Revelation 2
2
The Loveless Church
1“To the angel of the church of Ephesus write,
‘These things says #Rev. 1:16He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, #Rev. 1:13who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 2#Ps. 1:6“I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And #John 6:6; 1 John 4:1you have tested those #2 Cor. 11:13who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 3and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have #Gal. 6:9; Heb. 12:3, 5not become weary. 4Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, #Matt. 21:41or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. 6But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7#Matt. 11:15; Rev. 2:11, 17; 3:6, 13, 22; 13:9“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give #(Rev. 22:2, 14)to eat from #(Gen. 2:9; 3:22)the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ’
The Persecuted Church
8“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write,
‘These things says #Rev. 1:8, 17, 18the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: 9“I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are #Luke 12:21rich); and I know the blasphemy of #Rom. 2:17those who say they are Jews and are not, #Rev. 3:9but are a synagogue of Satan. 10#Matt. 10:22Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. #Matt. 24:13Be faithful until death, and I will give you #James 1:12the crown of life.
11#Rev. 13:9“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by #(Rev. 20:6, 14; 21:8)the second death.” ’
The Compromising Church
12“And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write,
‘These things says #Is. 49:2; Rev. 1:16; 2:16He who has the sharp two-edged sword: 13“I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of #Num. 31:16Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, #Num. 25; Acts 15:29; (1 Cor. 10:20); Rev. 2:20to eat things sacrificed to idols, #1 Cor. 6:13and to commit sexual immorality. 15Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. 16Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and #Is. 11:4; 2 Thess. 2:8; Rev. 19:15will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.
17“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden #Ex. 16:33, 34; (John 6:49, 51)manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone #Is. 56:5; 62:2; 65:15; Rev. 3:12a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” ’
The Corrupt Church
18“And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write,
‘These things says the Son of God, #Rev. 1:14, 15who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: 19#Rev. 2:2“I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. 20Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman #1 Kin. 16:31; 21:25; 2 Kin. 9:7, 22, 30Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants #Ex. 34:15to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21And I gave her time #Rom. 2:5; Rev. 9:20; 16:9, 11to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. 22Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. 23I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who #Ps. 7:9; 26:2; 139:1; Jer. 11:20; 17:10; Matt. 16:27; Luke 16:15; Acts 1:24; Rom. 8:27searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.
24“Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the #2 Tim. 3:1–9depths of Satan, as they say, #Acts 15:28I will put on you no other burden. 25But hold fast #Rev. 3:11what you have till I come. 26And he who overcomes, and keeps #(John 6:29)My works until the end, #(Matt. 19:28)to him I will give power over the nations—
27‘He#Ps. 2:8, 9; Rev. 12:5; 19:15 shall rule them with a rod of iron;
They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’—
as I also have received from My Father; 28and I will give him #2 Pet. 1:19; Rev. 22:16the morning star.
29“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’
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Revelation 2: NKJV
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
Revelation 2
2
To the Church in Ephesus
1“Write this to the angel of the church in Ephesus:
“The One who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands says this: 2I know what you do, how you work hard and never give up. I know you do not put up with the false teachings of evil people. You have tested those who say they are apostles but really are not, and you found they are liars. 3You have patience and have suffered troubles for my name and have not given up.
4“But I have this against you: You have left the love you had in the beginning. 5So remember where you were before you fell. Change your hearts and do what you did at first. If you do not change, I will come to you and will take away your lampstand from its place. 6But there is something you do that is right: You hate what the Nicolaitans do, as much as I.
7“Every person who has ears should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. To those who win the victory I will give the right to eat the fruit from the tree of life, which is in the garden of God.
To the Church in Smyrna
8“Write this to the angel of the church in Smyrna:
“The One who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again, says this: 9I know your troubles and that you are poor, but really you are rich! I know the bad things some people say about you. They say they are Jews, but they are not true Jews. They are a synagogue that belongs to Satan. 10Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer for ten days. But be faithful, even if you have to die, and I will give you the crown of life.
11“Everyone who has ears should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. Those who win the victory will not be hurt by the second death.
To the Church in Pergamum
12“Write this to the angel of the church in Pergamum:
“The One who has the sharp, double-edged sword says this: 13I know where you live. It is where Satan has his throne. But you are true to me. You did not refuse to tell about your faith in me even during the time of Antipas, my faithful witness who was killed in your city, where Satan lives.
14“But I have a few things against you: You have some there who follow the teaching of Balaam. He taught Balak how to cause the people of Israel to sin by eating food offered to idols and by taking part in sexual sins. 15You also have some who follow the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16So change your hearts and lives. If you do not, I will come to you quickly and fight against them with the sword that comes out of my mouth.
17“Everyone who has ears should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.
“I will give some of the hidden manna to everyone who wins the victory. I will also give to each one who wins the victory a white stone with a new name written on it. No one knows this new name except the one who receives it.
To the Church in Thyatira
18“Write this to the angel of the church in Thyatira:
“The Son of God, who has eyes that blaze like fire and feet like shining bronze, says this: 19I know what you do. I know about your love, your faith, your service, and your patience. I know that you are doing more now than you did at first.
20“But I have this against you: You let that woman Jezebel spread false teachings. She says she is a prophetess, but by her teaching she leads my people to take part in sexual sins and to eat food that is offered to idols. 21I have given her time to change her heart and turn away from her sin, but she does not want to change. 22So I will throw her on a bed of suffering. And all those who take part in adultery with her will suffer greatly if they do not turn away from the wrongs she does. 23I will also kill her followers. Then all the churches will know I am the One who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you for what you have done.
24“But others of you in Thyatira have not followed her teaching and have not learned what some call Satan’s deep secrets. I say to you that I will not put any other load on you. 25Only continue in your loyalty until I come.
26“I will give power over the nations to everyone who wins the victory and continues to be obedient to me until the end.
27‘You will rule over them with an iron rod,
as when pottery is broken into pieces.’#Psalm 2:9
28This is the same power I received from my Father. I will also give him the morning star. 29Everyone who has ears should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.
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The Holy Bible, New Century Version, Copyright © 2005 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.