Chapter 2

2UntothemessengerofthechurchinEphesuswrite:Thesethingssayshewhoholdsthesevenstarsinhisrighthand,whowalksinthemidstofthesevengoldenlampstands;
2Iknowyourworks,andyourlabor,andyourpatience,andthatyoucannotbearthosewhoareevil,andyouhavetestedthosewhosaytheyareapostles,andarenot,andhavefoundthemliars:
3andhavepatience,andhaveborneformyname,andhavenotbecomeweary.
4ButIhavethisagainstyou,thatthelovethatyouhadatfirst,youleftˡ.
5Rememberthereforefromwhereyouhavefallen,andrepent,anddothefirstworks;orelseIcomeuntoyouandwillmoveyourlampstandoutofitsplace,exceptyourepent.
6Butthisyouhave,thatyouhatetheworksoftheNicolaitans,whichIalsohate.
7Hewhohasanear,lethimhearwhattheSpiritsaysuntothechurches.UntohimwhoovercomeswillIgivetoeatofthetreeˣoflife,whichisintheparadiseofGod.
8AnduntothemessengerofthechurchinSmyrnawrite:Thesethingssaysthe[firstborn/first]andthelast,whobecamedeadandlived;
9Iknowyourtribulationandyourpoverty,(butyouarerich)andtheblasphemyfromthosewhosaytheyareJews,andarenot,butareasynagogueofSatan.
10Fearnoneofthethingswhichyouareabouttosuffer.Behold,thedevilisabouttocastsomeofyouintoprison,thatyouallmaybetested;andyouallshallhavetribulationtendays.Befaithfuluntodeath,andIwillgiveyouthecrownoflife.
11Hewhohasanear,lethimhearwhattheSpiritsaysuntothechurches.Hewhoovercomesshallinnowaybehurtbytheseconddeath.
12AnduntothemessengerofthechurchinPergamumwrite:Thesethingssayshewhohasthesharptwo-edgedsword;
13Iknowwhereyoudwell,wherethethroneofSatanis,andyouholdfastmyname,anddidnotdenymyfaith,eveninthedaysofAntipas,mywitness,myfaithfulone,whowaskilledamongyou,whereSatandwells.
14ButIhavealittleagainstyou,becauseyouhavesometherewhoholdtheteachingofBalaam,whotaughtBalactocastastumblingblockbeforethesonsofIsrael,toeatthingssacrificeduntoidolsandtocommitfornication.
15SoalsoyouhavesomewhoholdtheteachingoftheNicolaitans,likewise.
16Repenttherefore;orelseIcomeuntoyouquicklyandwillwarwiththemwiththeswordofmymouth.
17Hewhohasanear,lethimhearwhattheSpiritsaysuntothechurches.UntohimwhoovercomeswillIgiveofthehiddenmanna,andwillgivehimawhitestoneandonthestoneanewnamewritten,whichnoneknowssavinghewhoreceivesit.
18AnduntothemessengerofthechurchinThyatirawrite:ThesethingssaystheSonofGod,whohashiseyesasaflameoffire,andwhosefeetarelikebrilliantbronze;
19Iknowyourworks,andyourlove,andyourfaith,andyourservice,andyourpatience,andyourlastworksaremorethanthefirst.
20ButIhavethisagainstyou,thatyouallowˡ[thewoman/yourwife]Jezebel,whocallsherselfaprophetess,andsheteachesanddeceivesmybond-servantstocommitfornicationandtoeatthingssacrificeduntoidols.
21AndIhavegivenheraseasontorepent,andshedesiresnottorepentofherfornication.
22Behold,Icastherinto[abed/prison]andthosewhocommitadulterywithherintogreattribulation,excepttheyrepentofherworks,
23andherchildrenIwillkillwithdeath.AndallthechurchesshallknowᵍthatIamhewhosearchestheinnermostpartsandhearts,andIwillgiveuntoeveryoneofyouaccordingtoyourworks.
24ButuntoyouIsay,untotherestʳinThyatira,asmanyashavenotthisteaching,whohavenotknownᵍthedepthsofSatan,astheysay;Icastonyounootherburden.
25ButthatwhichyouallhaveholdfasttillIcome.
26Andhewhoovercomesandwhokeepsmyworksuntotheend,untohimwillIgivepoweroverthenations:
27andheshallruleˢthemwitharodofiron;astheobjectsofclayarebrokentopieces:evenasIalsohavereceivedfrommyFather.
28AndIwillgivehimthemorningstar.
29Hewhohasanear,lethimhearwhattheSpiritsaysuntothechurches.