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“To the angel of the Church of Ephesus, write these things:” says He Who holds the seven stars in His right hand and walks in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks.

“I know your works, and your labor, and your patience. And how you cannot bear with those who are evil; and have examined those who say they are Apostles and are not and have found them liars.

“And you were burdened and had patience; and for my Name’s sake have labored and have not fainted.

“Nevertheless, I have somewhat against you, because you have left your first love.

“Remember therefore from where you have fallen. And repent and do the works you did at first. Or else I will come against you shortly and will remove your candlestick out of its place unless you repent.

“But this you have: that you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

“Let him who has an ear, hear what the Spirit says to the Churches, ‘To him who overcomes will I give to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.’

“And to the angel of the Church of the Smyrnians write: ‘These things says He who is first and last, Who was dead and is alive:

“I know your works and tribulation and poverty. But you are rich. And I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not but are the synagogue of Satan.

10 “Fear none of those things which you shall suffer. Behold, it shall come to pass that the devil shall cast some of you into prison, so that you may be tried. And you shall have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful to the death, and I will give you the crown of life.’

11 “Let he who has an ear, hear what the Spirit says to the Churches. He that overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.

12 “And to the angel of the Church which is at Pergamos write: ‘Thus says He Who has that sharp sword with two edges,

13 ‘I know your works, and where you dwell, even where Satan’s throne is. And you keep My Name, and have not denied My faith; even in those days when Antipas, My faithful martyr, was slain among you where Satan dwells.

14 “But I have a few things against you because you have those there who maintain the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel so that they would eat of things sacrificed to idols and commit fornication.

15 Even so, you have those who maintain the doctrine of the Nicolaitans (which I hate).

16 Repent, or else I will come to you shortly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.

17 “Let he who has an ear, hear what the Spirit says to the Churches. To him who overcomes, I will give to eat of the manna that is hidden; and will give him a white stone; and in the stone a new name written, which no one knows except he who receives it.

18 “And to the angel of the Church which is at Thyatira write: ‘These things says the Son of God, Who has eyes like a flame of fire, and feet like fine brass.

19 ‘I know your works and your love, and service and faith, and your patience; and that the works of those at the last are more than those at the first.

20 ‘Notwithstanding, I have a few things against you: that you put up with the woman, Jezebel. She calls herself a prophetess; to teach and to deceive my servants, to make them commit fornication, and to eat meat sacrificed to idols.

21 ‘And I gave her space to repent of her fornication, and she did not repent.

22 ‘Behold, I will cast her into a bed - and those who commit fornication with her into great affliction - unless they repent of their works.

23 ‘And I will kill her children with death. And all the Churches shall know that I am He who searches the deepest motives and hearts. And I will give to every one of you according to your works.

24 ‘And to you I say, ‘The rest of them of Thyatira, as many as have not received this learning, nor have known the deepness of Satan (as they speak), I will put upon you no other burden.

25 But to that which you have already, hold fast till I come.

26 ‘For he who overcomes and keeps My words to the end, to him I will give power over nations.

27 ‘And he shall rule them with a rod of iron. And as the vessels of a potter, shall they be broken.

28 ‘Even as I received from My Father, so will I give him the Morning Star.

29 ‘Let he who has an ear, hear what the Spirit says to the Churches.’”

To the Church in Ephesus

“To the angel[a] of the church in Ephesus(A) write:

These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand(B) and walks among the seven golden lampstands.(C) I know your deeds,(D) your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested(E) those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.(F) You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name,(G) and have not grown weary.

Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.(H) Consider how far you have fallen! Repent(I) and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand(J) from its place. But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans,(K) which I also hate.

Whoever has ears, let them hear(L) what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious,(M) I will give the right to eat from the tree of life,(N) which is in the paradise(O) of God.

To the Church in Smyrna

“To the angel of the church in Smyrna(P) write:

These are the words of him who is the First and the Last,(Q) who died and came to life again.(R) I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich!(S) I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not,(T) but are a synagogue of Satan.(U) 10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you,(V) and you will suffer persecution for ten days.(W) Be faithful,(X) even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.(Y)

11 Whoever has ears, let them hear(Z) what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.(AA)

To the Church in Pergamum

12 “To the angel of the church in Pergamum(AB) write:

These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.(AC) 13 I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me,(AD) not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness,(AE) who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives.(AF)

14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you:(AG) There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam,(AH) who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols(AI) and committed sexual immorality.(AJ) 15 Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.(AK) 16 Repent(AL) therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.(AM)

17 Whoever has ears, let them hear(AN) what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious,(AO) I will give some of the hidden manna.(AP) I will also give that person a white stone with a new name(AQ) written on it, known only to the one who receives it.(AR)

To the Church in Thyatira

18 “To the angel of the church in Thyatira(AS) write:

These are the words of the Son of God,(AT) whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze.(AU) 19 I know your deeds,(AV) your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.

20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel,(AW) who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.(AX) 21 I have given her time(AY) to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling.(AZ) 22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery(BA) with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds,(BB) and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.(BC)

24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you,(BD) 25 except to hold on to what you have(BE) until I come.’(BF)

26 To the one who is victorious(BG) and does my will to the end,(BH) I will give authority over the nations(BI) 27 that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter(BJ) and will dash them to pieces like pottery’[b](BK)—just as I have received authority from my Father. 28 I will also give that one the morning star.(BL) 29 Whoever has ears, let them hear(BM) what the Spirit says to the churches.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 2:1 Or messenger; also in verses 8, 12 and 18
  2. Revelation 2:27 Psalm 2:9