Revelation 2
1 ‘To the angel of the church in Ephesus write These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, and walks among the seven golden lamps:
To the angel of the church in Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, he that walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks:
2 I know your life, your toil and endurance, and I know that you cannot tolerate evildoers. I know, too, how you tested those who declare that they are apostles, though they are not, and how you proved them false.
I know thy works, and thy toil and patience, and that thou canst not bear evil men, and didst try them which call themselves apostles, and they are not, and didst find them false;
3 You possess endurance, and have borne much for my name, and have never grown weary.
and thou hast patience and didst bear for my name’s sake, and hast not grown weary.
4 But this I have against you – You have abandoned your first love.
But I have [this] against thee, that thou didst leave thy first love.
5 Therefore remember from what you have fallen, and repent, and live the life that you lived before; or else, I will come and remove your Lamp from its place, unless you repent.
Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I come to thee, and will move thy candlestick out of its place, except thou repent.
6 But this is in your favour – You hate the life lived by the Nikolaitans, and I also hate it.
But this thou hast, that thou hatest the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 Anyone with ears should hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches. To him who conquers – to him I will give the right to eat the fruit of the Tree of life, which stands in the Paradise of God.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh, to him will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.
8 ‘To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died, but is restored to life:
And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and lived [again]:
9 I know your persecution and your poverty – yet you are rich! I know, too, the slander that comes from those who declare that they are God’s people, though they are not, but are a congregation of Satan.
I know thy tribulation, and thy poverty (but thou art rich), and the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and they are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil is about to throw some of you into prison so that you may be tempted, and may undergo persecution for ten days. Be faithful even to death, and I will give you the Crown of life.
Fear not the things which thou art about to suffer: behold, the devil is about to 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 the crown of life.
11 Let those who have ears hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches. Those who conquer will suffer no hurt from the Second Death.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
12 ‘To the angel of the church in Pergamus write: These are the words of him who holds the sharp two-edged sword:
And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write; These things saith he that hath the sharp two-edged sword:
13 I know where you live, where the throne of Satan stands. And yet you hold to my name, and you did not disown my faith even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death among you where Satan dwells.
I know where thou dwellest, [even] where Satan’s throne is: and thou holdest fast my name, and didst not deny my faith, even in the days of Antipas my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwelleth.
14 Yet I have a few things against you – You have among you those who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put temptations in the way of the Israelites, so that they should eat idol-offerings and commit licentious acts.
But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there some that hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication.
15 Again you have among you those who hold in the same way to the teaching of the Nikolaitans.
So hast thou also some that hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans in like manner.
16 Therefore repent, or else, I will come quickly and contend with such people with words that will cut like a sword.
Repent therefore; or else I come to thee quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of my mouth.
17 Let those who have ears hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches. To those who conquer – to them I will give a share of the mystic manna, and I will give them a white stone; and on the stone will be inscribed a new name, which no one knows except the person who receives it.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh, to him will I give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and upon the stone a new name written, which no one knoweth but he that receiveth it.
18 ‘To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like flaming fire, and whose feet are like brass:
And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet are like unto burnished brass:
19 I know your life, your love, faith, service, and endurance; and I know that your life of late has been better than it was at first.
I know thy works, and thy love and faith and ministry and patience, and that thy last works are more than the first.
20 Yet I have this against you – You tolerate the woman Jezebel, who declares that she is a prophet, and misleads my servants by her teaching, until they commit licentious acts and eat idol-offerings.
But I have [this] against thee, that thou sufferest the woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess; and she teacheth and seduceth my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.
21 I gave her time to repent, but she is determined not to turn from her licentiousness.
And I gave her time that she should repent; and she willeth not to repent of her fornication.
22 Therefore I am laying her on a bed of sickness, and bringing great suffering on those who are unfaithful with her, unless they repent and turn from a life like hers.
Behold, I do cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of her works.
23 I will also put her children to death; and all the churches will learn that I am he who looks into people’s hearts and souls; and I will give to each one of you what their life deserves.
And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto each one of you according to your works.
24 But I say to the rest of you at Thyatira – all who do not accept such teaching, whose who did not learn the secrets of Satan, as people call them – I am not laying on you any further burden;
But to you I say, to the rest that are in Thyatira, as many as have not this teaching, which know not the deep things of Satan, as they say; I cast upon you none other burden.
25 only hold fast to what you have received, until I come.
Howbeit that which ye have, hold fast till I come.
26 To those who conquer and are careful to live my life to the end – to them I will give authority over the nations,
And he that overcometh, and he that keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the nations:
27 and they will rule them with an iron rod, as when earthen vessels are broken in pieces (as I myself have received from my Father)
and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to shivers; as I also have received of my Father:
28 and I will give them the morning star.
and I will give him the morning star.
29 Let those who have ears hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.
