The Letter to the Church in Ephesus

1“To the angel of the ²⁰church in Ephesus write: ‘These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and who walks among the seven golden lampstands:

2I know yoʋr works, ²¹yoʋr labor, and yoʋr endurance. I know that yoʋ cannot tolerate those who are evil, and that yoʋ have tested those who ²²declare themselves ²³to be apostles but are not, and have found them to be false.

3Yoʋ have ²⁴persevered and endured hardships ²⁵for the sake of my ²⁶name, and have not grown weary.

4But I have this against yoʋ: Yoʋ have left yoʋr first love.

5Therefore, remember where yoʋ have fallen from; repent and do the works yoʋ did at first. If yoʋ do not repent, I will come to yoʋ ²⁷quickly and remove yoʋr lampstand from its place.

6Yet yoʋ do have this: Yoʋ hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

7He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give the right to eat of the tree of life, which is ²⁸in the paradise of ²⁹my God.’

The Letter to the Church in Smyrna

8“To the angel of the church ³⁰in Smyrna write: ‘These are the words of the first and the ³¹last, who was dead and came to life:

9I know yoʋr ³²works, yoʋr tribulation, and yoʋr poverty—yet yoʋ are rich! I know the slander of those who declare themselves to be Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

10Do not be afraid of what yoʋ are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison so that you may be ³³tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give yoʋ the crown of life.

11He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches. He who overcomes will certainly not be harmed by the second death.’

The Letter to the Church in Pergamum

12“To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘These are the words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword:

13I know ³⁴yoʋr works and where yoʋ dwell, where Satan's throne is. Yet yoʋ hold fast to my name, and yoʋ did not deny yoʋr faith in ³⁵me in the days ³⁶when Antipas was my ³⁷faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.

14But I have a few things against yoʋ: Yoʋ have some there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught ³⁸Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel ³⁹and to eat food sacrificed to idols and to commit fornication.

15⁴⁰In the same way, yoʋ also have some who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

16⁴¹Therefore repent. Otherwise, I will come to yoʋ quickly and make war against them with the sword of my mouth.

17He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches. To him who overcomes I will ⁴²give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone, and on the stone will be written a new name that no one knows except the one who receives it.’

The Letter to the Church in Thyatira

18“To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like a flame of fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze:

19I know yoʋr works, yoʋr love and ⁴³faith, yoʋr service and ⁴⁴endurance, and that yoʋr latter works are greater than the ones yoʋ did at first.

20But I have ⁴⁵this against yoʋ: Yoʋ ⁴⁶tolerate ⁴⁷yoʋr wife Jezebel, who calls herself a ⁴⁸prophetess while teaching and seducing my servants to commit fornication and to eat food sacrificed to idols.

21I gave her time to ⁴⁹repent, but she refuses to repent of her fornication.

22Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent from ⁵⁰her works.

23I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches minds and hearts, and I will give to each of you according to your works.

24But to ⁵¹the rest of you who are in Thyatira, who do not hold to this teaching and have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan—to you I say: I ⁵²place no further burden upon you.

25Only hold fast to what you have until I ⁵³come.

26To him who overcomes and keeps my works to the end, I will give authority over the nations,

27and he will rule them with a rod of iron; like earthen vessels they ⁵⁴will be shattered, just as I have received authority from my Father.

28I will also give him the morning star.

29He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.’