“To the angel of the church in aEphesus write:Lit in the middle ofRev 1:11Rev 1:16Rev 1:12f
The One who holds bthe seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks 1camong the seven golden lampstands, says this:
2 ‘aI know your deeds and your labor and 1perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil people, and you have bput those who call themselves capostles to the test, and they are not, and you found them to be false;Or steadfastnessRev 2:19; 3:1, 8, 15John 6:6; 1 John 4:12 Cor 11:13 3 and you have 1perseverance and have endured aon account of My name, and have not become weary.Or steadfastnessJohn 15:21 4 But I have this against you, that you have aleft your first love.Jer 2:2; Matt 24:12 5 Therefore, remember from where you have fallen, and arepent, and bdo the 1deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and I will remove your clampstand from its place—unless you repent.Lit first deedsRev 2:16, 22; 3:3, 19Heb 10:32; Rev 2:2Matt 5:14ff; Phil 2:15; Rev 1:20 6 But you have this, that you hate the deeds of the aNicolaitans, which I also hate.Rev 2:15 7 aThe one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. bTo the one who overcomes, I will grant to eat from cthe tree of life, which is in the dParadise of God.’Matt 11:15; Rev 2:11, 17; 3:6, 13, 22; 13:9Rev 2:11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21; 21:7Gen 2:9; 3:22; Prov 3:18; 11:30; 13:12; 15:4; Rev 22:2, 14Ezek 28:13; 31:8f; Luke 23:43
8 “And to the angel of the church in aSmyrna write:Lit becameRev 1:11Is 44:6; 48:12; Rev 1:17; 22:13Rev 1:18
bThe first and the last, who 1cwas dead, and has come to life, says this:
9 ‘I know your atribulation and your bpoverty (but you are crich), and the 1slander by those who dsay they are Jews, and are not, but are a synagogue of eSatan.Or blasphemyRev 1:92 Cor 6:10; 8:9; James 2:5Rev 3:9Matt 4:10; Rev 2:13, 24 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, so that you will be atested, and you will have tribulation bfor ten days. 1Be cfaithful until death, and I will give you dthe crown of life.Or Prove yourself faithfulRev 3:10; 13:14ffDan 1:12, 14Rev 2:13; 12:11; 17:141 Cor 9:25; Rev 3:11 11 aThe one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. bThe one who overcomes will not be hurt by the csecond death.’Matt 11:15; Rev 2:7, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22; 13:9Rev 2:7, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21; 21:7Rev 20:6, 14; 21:8
12 “And to the angel of the church in aPergamum write:Rev 1:11Rev 1:16; 2:16
The One who has bthe sharp two-edged sword says this:
13 ‘I know where you dwell, where aSatan’s throne is; and you hold firmly to My name, and did not deny bMy faith even in the days of Antipas, My cwitness, My dfaithful one, who was killed among you, ewhere Satan dwells.Matt 4:10; Rev 2:241 Tim 5:8; Rev 14:12Acts 22:20; Rev 1:5; 11:3; 17:6Rev 2:10; 12:11; 17:14Rev 2:9 14 But aI have a few things against you, because you have some there who hold the bteaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a 1stumbling block before the sons of Israel, cto eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality.I.e., a temptation to sinRev 2:20Num 31:16; 2 Pet 2:15Num 25:1f; Acts 15:29; 1 Cor 10:20; Rev 2:20 15 So you too, have some who in the same way hold to the teaching of the aNicolaitans.Rev 2:6 16 Therefore arepent; or else bI am coming to you quickly, and I will wage war against them with cthe sword of My mouth.Rev 2:5Rev 22:7, 202 Thess 2:8; Rev 1:16 17 aThe one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. bTo the one who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden cmanna, and I will give him a white stone, and a dnew name written on the stone ewhich no one knows except the one who receives it.’Rev 2:7Ex 16:33; John 6:49fIs 56:5; 62:2; 65:15Rev 14:3; 19:12
18 “And to the angel of the church in aThyatira write:Lit His eyesLit His feetRev 1:11; 2:24Matt 4:3Rev 1:14f
bThe Son of God, cwho has 1eyes like a flame of fire, and 2feet like burnished bronze, says this:
19 ‘aI know your deeds, and your love and faith, and service and 1perseverance, and that your 2deeds of late are greater than 3at first.Or steadfastnessLit last deedsLit the firstRev 2:2 20 But aI have this against you, that you tolerate the woman bJezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they ccommit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.Rev 2:141 Kin 16:31; 21:25; 2 Kin 9:7, 22, 30Acts 15:29; 1 Cor 10:20; Rev 2:14 21 aI gave her time to repent, and she bdoes not want to repent of her sexual immorality.Rom 2:4; 2 Pet 3:9Rom 2:5; Rev 9:20f; 16:9, 11 22 Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who acommit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of 1her deeds.One early ms theirRev 17:2; 18:9 23 And I will kill her children with 1plague, and all the churches will know that I am He who asearches the 2minds and hearts; and bI will give to each one of you according to your deeds.Lit death; i.e., a particular kind of deathLit kidneys; i.e., inner manPs 7:9; 26:2; 139:1; Jer 11:20; 17:10; Matt 16:27; Luke 16:15; Acts 1:24; Rom 8:27Ps 62:12 24 But I say to you, the rest who are in aThyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the bdeep things of Satan, as they call them—I cplace no other burden on you.Rev 2:181 Cor 2:10Acts 15:28 25 Nevertheless awhat you have, hold firmly buntil I come.Rev 3:11John 21:22 26 aThe one who overcomes, and the one who keeps My deeds buntil the end, cI will give him authority over the 1nations;Or GentilesRev 2:7Matt 10:22; Heb 3:6Ps 2:8; Rev 3:21; 20:4 27 AND HE SHALL 1aRULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON, bAS THE VESSELS OF THE POTTER ARE SHATTERED, as I also have received authority from My Father;Lit shepherdPs 2:9; Rev 12:5; 19:15Is 30:14; Jer 19:11 28 and I will give him athe morning star.1 John 3:2; Rev 22:16 29 aThe one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’Rev 2:7