< Revelation 2 >

1 "To the minister of the Church in Ephesus write as follows: "'This is what He who holds the seven stars in the grasp of His right hand says--He who walks to and fro among the seven lampstands of gold.
"To the angel of the congregation in Ephesus write: "He who holds the seven stars in his right hand, he who walks among the seven golden lampstands says these things:
2 I know your doings and your toil and patient suffering. And I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, but have put to the test those who say that they themselves are Apostles but are not, and you have found them to be liars.
"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 emissaries, and they are not, and found them false.
3 And you endure patiently and have borne burdens for My sake and have never grown weary.
You have perseverance and have endured for my name's sake, and have not grown weary.
4 Yet I have this against you--that you no longer love Me as you did at first.
But I have this against you, that you left your first love.
5 Be mindful, therefore, of the height from which you have fallen. Repent at once, and act as you did at first, or else I will surely come and remove your lampstand out of its place--unless you repent.
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.
6 Yet this you have in your favor: you hate the doings of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
But this you have, that you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 "'Let all who have ears give heed to what the Spirit is saying to the Churches. To him who overcomes I will give the privilege of eating the fruit of the Tree of Life, which is in the Paradise of God.'
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Ruach 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.
8 "To the minister of the Church at Smyrna write as follows: "'This is what the First and the Last says--He who died and has returned to life.
"To the angel of the congregation in Smyrna write: "The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life says these things:
9 Your sufferings I know, and your poverty--but you are rich--and the evil name given you by those who say that they themselves are Jews, and are not, but are Satan's synagogue.
"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 Satan.
10 Dismiss your fears concerning all that you are about to suffer. I tell you that the Devil is about to throw some of you into prison that you may be put to the test, and for ten days you will have to endure persecution. Be faithful to the End, even if you have to die, and then I will give you the victor's Wreath of Life.
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.
11 "'Let all who have ears give heed to what the Spirit is saying to the Churches. He who overcomes shall be in no way hurt by the Second Death.'
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Ruach says to the congregations. He who overcomes won't be harmed by the second death.
12 "To the minister of the Church at Pergamum write as follows: "'This is what He who has the sharp, two-edged sword says. I know where you dwell.
"To the angel of the congregation in Pergamum write: "He who has the sharp two-edged sword says these things:
13 Satan's throne is there; and yet you are true to Me, and did not deny your faith in Me, even in the days of Antipas My witness and faithful friend, who was put to death among you, in the place where Satan dwells.
"I know where you dwell, where Satan'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 Satan dwells.
14 Yet I have a few things against you, because you have with you some that cling to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling-block in the way of the descendants of Israel--to eat what had been sacrificed to idols, and commit fornication.
But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to throw a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.
15 So even you have some that cling in the same way to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
So you also have some who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans likewise.
16 Repent, at once; or else I will come to you quickly, and will make war upon them with the sword which is in My mouth.
Repent therefore, or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of my mouth.
17 "'Let all who have ears give heed to what the Spirit is saying to the Churches. He who overcomes--to him I will give some of the hidden Manna, and a white stone; and--written upon the stone and known only to him who receives it-- a new name.'
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Ruach 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.
18 "To the minister of the Church at Thyateira write as follows: "'This is what the Son of God says--He who has eyes like a flame of fire, and feet resembling silver-bronze.
"To the angel of the congregation 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:
19 I know your doings, your love, your faith, your service, and your patient endurance; and that of late you have toiled harder than you did at first.
"I know your works, your love, faith, service, patient endurance, and that your last works are more than the first.
20 Yet I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and by her teaching leads astray My servants, so that they commit fornication and eat what has been sacrificed to idols.
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.
21 I have given her time to repent, but she is determined not to repent of her fornication.
I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality.
22 I tell you that I am about to cast her upon a bed of sickness, and I will severely afflict those who commit adultery with her, unless they repent of conduct such as hers.
Look, I will throw her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great oppression, unless they repent of her works.
23 Her children too shall surely die; and all the Churches shall come to know that I am He who searches into men's inmost thoughts; and to each of you I will give a requital which shall be in accordance with what your conduct has been.
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.
24 But to you, the rest of you in Thyateira, all who do not hold this teaching and are not the people who have learnt the "deep things," as they call them (the deep things of Satan!) --to you I say that I lay no other burden on you.
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 Satan,' to you I say, I am not putting any other burden on you.
25 Only that which you already possess, cling to until I come.
Nevertheless, hold that which you have firmly until I come.
26 "'And to him who overcomes and obeys My commands to the very end, I will give authority over the nations of the earth.
He who overcomes, and he who keeps my works to the end, to him I will give authority over the nations.
27 And he shall be their shepherd, ruling them with a rod of iron, just as earthenware jars are broken to pieces; and his power over them shall be like that which I Myself have received from My Father;
He will rule them with an iron scepter, shattering them like clay pots; as I also have received of my Father:
28 and I will give him the Morning Star.
and I will give him the morning star.
29 Let all who have ears give heed to what the Spirit is saying to the Churches.'
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Ruach says to the congregations.

< Revelation 2 >