He who
Ὁ (Ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's Greek 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

has
ἔχων (echōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's Greek 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.

an ear,
οὖς (ous)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's Greek 3775: (a) the ear, (b) met: the faculty of perception. Apparently a primary word; the ear.

let him hear
ἀκουσάτω (akousatō)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's Greek 191: To hear, listen, comprehend by hearing; pass: is heard, reported. A primary verb; to hear.

what
τί (ti)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's Greek 5101: Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what.

the
τὸ (to)
Article - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's Greek 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Spirit
Πνεῦμα (Pneuma)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's Greek 4151: Wind, breath, spirit.

says
λέγει (legei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's Greek 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

to the
ταῖς (tais)
Article - Dative Feminine Plural
Strong's Greek 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

churches.
ἐκκλησίαις (ekklēsiais)
Noun - Dative Feminine Plural
Strong's Greek 1577: From a compound of ek and a derivative of kaleo; a calling out, i.e. a popular meeting, especially a religious congregation.

To [the one]
αὐτῷ (autō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's Greek 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

who
Τῷ (Tō)
Article - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's Greek 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

is victorious,
νικῶντι (nikōnti)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's Greek 3528: To conquer, be victorious, overcome, prevail, subdue. From nike; to subdue.

I will give
δώσω (dōsō)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's Greek 1325: To offer, give; I put, place. A prolonged form of a primary verb; to give.

the
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's Greek 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

hidden
κεκρυμμένου (kekrymmenou)
Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's Greek 2928: To hide, conceal, lay up. A primary verb; to conceal.

manna.
μάννα (manna)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's Greek 3131: Of Hebrew origin; manna, an edible gum.

I will also give
δώσω (dōsō)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's Greek 1325: To offer, give; I put, place. A prolonged form of a primary verb; to give.

him
αὐτῷ (autō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's Greek 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

a white
λευκήν (leukēn)
Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's Greek 3022: White, bright, brilliant. From luke; white.

stone
ψῆφον (psēphon)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's Greek 5586: From the same as pselaphao; a pebble, i.e. a verdict or ticket; a vote.

inscribed
γεγραμμένον (gegrammenon)
Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's Greek 1125: A primary verb; to 'grave', especially to write; figuratively, to describe.

[with]
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's Greek 2532: And, even, also, namely.

a new
καινὸν (kainon)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's Greek 2537: Fresh, new, unused, novel. Of uncertain affinity; new

name,
ὄνομα (onoma)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's Greek 3686: Name, character, fame, reputation. From a presumed derivative of the base of ginosko; a 'name'.

known
οἶδεν (oiden)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's Greek 1492: To know, remember, appreciate.

only
εἰ (ei)
Conjunction
Strong's Greek 1487: If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.

to the [one who]
ὁ (ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's Greek 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

receives [it].
λαμβάνων (lambanōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's Greek 2983: (a) I receive, get, (b) I take, lay hold of.
(17) To him that overcometh.--The promise should run thus:--To him that conquereth will I give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and upon the stone a new name graven, which no man knoweth, but he who receiveth it. On this promise we may notice (1) that it is appropriate: those who refused to indulge the fleshly appetite are promised gratifications far higher, and hidden from the gaze of sense; (2) the allusions are not all easy to understand. That to the manna is indeed obvious. Israel ate manna in the wilderness, and died; the Father gives the true bread from heaven that a man may eat thereof and not die. The Son is that Bread of Life. He that eateth Him, even he shall live by Him (John 6:35; John 6:48; John 6:57)--live, even though like Antipas he die; for a man's life consists not in the abundance of things which he possesses, but in the moral qualities which go to make up his character; and spiritual gifts are the food of these moral qualities, and these gifts are through Christ. But the promise is of hidden manna. Is the allusion to the pot of manna which had been laid up in the ark? There is no doubt that the Jews long cherished the belief that the ark and sacred treasures of the Temple had not perished. There was a fondly-held tradition that they had been buried by Jeremiah in a safe and secret spot on "the mountain where Moses climbed and saw the heritage of God, until the time that God shall gather His people again together, and show them His mercy" (2 Maccabees 2:4; 2 Maccabees 2:7). This "hidden manna," so longed for by an afflicted race, may have suggested the use of the word "hidden"; but the sacred writer would become anxious to bring out the spiritual truth that the fountains of Christian life are hidden (Colossians 3:3), the world knoweth us not. Like the fire in the Interpreter's house, men may try to quench it, but a hidden hand pours in secretly the food of the fuel. More difficult is the meaning of the white stone, graven with the new name. Some see in it an allusion to the Urim and Thummim; and therefore take it to indicate the "priestly dignity of the victorious Christian." In favour of this, it may be noted that it gives unity to the blessing. Manna and the precious stones worn by the high-priest are both wilderness and Jewish illustrations. Against it, however, must be set the fact that the word here rendered "stone" is never so applied, a different word being used both in the LXX. and in this book to denote a precious stone. Another suggestion, which is, perhaps, less encumbered with difficulty, is that the reference is to the stone or pebble of friendship, called tessera hospitalis, graven with some legend or device; and which gave to its possessor a claim of hospitality from him who gave it. Some such tickets admitted those invited into the heathen temples on festival days, when the meat which had been offered as a sacrifice formed part of the feast. The stone is called white; but the word does not imply that it is a stone of white colour, but that it is shining, glistering white. On the stone is graven a new name. The giving of new names is not uncommon in the Bible: for example, Abraham, Israel, Boanerges, Peter. The new name expressed the step which had been taken into a higher, truer life, and the change of heart and the elevation of character consequent upon it. Such are known in the world by their daily life, their business, their character; they are known above by the place they hold, and the work (the real character of which is quite unknown to the world) they are doing in the great war against evil. No man knoweth the characteristics of the growth of the character, the spiritual conflict in which the work is done, and the features of that change which has been, and is being wrought, except he who experiences the love, the grace, and the tribulation by which his spirit-life has grown.

Verse 17. - He that hath an ear (see notes on ver. 7). To him that overcometh. Again it is made clear that the individual can free himself from the corruption and condemnation of his Church. He may live in the very abode of Satan, and within hearing of damnable doctrines; yet if he overcomes the wiles of Satan, and listens to the Spirit rather than to the seducers, "he shall eat of the hidden manna which restores the spirit that the flesh pots of Egypt have weakened. He shall have the white stone of absolution, the true spiritual emancipation, which the Balaamite and Nicolaitan emancipation has counterfeited" (F.D. Maurice). "The manna, the hidden manna" (see notes on ver. 13), is differently explained: by the repetition of the article, the epithet "hidden" is made very distinct. There is probably some allusion to the manna stored up in the ark in the holy of holies (Exodus 16:33), and also to the true Bread from heaven, whose presence is now hidden from us; or the reference may be to the loss of the ark, with its contents, when Nebuchadnezzar took Jerusalem (2 Esdr. 10:22). There was a tradition that Jeremiah had hidden the manna, and that it would be brought to light again in the Messianic kingdom. A share in those things which eye saw not, and ear heard not, and to the heart of man never occurred (1 Corinthians 2:9), will be granted to the conqueror - a foretaste of them here, and a full participation hereafter (comp. Revelation 22:4 and 1 John 3:2). "To eat" (φαγεῖν) is an insertion into the true text borrowed from ver. 7. I will give him a white stone, and upon the stone (ἐπὶ τὴν ψῆφον) a new name written. "White" and "new," as Trench points out, are keywords in the Apocalypse; and it is natural that they should be so. White is "the livery of heaven," where white robes, white clouds, white horses, and white thrones abound (Revelation 1:14; Revelation 3:4, 5, 18; Revelation 4:4; Revelation 6:2, 11; Revelation 7:9, 13; Revelation 14:14; Revelation 19:11, 14; Revelation 20:11). And "new" is almost as frequent as "white" in the book which tells of a new heaven and a new earth, in which is the new Jerusalem; where the inhabitants have a new name, and sing a new song, and where all things are made new (Revelation 3:12; Revelation 5:9; Revelation 14:3; Revelation 21:1, 2, 5). But in spite of the familiarity and appropriateness of the two epithets, "white" and "new," a sure interpretation of the white stone with the new name upon it cannot be found. Trench's dictum, that "this book moves exclusively within the circle of sacred, that is, of Jewish imagery and symbols," and that an allusion to heathen or profane customs is inadmissible, is arbitrary and cannot be proved. As already shown, there may be references to the rites of Dionysus, to the games, and to the crown placed on the corpse of a victor. Here there may be an allusion to the white pebble of acquittal used in courts of justice, or to the lot used in elections; and the word ψῆφος favours these views. Or again, the reference may be to the tossers, or ticket, which the victor in the games received to admit him to the tables where he was fed at the public expense. Among Jewish symbols a reference to the "stone with seven eyes" (Zechariah 3:9) seems to be quite out of place. Nevertheless, Trench's explanation of the "white stone" as an allusion to the Urim and Thummim, which the high priest wore behind the square breastplate of judgment has much that is very attractive. This precious thing may well have been a diamond, for there was no diamond among the twelve stones of the breastplate. On each of these stones was written the name of a tribe; but what was written on the Urim none but the high priest knew. The usual supposition is that it was the sacred Tetragrammaton - the ineffable name of God. All this seems to fit in singularly well with the present passage. But if this explanation is to hold, "he that receiveth it" must mean he that receiveth the white stone, rather than he that receiveth the new name. The "new name" is not a fresh name for himself (Isaiah 62:2; Isaiah 65:15), but a fresh revelation of God's Name and nature, which only those who have received it can comprehend (comp. Revelation 14:1; Revelation 19:12). A variety of other explanations will be found in the 'Speaker's Commentary,' Smith's 'Dictionary of the Bible,' art. "Stones," in Alford, and elsewhere. Whatever the allusion maybe, the general sense is clear. He that overcometh shall be admitted to the heavenly holy of holies, and to a glory and knowledge incomprehensible to those who have not experienced it (1 Corinthians 2:9). He shall be made a priest unto God. Assemblies Churches Ear Ears Eat Excepted Give Hear Heed Hidden Manna New Overcomes Overcometh Receives Receiveth Saving Spirit Stone White WrittenAssemblies Churches Ear Ears Eat Excepted Give Hear Heed Hidden Manna New Overcomes Overcometh Receives Receiveth Saving Spirit Stone White WrittenRevelation 2:17 NIV
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Alphabetical: a also an and but churches ear give has He hear hidden him I it it' known knows let manna name new no of on one only overcomes receives says some Spirit stone the to what which white who will with written

NT Prophecy: Revelation 2:17 He who has an ear let him (Rev. Re Apocalypse) Christian Bible Study Resources, Dictionary, Concordance and Search Tools