book of Revelation (Rev. 1:11). In the letter to the church of Smyrna, Jesus Christ acknowledges the church's suffering, poverty, and the blasphemy they faced from those who claimed to be Jews but were actually a "synagogue of Satan" (Rev. 2:9).
Despite their hardships, the church of Smyrna remained faithful to Christ. Jesus encourages them not to fear the impending persecution, which would include imprisonment and testing for "ten days" (Rev. 2:10). This may refer to a specific period of intense persecution or symbolize a limited time of trial.
Christ exhorts the church to remain faithful even unto death, promising them the "crown of life" as a reward for their steadfast endurance (Rev. 2:10). He also assures them that those who overcome will not be harmed by the "second death," which is eternal separation from God (Rev. 2:11).
Smyrna was known for its beauty, commerce, and loyalty to Rome. It had a large Jewish population, which may have contributed to the persecution faced by the early Christian church there. The city was also a center of emperor worship, which likely created additional pressure for Christians who refused to participate in these pagan rituals.
The message to the church of Smyrna serves as an encouragement to all believers who face persecution and hardship for their faith. It reminds them that their ultimate loyalty is to Christ and that eternal life awaits those who remain faithful to Him.
Approximate location: 38.452, 27.162 · view on a map · on the Bible atlas
Myrrh, an ancient city of Ionia, on the western coast of Asia Minor, about 40 miles to the north of Ephesus. It is now the chief city of Anatolia, having a mixed population of about 200,000, of whom about one-third are professed Christians. The church founded here was one of the seven addressed by our Lord (Rev. 2:8-11). The celebrated Polycarp, a pupil of the apostle John, was in the second century a prominent leader in the church of Smyrna. Here he suffered martyrdom, A.D. 155.
(myrrh), a city of Asia Minor, situated on the AEgean Sea, 40 miles north of Ephesus. Allusion is made to it in (Revelation 2:8-11) It was founded by Alexander the Great, and was situated twenty shades (2 1/2 miles) from the city of the same name, which after a long series of wars with the Lydians had been finally taken and sacked by Halyattes. The ancient city was built by some piratical Greeks 1500 years before Christ. It seems not impossible that the message to the church in Smyrna contains allusions to the ritual of the pagan mysteries which prevailed in that city. In the time of Strabo the ruins of the old Smyrna still existed, and were partially inhabited, but the new city was one of the most beautiful in all Asia. The streets were laid out as near as might be at right angles. There was a large public library there, and also a handsome building surrounded with porticos which served as a museum. It was consecrated as a heroum to Homer, whom the Smyrnaeans claimed as a countryman. Olympian games were celebrated here, and excited great interest. (Smyrna is still a large city of 180,000 to 200,000 inhabitants, of which a larger proportion are Franks than in any other town in Turkey; 20,000 are Greeks, 9000 Jews, 8000 Armenians, 1000 Europeans, and the rest are Moslems.—ED.)
SMYR'NA (myrrh), a city of Asia Minor named in Scripture as containing one of the seven churches of Asia. Rev 1:11; Rev 2:8-11. Situation. - Smyrna is on the AEgean Sea, at the bottom of the Hermaean Gulf, the entrance to which is opposite the island of Mitylene. The modern town is situated 2 1/2 miles from the ancient one of the same name, partly upon the slopes of Mount Pagus, and partly on the low ground at its foot. The city was about 40 miles north of Ephesus. History. - Some piratical Greeks built a fortification on Mount Pagus about b.c. 1500; Theseus built a city and called it Smyrna, after his wife, b.c. 1312. It was on the border-line between Ionia and AEolia, and was possessed by both parties alternately in the times of the Trojan war. The king of Sardis destroyed it, B.c. 628; Alexander the Great built a new city, b.c. 320. From this time Smyrna became an important commercial place. It was subject to the Romans and was famous for its beauty, Antigonus calling it "the beautiful." Christianity was early planted there, and the church is commended in the Revelation of John. Polycarp, a pupil of St. John, suffered martyrdom at Smyrna, a.d. 1o5, in extreme old age, perhaps illustrating the prophecy, "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." Rev 2:10. His grave, with a plain monument, is shown on a hill. The city sent a bishop to the Council of Nice, a.d. 325; it was captured by the Turks, a.d. 1313, and is still in their possession. It has several times suffered from fires and earthquakes. Present Condition. - The modern city of Smyrna has a population of about 180,000 to 190,000, of which not a fourth are Turks. There are…
SMYR'NA (myrrh), a city of Asia Minor named in Scripture as containing
one of the seven churches of Asia. Rev 1:11; Rev 2:8-11. Situation. - Smyrna is on the AEgean Sea, at the bottom of the Hermaean Gulf, the entrance to which is opposite the island of Mitylene. The modern town is situated 2 1/2 miles from the ancient one of the same name, partly upon the slopes of Mount Pagus, and partly on the low ground at its foot. The city was about 40 miles north of Ephesus. History. - Some piratical Greeks built a fortification on Mount Pagus about b.c. 1500; Theseus built a city and called it Smyrna, after his wife, b.c. 1312. It was on the border-line between Ionia and AEolia, and was possessed by both parties alternately in the times of the Trojan war. The king of Sardis destroyed it, B.c. 628; Alexander the Great built a new city, b.c. 320. From this time Smyrna became an important commercial place. It was subject to the Romans and was famous for its beauty, Antigonus calling it "the beautiful." Christianity was early planted there, and the church is commended in the Revelation of John. Polycarp, a pupil of St. John, suffered martyrdom at Smyrna, a.d. 1o5, in extreme old age, perhaps illustrating the prophecy, "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." Rev 2:10. His grave, with a plain monument, is shown on a hill. The city sent a bishop to the Council of Nice, a.d. 325; it was captured by the Turks, a.d. 1313, and is still in their possession. It has several times suffered from fires and earthquakes. Present Condition. - The modern city of Smyrna has a population of about 180,000 to 190,000, of which not a fourth are Turks. There…
Easton (1897), Smith (1863), Hitchcock (1869), Hastings (1898) and Schaff are in the public domain. Parsed text: neuu-org/bible-dictionary-dataset (CC BY 4.0). Headwords and whitespace normalised for this site.
2 verses in 1 book · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s G4667
saying, “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”
To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of the First and the Last, who died and returned to life.
Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.