Vision of the Son of Man

⁹ I, John, ^[a]both your brother and ^(A)companion in the tribulation and ^(B)kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. ^10 (C)I was in the Spirit on ^(D)the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me ^(E)a loud voice, as of a trumpet, ¹¹ saying, ^[b]“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches ^[c]which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”

¹² Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned ^(F)I saw seven golden lampstands, ^13 (G)and in the midst of the seven lampstands ^(H)One like the Son of Man, ^(I)clothed with a garment down to the feet and ^(J)girded about the chest with a golden band. ¹⁴ His head and ^(K)hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and ^(L)His eyes like a flame of fire; ^15 (M)His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and ^(N)His voice as the sound of many waters; ^16 (O)He had in His right hand seven stars, ^(P)out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, ^(Q)and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. ¹⁷ And ^(R)when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But ^(S)He laid His right hand on me, saying ^[d]to me, “Do not be afraid; ^(T)I am the First and the Last. ^18 (U)I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, ^(V)I am alive forevermore. Amen. And ^(W)I have the keys of ^[e]Hades and of Death. ^19 [f]Write the things which you have ^(X)seen, ^(Y)and the things which are, ^(Z)and the things which will take place after this. ²⁰ The ^[g]mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are ^(AA)the ^[h]angels of the seven churches, and ^(AB)the seven lampstands ^[i]which you saw are the seven churches.

The Loveless Church

2 “To the ^[j]angel of the church of Ephesus write,

‘These things says ^(AC)He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, ^(AD)who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: ^2 (AE)“I know your works, your labor, your ^[k]patience, and that you cannot ^[l]bear those who are evil. And ^(AF)you have tested those ^(AG)who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; ³ and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have ^(AH)not become weary. ⁴ Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. ⁵ Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, ^(AI)or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. ⁶ But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

^7 (AJ)“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give ^(AK)to eat from ^(AL)the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ’

¹⁰ for ^(A)Demas has forsaken me, ^(B)having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica—Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia.

^4 [a]Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that ^(A)friendship with the world is enmity with God? ^(B)Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.