Location
Overview
Smyrna was a beautiful and wealthy port of Asia Minor, the second of the seven churches addressed in Revelation. Its name means "myrrh" — a fragrance released by crushing, fitting a church refined by suffering.
The suffering church
The risen Christ, "the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive," knew their "tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich)" and the slander they endured (Revelation 2:8–9).
"Be thou faithful unto death"
He warned of coming imprisonment and "tribulation ten days," urging, "be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life" (Revelation 2:10). Smyrna received no rebuke — only encouragement to endure.
A church of martyrs
Smyrna's faithfulness proved real: its famed bishop Polycarp, a disciple of the apostle John, was martyred there in the mid-2nd century, refusing to deny the Lord he had served for decades.
Events Here
Christ calls the church of Smyrna to be faithful unto death
Scripture References
2 versesRevelation2 verses
Revelation 1:11
Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
Revelation 2:8
And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
Archaeology & History
Smyrna is modern Izmir, one of the great cities of Asia Minor and a continuous urban centre for three thousand years. Renowned in antiquity for its beauty, its harbour, and its loyalty to Rome, it was a hard place to confess Christ — which makes the letter's call to faithful endurance, and Polycarp's later martyrdom, all the more striking.
Frequently asked about Smyrna
Where is Smyrna today?
Today, Smyrna corresponds to Izmir, Turkey.
What does the name Smyrna mean?
The name Smyrna means “Myrrh”.
What happened at Smyrna in the Bible?
Key biblical events at Smyrna include christ calls the church of smyrna to be faithful unto death.
Where is Smyrna first mentioned in the Bible?
Smyrna is first mentioned in Revelation 1:11.
How often is Smyrna mentioned in the Bible?
Smyrna is mentioned in 2 verses across 1 book: Revelation.
What was special about the church in Smyrna?
It was a poor, persecuted, yet faithful church that received no rebuke from Christ — only the call to "be faithful unto death" and the promise of "a crown of life."
Where is Smyrna today?
It is the city of Izmir on the Aegean coast of Turkey.