< Revelation 2 >
1 "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: "He who holds the seven stars in his right hand, he who walks among the seven golden lampstands says these things:
‘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:
2 "I know your works, and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate those who are evil, and have tested those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and found them false.
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.
3 You have perseverance and have endured for my name's sake, and have not grown weary.
You possess endurance, and have borne much for my name, and have never grown weary.
4 But I have this against you, that you left your first love.
But this I have against you – You have abandoned your first love.
5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the first works; or else I am coming to you, and will move your lampstand out of its place, unless you repent.
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.
6 But this you have, that you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
But this is in your favour – You hate the life lived by the Nikolaitans, and I also hate it.
7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Rukha says to the congregations. To him who overcomes I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.
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.
8 "To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: "The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life says these things:
‘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:
9 "I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews, and they are not, but are a synagogue of Satana.
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.
10 Do not be afraid of the things which you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested; and you will have oppression for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
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.
11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Rukha says to the congregations. He who overcomes won't be harmed by the second death.
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.
12 "To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: "He who has the sharp two-edged sword says these things:
‘To the angel of the church in Pergamus write: These are the words of him who holds the sharp two-edged sword:
13 "I know where you dwell, where Satana's throne is. You hold firmly to my name, and did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas, my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satana dwells.
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.
14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Belam, who taught Balak to throw a stumbling block before the people of Israyel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.
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.
15 So you also have some who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans likewise.
Again you have among you those who hold in the same way to the teaching of the Nikolaitans.
16 Repent therefore, or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of my mouth.
Therefore repent, or else, I will come quickly and contend with such people with words that will cut like a sword.
17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Rukha says to the congregations. To him who overcomes, to him I will give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows but he who receives it.
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.
18 "To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: "The Son of God, who has his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet are like burnished bronze, says these things:
‘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:
19 "I know your works, your love, faith, service, patient endurance, and that your last works are more than the first.
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.
20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman, Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. She teaches and seduces my servants to commit sexual immorality, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.
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.
21 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality.
I gave her time to repent, but she is determined not to turn from her licentiousness.
22 Look, I will throw her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great oppression, unless they repent of her works.
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.
23 I will kill her children with Death, and all the congregations will know that I am he who searches the minds and hearts. I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.
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.
24 But to you I say, to the rest who are in Thyatira, as many as do not have this teaching, who do not know what some call 'the deep things of Satana,' to you I say, I am not putting any other burden on you.
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;
25 Nevertheless, hold that which you have firmly until I come.
only hold fast to what you have received, until I come.
26 He who overcomes, and he who keeps my works to the end, to him I will give authority over the nations.
To those who conquer and are careful to live my life to the end – to them I will give authority over the nations,
27 He will rule them with an iron scepter, shattering them like clay pots; as I also have received of my Father:
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)
28 and I will give him the morning star.
and I will give them the morning star.
29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Rukha says to the congregations.
Let those who have ears hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.