Revelation 2
1 'To the messenger of the Ephesian assembly write: These things saith he who is holding the seven stars in his right hand, who is walking in the midst of the seven lamp-stands — the golden:
[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.
2 I have known thy works, and thy labour, and thy endurance, and that thou art not able to bear evil ones, and that thou hast tried those saying themselves to be apostles and are not, and hast found them liars,
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.
3 and thou didst bear, and hast endurance, and because of my name hast toiled, and hast not been weary.
[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].
4 'But I have against thee: That thy first love thou didst leave!
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].
5 remember, then, whence thou hast fallen, and reform, and the first works do; and if not, I come to thee quickly, and will remove thy lamp-stand from its place — if thou mayest not reform;
[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].
6 but this thou hast, that thou dost hate the works of the Nicolaitans, that I also hate.
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.
7 He who is having an ear — let him hear what the Spirit saith to the assemblies: To him who is overcoming — I will give to him to eat of the tree of life that is in the midst of the paradise of God.
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.’”
8 'And to the messenger of the assembly of the Smyrneans write: These things saith the First and the Last, who did become dead and did live;
“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].
9 I have known thy works, and tribulation, and poverty — yet thou art rich — and the evil-speaking of those saying themselves to be Jews, and are not, but [are] a synagogue of the Adversary.
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]!
10 'Be not afraid of the things that thou art about to suffer; lo, the devil is about to cast of you to prison, that ye may be tried, and ye shall have tribulation ten days; become thou faithful unto death, and I will give to thee the crown of the life.
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].
11 He who is having an ear — let him hear what the Spirit saith to the assemblies: He who is overcoming may not be injured of the second death.
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.’”
12 'And to the messenger of the assembly in Pergamos write: These things saith he who is having the sharp two-edged sword:
“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.
13 I have known thy works, and where thou dost dwell — where the throne of the Adversary [is] — and thou dost hold fast my name, and thou didst not deny my faith, even in the days in which Antipas [was] my faithful witness, who was put to death beside you, where the Adversary doth dwell.
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.
14 'But I have against thee a few things: That thou hast there those holding the teaching of Balaam, who did teach Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the sons of Israel, to eat idol-sacrifices, and to commit whoredom;
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.
15 so hast thou, even thou, those holding the teaching of the Nicolaitans — which thing I hate.
In that way, you are also permitting some of [your members] to practice what the Nicolaitans teach, [which is like what Balaam taught].
16 'Reform! and if not, I come to thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
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]).
17 He who is having an ear — let him hear what the Spirit saith to the assemblies: To him who is overcoming, I will give to him to eat from the hidden manna, and will give to him a white stone, and upon the stone a new name written, that no one knew except him who is receiving [it].
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.’”
18 'And to the messenger of the assembly of Thyatira write: These things saith the Son of God, who is having his eyes as a flame of fire, and his feet like to fine brass;
“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.
19 I have known thy works, and love, and ministration, and faith, and thy endurance, and thy works — and the last [are] more than the first.
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.
20 'But I have against thee a few things: That thou dost suffer the woman Jezebel, who is calling herself a prophetess, to teach, and to lead astray, my servants to commit whoredom, and idol-sacrifices to eat;
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.
21 and I did give to her a time that she might reform from her whoredom, and she did not reform;
Although I gave her time to stop [her sexual immorality and pagan practices], she did not want to stop [doing them].
22 lo, I will cast her into a couch, and those committing adultery with her into great tribulation — if they may not repent of their works,
[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.
23 and her children I will kill in death, and know shall all the assemblies that I am he who is searching reins and hearts; and I will give to you — to each — according to your works.
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.
24 'And to you I say, and to the rest who are in Thyatira, as many as have not this teaching, and who did not know the depths of the Adversary, as they say; I will not put upon you other burden;
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].
25 but that which ye have — hold ye, till I may come;
Just keep [believing firmly in me, and obey me] until I return.
26 and he who is overcoming, and who is keeping unto the end my works, I will give to him authority over the nations,
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].
27 and he shall rule them with a rod of iron — as the vessels of the potter they shall be broken — as I also have received from my Father;
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].
28 and I will give to him the morning star.
I will also enable [everyone who conquers Satan to shine gloriously like] the morning star [does] [MTY, MET].
29 He who is having an ear — let him hear what the Spirit saith to the assemblies.
Everyone who wants to understand [MTY] must listen carefully to the message that [God’s] Spirit speaks to the congregations.’”
