{And I was dead} (kai egenom(886e) nekros). "And I be came
dead" (aorist middle participle of ginomai as in  1:9,10 ,
definite reference to the Cross). {I am alive} (z(936e) eimi).
Periphrastic present active indicative, "I am living," as the
words ho z(936e) just used mean. {Forevermore} (eis tous ai(936e)as
t(936e) ai(936e)(936e)). "Unto the ages of the ages," a stronger expression
of eternity even than in  1:6 . {The keys} (	as kleis). One of
the forms for the accusative plural along with kleidas, the
usual one ( Mt 16:19 ). {Of death and of Hades} (	ou thanatou
kai tou h(8369)dou). Conceived as in  Mt 16:18  as a prison house or
walled city. The keys are the symbol of authority, as we speak of
honouring one by giving him the keys of the city. Hades here
means the unseen world to which death is the portal. Jesus has
the keys because of his victory over death. See this same graphic
picture in  6:8  20:13f . For the key of David see  3:7 , for the
key of the abyss see  9:1  20:1 .