New Testament · Revelation

Revelation 2

To the Ekklesia in Ephesus

(Acts 19:8–12; Ephesians 1:1–2)

1To the angel of the ekklesia in Ephesus write: these things says the One holding the seven stars in His right hand, the One walking in the midst of the seven golden lampstands:^a

2I know your works and your labor and your steadfast endurance, and that you cannot bear evil ones, and you tested those calling themselves apostles and are not, and found them false; 3and you have steadfast endurance and have borne hardship for the sake of my name and have not grown weary.

4But I have this against you: that you have left your first love^b. 5So remember from where you have fallen, repent^cd, and do the first works; otherwise I am coming to you quickly and will remove your lampstand from its place — unless you repent.

6Yet you have this: that you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

7Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit^e says to the ekklesia: to the one who overcomes I will grant to eat from the tree of life^f, which is in the paradise of my God.

To the Ekklesia in Smyrna

8And to the angel of the ekklesia in Smyrna write: these things says the First and the Last, who became dead and lived again:

9I know your works and your suffering and your poverty — but you are rich — and the blasphemy from those claiming to be Jews themselves and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

10Fear none of the things you are about to suffer — behold, the devil^g is about to throw some of you into prison so that you may be tested, and you will have suffering for ten days; be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

11Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the ekklesia: the one who overcomes will by no means be harmed by the second death.

To the Ekklesia in Pergamum

12And to the angel of the ekklesia in Pergamum write: these things says the One who has the sharp double-edged sword:

13I know your works and where you dwell — where the throne of Satan is — and you hold fast my name and did not deny my faith in the days when Antipas my faithful witness was killed among you, where Satan dwells.

14But I have a few things against you: that you have there those holding to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the sons of Israel — to eat idol-sacrificed food and to commit sexual immorality.^h 15So you also have those holding to the teaching of the Nicolaitans in the same way. 16So repent; otherwise I am coming to you quickly and will make war against them with the sword of my mouth.

17Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the ekklesia: to the one who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written that no one knows except the one receiving it.

To the Ekklesia in Thyatira

(Acts 16:11–15)

18And to the angel of the ekklesia in Thyatira write: these things says the Son of God, the One whose eyes are like a flame of fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze:ⁱ

19I know your works and love and faith^j and service and your steadfast endurance, and your last works are more than the first.

20But I have this against you: that you tolerate your wife Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and teaches and leads my servants astray to commit sexual immorality and to eat idol-sacrificed food. 21And I gave her time^k so that she might repent^lm, but she is not willing to repent of her sexual immorality.

22Behold, I am throwing her onto a sickbed, and those committing adultery with her into great suffering — unless they repentⁿ of her works. 23And I will strike her children dead, and all the ekklesia will know that I am the One searching inner being and heart^p, and I will give to each of you according to your works.^o

24But to you I say — the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them — I am placing on you no other burden. 25Only hold fast what you have until I come. 26And to the one who overcomes and who keeps my works to the end, I will give authority^q over the nations^r, 27and he will shepherd them with an iron rod; as clay vessels they will be shattered — as I also have received from my Father. 28And I will give him the morning star.

29Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the ekklesia.