Revelation 2:1-7

New International Version

To the Church in Ephesus

2 “To the angel^[a] of the church in Ephesus^(A) write:

These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand^(B) and walks among the seven golden lampstands.^(C) ²I know your deeds,^(D) your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested^(E) those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.^(F) ³You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name,^(G) and have not grown weary.

⁴Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.^(H) ⁵Consider how far you have fallen! Repent^(I) and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand^(J) from its place. ⁶But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans,^(K) which I also hate.

⁷Whoever has ears, let them hear^(L) what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious,^(M) I will give the right to eat from the tree of life,^(N) which is in the paradise^(O) of God.

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Footnotes

Revelation 2:1 Or messenger; also in verses 8, 12 and 18

Ephesians 3:11-19

New International Version

¹¹according to his eternal purpose^(A) that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. ¹²In him and through faith in him we may approach God^(B) with freedom and confidence.^(C) ¹³I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.

A Prayer for the Ephesians

¹⁴For this reason I kneel^(D) before the Father, ¹⁵from whom every family^[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. ¹⁶I pray that out of his glorious riches^(E) he may strengthen you with power^(F) through his Spirit in your inner being,^(G) ¹⁷so that Christ may dwell in your hearts^(H) through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted^(I) and established in love, ¹⁸may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people,^(J) to grasp how wide and long and high and deep^(K) is the love of Christ, ¹⁹and to know this love that surpasses knowledge^(L)—that you may be filled^(M) to the measure of all the fullness of God.^(N)