Revelation 2
1 [He also said to me], “Write [this message] to the leader [MET] of the congregation in Ephesus [city: ‘I] am saying these things [to you: I am] the one who firmly holds the seven stars in my right hand. [I am] the one who walks among the seven golden lampstands.
To the agent of the congregation in Ephesus write, These things says he who holds the seven stars in his right hand, he who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands:
2 I know what you do: You labor [for me] intensely, and you continue [to serve me] steadfastly. [I know] that you cannot tolerate people [who teach what is] evil [MTY], and that you investigated people who falsely claimed that they are apostles, and you found that they were lying.
I know thy works, and thy toil, and thy perseverance, and that thou cannot tolerate evil, and thou examined those who say themselves to be apostles, and are not, and found them false.
3 [I know] also that you continue [to serve me] steadfastly. [Even when people] ([caused you to suffer/persecuted you]), you continued to serve [me] because [you believe] in me, and you have not become too tired [to keep on serving me].
And thou have perseverance. And thou endured because of my name, and did not become weary.
4 Nevertheless, I have [this complaint] against you: You no longer love [each other and me] as you did when you first [MTY] [trusted in me].
Nevertheless, I have against thee because thou left thy first love.
5 [So, I tell you to] remember how you used to love [me and each other, and] to [realize] that you no longer love as you did. [I tell] you to turn away from your sin [of not loving me and each other], and start loving [each other and me again] as you did at first. If you do not turn away from your sinful behavior, I will come [to judge] you and cause your group to cease to be a Christian congregation [MET].
Remember therefore from where thou have fallen, and repent and do the first works. And if not, I come to thee quickly, and will move thy lampstand out of its place, if thou do not repent.
6 But you have the following good quality: Those Nicolaitans [teach you believers that you can worship idols and that you may act immorally]. However, you hate such teaching, just like I also hate it.
But this thou have, that thou hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 Everyone who wants to understand my message [MTY] must listen carefully to the message that [God’s] Spirit speaks to the congregations. To everyone who overcomes [Satan], I will give the right to eat [fruit] [MTY] from the tree [that gives] eternal life, the tree that is in God’s garden.’”
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the congregations. To him who overcomes, I will give him to eat from the tree of life that is in the midst of the paradise of my God.
8 “Write [this message] to the leader [MET] of the congregation in Smyrna [city: ‘I am] saying these things [to you. I am] the one who caused [everything to have a beginning] and [who will cause all things to] end. I am the one who died and became alive [again].
And to the agent of the congregation in Smyrna write, These things says the first and the last, who became dead, and lived:
9 I know that you suffer [because of what unbelievers do to you], and that you lack [material possessions]. But [I also know that] you are [spiritually] [MET] rich. [I know] that people (slander/say evil things about) you. They say that they are Jews, but I do not [consider that they are Jews. I consider that] they [belong to] the group that Satan [controls]!
I know thy works and tribulation and poverty (but thou are rich), and the blasphemy of those who say themselves to be Jews, and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
10 Do not be afraid of any of the things that you are about to suffer. The truth is that the devil is about to [put] some of you in prison, to tempt you [to deny that you believe in me]. For a short period of time you will suffer [because of what people will do to you] [MTY]. Continue to trust in me, [even if] they kill you [because you trust in me]. As a result, I will [reward you with] eternal life, [just like] [MET] [people reward a victorious athlete by putting] a wreath [on his head].
Fear none of the things that thou are going to suffer. Behold, the devil is indeed going to cast some of you into prison, so that ye may be tried, and ye will have tribulation ten days. Become thou faithful until death, and I will give thee the crown of life.
11 Everyone who wants to understand [MTY] must listen carefully to the message that [God’s] Spirit speaks to the congregations. [After] those who conquer [Satan die], they will live with God. They will never suffer again, even though many others will suffer as though they died a second time.’”
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the congregations. He who overcomes will, no, not be hurt from the second death.
12 “Write [this message] to the leader [MET] of the congregation in Pergamum [city: ‘I am] saying these things [to you. I am] the one who has the sharp two-edged sword.
And to the agent of the congregation in Pergamos write, These things says he who has the sharp two-edged sword:
13 I know where you live: It is where Satan controls [MTY] [people]. [I know] that you firmly believe in me [MTY]. You did not deny that you believe/trust in me, not even in the time when Antipas, (my faithful witness/who faithfully told people about me), [was alive]. He was killed {People killed him} in your city, a city where [people] habitually obey Satan.
I know thy works, and where thou dwell, where Satan's throne is. And thou hold firm my name, and did not deny my faith in the days in which Antipas was my faithful witness, who was killed among you where Satan dwells.
14 Nevertheless, I have this [complaint] against you: You permit some of your [members] to teach things like Balaam [taught long ago. He] taught Balak to persuade the Israeli people to sin. [Specifically], he taught them to eat food that had been offered to idols, and to practice sexual immorality.
But I have a few things against thee, because thou have there men who adhere to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a snare before the sons of Israel, even to eat idol sacrifices, and to fornicate.
15 In that way, you are also permitting some of [your members] to practice what the Nicolaitans teach, [which is like what Balaam taught].
So also thou have men who likewise adhere to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
16 So you must stop doing [this]. If [you do] not stop doing [it], I will come to you suddenly. Using the words that I will say I will fight against those [who believe this false teaching] [MTY], and I will ([condemn them/say that they must be punished]).
Repent therefore, and if not I come to thee quickly, and will war against them with the sword of my mouth.
17 Everyone who wants to understand [MTY] must listen carefully to the message that [God’s] Spirit speaks to the congregations. To everyone who conquers [Satan], I will give [blessings that will be like] the [food called] manna [that is in a jar] that is {that someone has} hidden. I will also give them a white stone on which [I will] engrave a new name, a name that no one but the ones who receive it will know.’”
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the congregations. To him who overcomes, I will give him to eat of the hidden manna. And I will give him a white stone, and upon the stone a new name written, which none knows except he who receives it.
18 “Write [this message] to the leader [MET] of the congregation in Thyatira [city: ‘I], (the Son of God/the one who is also God), am saying these things [to you: I am] the one whose eyes [shine] [SIM] like a flame of fire, and whose feet [shine] [MET] like fine brass.
And to the agent of the congregation in Thyatira write, These things says the Son of God, who has his eyes as a flame of fire, and his feet resembling highly refined metal:
19 I know that you love [me and each other], and that you trust [in me]. I know that you serve [others] and that you steadfastly endure [a lot of difficulties/trials. I know] that you are doing these things more now than [you have done them] in the past.
I know thy works, and thy love and faith and service and perseverance. And thy last works are more than the first.
20 Nevertheless, I have this [complaint] about you: You tolerate that woman [among your members who is like] [MET] [that wicked queen] Jezebel [who lived long ago]. She says that she (is a prophetess/proclaims messages that come directly from God), but through what she teaches she is deceiving my servants. She is urging them to commit sexual immorality and to eat food that they have offered to idols.
Nevertheless, I have against thee that thou tolerate thy woman Jezebel. She calls herself a prophetess, and teaches and leads astray my bondmen to fornicate, and to eat idol sacrifices.
21 Although I gave her time to stop [her sexual immorality and pagan practices], she did not want to stop [doing them].
And I gave her time so that she would repent, and she did not want to repent of her fornication.
22 [As a result], I will cause her to become very ill [MTY]. I will also cause those [who act immorally as she does] [MET] to suffer greatly, if they do not stop [doing] what she does.
Behold, I throw her into a bed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, if they do not repent of her works.
23 Some [have become like] her children by doing [what she teaches] [MET]; I will certainly get rid of them. As a result, all the congregations will recognize that I am the one who finds out what everyone thinks and desires [MTY]. I will reward each of you according to what you have done.
And I will kill her children in death. And all the congregations will know that I am he who searches the inner feelings and hearts. And I will give to you-to each-according to your works.
24 But I have something good to say about the rest [of you believers] in Thyatira. [It is good] that you do not accept that [false] teaching. [It is good that you reject] what those [teachers] call their ‘secret [practices’, practices that] Satan [inspired] (OR, what those teachers [facetiously] call the secret, profound [practices that] Satan [inspires]). I will not burden you with any commands [other than that which you already have been told].
But I say to you, to those remaining in Thyatira, as many as have not this teaching, who do not know, as they say, the deep things of Satan, I do not cast upon you another burden.
25 Just keep [believing firmly in me, and obey me] until I return.
But hold firm what ye have until I come.
26 As for those who conquer [Satan] and who (OR, [because] they) keep on doing what I command until they die, I will give them authority, just like I myself received it from my Father. [They will exercise that authority] over the nations [that rebel against God].
And he who overcomes, and he who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations.
27 They will rule them [severely as if they were striking them] [HYP] with an iron rod. They [will destroy those who do evil things] just like [people] shatter clay pots [MET].
And he will tend them with a rod of iron (they will be shattered like ceramic vessels), as I also have received from my Father.
28 I will also enable [everyone who conquers Satan to shine gloriously like] the morning star [does] [MTY, MET].
And I will give him the morning star.
29 Everyone who wants to understand [MTY] must listen carefully to the message that [God’s] Spirit speaks to the congregations.’”
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the congregations.
