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 church in Ephesus write: These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks:
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 labor, and thy endurance, and that thou canst not bear evil men; and thou didst try those who say they are apostles, and are not, and didst find 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 thou hast endurance, and hast borne on account of my name, and hast 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].
But I have this against thee, that thou hast 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 whence thou hast fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come to thee, and will remove thy candlestick out of its place, unless 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 hast, that thou hatest the deeds 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 that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in 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 angel of the church in Smyrna write: These things saith the first and the last, who was dead, and lived again:
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 affliction and poverty, (but thou art rich, ) and the blasphemy of those who say they are 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 not the things which thou art about to suffer. Behold, now, the Devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye will have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto 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 that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. He that overcometh shall not be hurt by 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 in Pergamus write: These things saith he that hath 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 where thou dwellest, where the throne of Satan is; and thou holdest fast my name, and didst not deny my faith, even in the days in which Antipas was my witness, my faithful one, who was slain 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.
But I have a few things against thee; thou hast there them that hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling-block in the way of the sons of Israel, and to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication.
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 thou also hast men holding the teaching of the Nicolaitans, in like manner.
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; or else I will come to thee quickly, and will make war with 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 to the churches. To him that overcometh, I will give of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knoweth but he that 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 in Thyatira write: These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine 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 works, and love, and faith, and service, and thy endurance, and that 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.
But I have this against thee, that thou sufferest thy wife Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess, and she teacheth and seduceth my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.
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 to repent, and she will not 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 will cast her into a bed, and those who together with her commit adultery into great distress, unless they repent of her 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 her children I will slay with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he who searcheth the reins and hearts; and I will give to every one of you 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, the rest who are in Thyatira, as many as have not this teaching, such as have not known “the depths” of Satan, as they speak; I put upon you no other burden;
25 Just keep [believing firmly in me, and obey me] until I return.
but that which ye 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 that overcometh, and he that keepeth my works to 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 shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of a potter are broken to shivers, —as I also have received of 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 that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.
