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 angel of the Ephesian church write; These things saith he who grasps the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh round in the midst of the seven golden lamps;
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 travail, and thy patience, and that thou canst not bear the wicked; and hast tried those who give themselves out as apostles, yet are not, and hast found them liars;
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 hast borne, and hast exercised patience, and for my name sake hast endured great toil, and hast not fainted.
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].
Yet have I a charge against thee, that thou art gone back from 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 then from whence thou hast fallen, and repent, and practise thy first works; but if not, I am coming to thee quickly, and I will remove thy lamp out of its place, except thou 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 holdest, that thou abhorrest the deeds of the Nicolatans, which I also abhor.
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 that hath ears, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches, To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of 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 angel of the church of the Smyrnians write, These things saith the first and the last, who was dead, and is alive:
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 thy tribulation, and thy poverty (though thou art rich), and the calumnies of those who say they are Jews, yet are not, but are Satan’s synagogue.
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 nothing from the things which thou shalt suffer: lo! the devil will cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have a ten day’s tribulation: be thou faithful until death, and I will give thee a 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 that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. He that overcometh shall receive no injury 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 angel of the church at Pergamos write, These things saith he who holdeth 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 hast thy abode, even where Satan’s throne is erected: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days when Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was put to death among you, where Satan dwelleth.
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.
Yet I have a few things against thee, that thou hast there some who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to lay a stumbling-block before the children of Israel, to eat of idol sacrifices, and to commit whoredom.
15 In that way, you are also permitting some of [your members] to practice what the Nicolaitans teach, [which is like what Balaam taught].
Thou hast also some who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which I abhor.
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! but if not, I am coming 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 that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches, To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white pebble, and upon the pebble a new name inscribed, which no man knoweth except the person who receiveth 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 angel of the church which is at Thyatira write, These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes as a flame of fire, and his feet like the molten brass;
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 deeds, and thy love, and thy charity to the poor, and thy faith, and thy patience, and thy works, and that the last are more abundant 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.
Yet I have a few things against thee, because thou hast suffered that woman Jezabel, calling herself a prophetess, to teach, and to lead my servants into error, to commit whoredom, and eat the 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 a space that she should repent of her whoredom, and she hath not repented.
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 am about to cast her on a bed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds.
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 slay her children by death; and all the churches shall know that I am he who searcheth the reins and the hearts: and I will give to you, even to every one, 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 to you I say, and to the rest that are at Thyatira, as many as do not hold this doctrine, and who have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak, I will lay upon them no other burden.
25 Just keep [believing firmly in me, and obey me] until I return.
Nevertheless that which you have, hold fast till 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 overcometh, and perseveres in my works unto the end, to him will I 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].
he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as a potter’s vessels they shall be broken in pieces, even as I have received authority 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 star of the morning.
29 Everyone who wants to understand [MTY] must listen carefully to the message that [God’s] Spirit speaks to the congregations.’”
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
