The Word of Life

1 ^(A)That which was ^(B)from the beginning, ^(C)which we have heard, ^(D)which we have seen with our eyes, ^(E)which we looked upon and ^(F)have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— ^2 (G)the life ^(H)was made manifest, and we have seen it, and ^(I)testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, ^(J)which was with the Father and ^(K)was made manifest to us— ^3 (L)that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed ^(M)our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. ⁴ And we are writing these things so ^(N)that our^[a] joy may be complete.

Walking in the Light

^5 (O)This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that ^(P)God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. ^6 (Q)If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and ^(R)do not practice the truth. ⁷ But ^(S)if we walk in the light, ^(T)as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and ^(U)the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. ^8 (V)If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and ^(W)the truth is not in us. ^9 (X)If we confess our sins, he is ^(Y)faithful and just to forgive us our sins and ^(Z)to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say we have not sinned, ^(AA)we make him a liar, and ^(AB)his word is not in us.

Christ Our Advocate

2 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, ^(AC)we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. ^2 (AD)He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but ^(AE)also for the sins of the whole world. ³ And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we ^(AF)keep his commandments. ⁴ Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments ^(AG)is a liar, and ^(AH)the truth is not in him, ⁵ but whoever ^(AI)keeps his word, in him truly ^(AJ)the love of God is perfected. ^(AK)By this we may know that we are in him: ⁶ whoever says he ^(AL)abides in him ^(AM)ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

The New Commandment

⁷ Beloved, I am writing you ^(AN)no new commandment, but ^(AO)an old commandment ^(AP)that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. ⁸ At the same time, it is ^(AQ)a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because^{[b] (AR)}the darkness is passing away and ^(AS)the true light is already shining. ⁹ Whoever says he is in the light and ^(AT)hates his brother is still in darkness. ¹⁰ Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him^[c] there is no ^(AU)cause for stumbling. ¹¹ But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and ^(AV)walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

Do Not Love the World

^15 (BC)Do not love the world or the things in the world. ^(BD)If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world—^(BE)the desires of the flesh and ^(BF)the desires of the eyes and pride of life^[d]—is not from the Father but is from the world. ¹⁷ And ^(BG)the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

Warning Concerning Antichrists

¹⁸ Children, ^(BH)it is the last hour, and as you have heard that ^(BI)antichrist is coming, so now ^(BJ)many antichrists have come. ^(BK)Therefore we know that it is the last hour. ^19 (BL)They went out from us, but they were not of us; for ^(BM)if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, ^(BN)that it might become plain that they all are not of us. ²⁰ But you have been ^(BO)anointed by ^(BP)the Holy One, and ^(BQ)you all have knowledge.^{[e] 21} I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. ²² Who is the liar but ^(BR)he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is ^(BS)the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. ^23 (BT)No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. ²⁴ Let ^(BU)what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then ^(BV)you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. ²⁵ And this is the promise that he made to us^[f]—^(BW)eternal life.

²⁶ I write these things to you about ^(BX)those who are trying to deceive you. ²⁷ But ^(BY)the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and ^(BZ)you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and ^(CA)is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.

Children of God

²⁸ And now, little children, abide in him, so that ^(CB)when he appears ^(CC)we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his ^(CD)coming. ²⁹ If you know that ^(CE)he is righteous, you may be sure that ^(CF)everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.

3 See ^(CG)what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called ^(CH)children of God; and so we are. The reason why ^(CI)the world does not know us is that ^(CJ)it did not know him. ² Beloved, we are ^(CK)God's children ^(CL)now, and what we will be ^(CM)has not yet appeared; but we know that ^(CN)when he appears^{[g] (CO)}we shall be like him, because ^(CP)we shall see him as he is. ³ And everyone who ^(CQ)thus hopes in him ^(CR)purifies himself as he is pure.

⁴ Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; ^(CS)sin is lawlessness. ⁵ You know that ^(CT)he appeared in order to ^(CU)take away sins, and ^(CV)in him there is no sin. ⁶ No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; ^(CW)no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. ⁷ Little children, ^(CX)let no one deceive you. ^(CY)Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. ^8 (CZ)Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was ^(DA)to destroy the works of the devil. ^9 (DB)No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's^[h] seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. ¹⁰ By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, ^(DC)nor is the one who ^(DD)does not love his brother.

Love One Another

¹¹ For ^(DE)this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, ^(DF)that we should love one another. ¹² We should not be like ^(DG)Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? ^(DH)Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous. ¹³ Do not be surprised, brothers,^{[i] (DI)}that the world hates you. ¹⁴ We know that ^(DJ)we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. ^15 (DK)Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that ^(DL)no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

¹⁶ By this we know love, that ^(DM)he laid down his life for us, and ^(DN)we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. ¹⁷ But ^(DO)if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet ^(DP)closes his heart against him, ^(DQ)how does God's love abide in him? ¹⁸ Little children, let us not ^(DR)love in word or talk but in deed and ^(DS)in truth.

¹⁹ By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; ²⁰ for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. ²¹ Beloved, ^(DT)if our heart does not condemn us, ^(DU)we have confidence before God; ²² and ^(DV)whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and ^(DW)do what pleases him. ²³ And this is his commandment, ^(DX)that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and ^(DY)love one another, ^(DZ)just as he has commanded us. ^24 (EA)Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God,^[j] and God^[k] in him. And ^(EB)by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

Test the Spirits

4 Beloved, ^(EC)do not believe every spirit, but ^(ED)test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for ^(EE)many ^(EF)false prophets ^(EG)have gone out into the world. ² By this you know the Spirit of God: ^(EH)every spirit that confesses that ^(EI)Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, ³ and every spirit ^(EJ)that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and ^(EK)now is in the world already. ⁴ Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for ^(EL)he who is in you is greater than ^(EM)he who is in the world. ^5 (EN)They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and ^(EO)the world listens to them. ⁶ We are from God. ^(EP)Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know ^(EQ)the Spirit of truth and ^(ER)the spirit of error.

God Is Love

⁷ Beloved, ^(ES)let us love one another, for love is from God, and ^(ET)whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. ^8 (EU)Anyone who does not love does not know God, because ^(EV)God is love. ⁹ In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that ^(EW)God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. ¹⁰ In this is love, ^(EX)not that we have loved God ^(EY)but that he loved us and sent his Son to be ^(EZ)the propitiation for our sins. ¹¹ Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ^12 (FA)No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and ^(FB)his love is perfected in us.

^13 (FC)By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. ¹⁴ And ^(FD)we have seen and testify that ^(FE)the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of ^(FF)the world. ^15 (FG)Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. ¹⁶ So ^(FH)we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. ^(FI)God is love, and ^(FJ)whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. ¹⁷ By this ^(FK)is love perfected with us, so that ^(FL)we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because ^(FM)as he is so also are we in this world. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love, but ^(FN)perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not ^(FO)been perfected in love. ^19 (FP)We love because he first loved us. ^20 (FQ)If anyone says, “I love God,” and ^(FR)hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot^[l] love God ^(FS)whom he has not seen. ²¹ And ^(FT)this commandment we have from him: ^(FU)whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Overcoming the World

5 ^(FV)Everyone who believes that ^(FW)Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and ^(FX)everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. ^2 (FY)By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. ³ For ^(FZ)this is the love of God, that we ^(GA)keep his commandments. And ^(GB)his commandments are not burdensome. ⁴ For ^(GC)everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—^(GD)our faith. ⁵ Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes ^(GE)that Jesus is the Son of God?

Testimony Concerning the Son of God

⁶ This is he who came ^(GF)by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And ^(GG)the Spirit is the one who testifies, because ^(GH)the Spirit is the truth. ⁷ For there are three that testify: ⁸ the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. ^9 (GI)If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God ^(GJ)that he has borne concerning his Son. ¹⁰ Whoever believes in the Son of God ^(GK)has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God ^(GL)has made him a liar, ^(GM)because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. ¹¹ And this is the testimony, that God gave us ^(GN)eternal life, and ^(GO)this life is in his Son. ^12 (GP)Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

That You May Know

¹³ I write ^(GQ)these things to you who ^(GR)believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. ¹⁴ And this is ^(GS)the confidence that we have toward him, that ^(GT)if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

¹⁶ If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and ^(GU)God^[m] will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. ^(GV)There is sin that leads to death; ^(GW)I do not say that one should pray for that. ^17 (GX)All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.

¹⁸ We know that ^(GY)everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but ^(GZ)he who was born of God ^(HA)protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.

¹⁹ We know that we are from God, and ^(HB)the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

²⁰ And we know that the Son of God has come and ^(HC)has given us understanding, so that we may know ^(HD)him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and ^(HE)eternal life. ²¹ Little children, ^(HF)keep yourselves from idols.

Greeting

^1 (A)The elder to the elect lady and her children, ^(B)whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who ^(C)know ^(D)the truth, ^2 (E)because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever:

^3 (F)Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son, in truth and love.

Walking in Truth and Love

^4 (G)I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. ⁵ And now I ask you, dear lady—^(H)not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—^(I)that we love one another. ⁶ And ^(J)this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just ^(K)as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. ⁷ For ^(L)many deceivers ^(M)have gone out into the world, ^(N)those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. ⁸ Watch yourselves, ^(O)so that you may not lose what we^[a] have worked for, but ^(P)may win a full reward. ⁹ Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, ^(Q)does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching ^(R)has both the Father and the Son. ¹⁰ If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, ^(S)do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, ¹¹ for whoever greets him ^(T)takes part in his wicked works.

Final Greetings

^12 (U)Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. ^(V)Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, ^(W)so that our joy may be complete.

¹³ The children of your elect sister greet you.

Greeting

^1 (A)The elder to the elect lady and her children, ^(B)whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who ^(C)know ^(D)the truth, ^2 (E)because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever:

^3 (F)Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son, in truth and love.

Walking in Truth and Love

^4 (G)I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. ⁵ And now I ask you, dear lady—^(H)not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—^(I)that we love one another. ⁶ And ^(J)this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just ^(K)as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. ⁷ For ^(L)many deceivers ^(M)have gone out into the world, ^(N)those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. ⁸ Watch yourselves, ^(O)so that you may not lose what we^[a] have worked for, but ^(P)may win a full reward. ⁹ Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, ^(Q)does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching ^(R)has both the Father and the Son. ¹⁰ If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, ^(S)do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, ¹¹ for whoever greets him ^(T)takes part in his wicked works.

Final Greetings

^12 (U)Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. ^(V)Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, ^(W)so that our joy may be complete.

¹³ The children of your elect sister greet you.

Greeting

^1 (A)The elder to the beloved Gaius, ^(B)whom I love in truth.

² Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. ³ For ^(C)I rejoiced greatly when the brothers^[a] came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. ⁴ I have no greater joy than to hear that ^(D)my children are walking in the truth.

Support and Opposition

⁵ Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for ^(E)these brothers, ^(F)strangers as they are, ⁶ who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner ^(G)worthy of God. ⁷ For they have gone out for the sake of ^(H)the name, ^(I)accepting nothing from the Gentiles. ⁸ Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.

⁹ I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. ¹⁰ So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church.

¹¹ Beloved, ^(J)do not imitate evil but imitate good. ^(K)Whoever does good is from God; ^(L)whoever does evil has not seen God. ¹² Demetrius ^(M)has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. We also add our testimony, and ^(N)you know that our testimony is true.

Final Greetings

^13 (O)I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink. ¹⁴ I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.

¹⁵ Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends, ^(P)each by name.

Greeting

^1 (A)The elder to the beloved Gaius, ^(B)whom I love in truth.

² Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. ³ For ^(C)I rejoiced greatly when the brothers^[a] came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. ⁴ I have no greater joy than to hear that ^(D)my children are walking in the truth.

Support and Opposition

⁵ Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for ^(E)these brothers, ^(F)strangers as they are, ⁶ who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner ^(G)worthy of God. ⁷ For they have gone out for the sake of ^(H)the name, ^(I)accepting nothing from the Gentiles. ⁸ Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.

⁹ I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. ¹⁰ So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church.

¹¹ Beloved, ^(J)do not imitate evil but imitate good. ^(K)Whoever does good is from God; ^(L)whoever does evil has not seen God. ¹² Demetrius ^(M)has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. We also add our testimony, and ^(N)you know that our testimony is true.

Final Greetings

^13 (O)I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink. ¹⁴ I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.

¹⁵ Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends, ^(P)each by name.

Prologue

1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God ^(A)gave him ^(B)to show to his servants^[a] the things that must soon take place. ^(C)He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, ^2 (D)who bore witness to the word of God and to ^(E)the testimony of Jesus Christ, even ^(F)to all that he saw. ^3 (G)Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, ^(H)for the time is near.

Greeting to the Seven Churches

⁴ John to the seven churches that are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace from ^(I)him ^(J)who is and ^(K)who was and who is to come, and from ^(L)the seven spirits who are before his throne, ⁵ and from Jesus Christ ^(M)the faithful witness, ^(N)the firstborn of the dead, and ^(O)the ruler of kings on earth.

To ^(P)him who loves us and ^(Q)has freed us from our sins by his blood ⁶ and made us ^(R)a kingdom, ^(S)priests to ^(T)his God and Father, to him be ^(U)glory and ^(V)dominion forever and ever. Amen. ⁷ Behold, ^(W)he is coming with the clouds, and ^(X)every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail^[b] on account of him. Even so. Amen.

^8 (Y)“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, ^(Z)“who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Vision of the Son of Man

⁹ I, John, your brother and ^(AA)partner in ^(AB)the tribulation and ^(AC)the kingdom and ^(AD)the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos ^(AE)on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. ^10 (AF)I was in the Spirit ^(AG)on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice ^(AH)like a trumpet ¹¹ saying, ^(AI)“Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”

¹² Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw ^(AJ)seven golden lampstands, ¹³ and in the midst of the lampstands ^(AK)one like ^(AL)a son of man, ^(AM)clothed with a long robe and ^(AN)with a golden sash around his chest. ^14 (AO)The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. ^(AP)His eyes were like a flame of fire, ^15 (AQ)his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and ^(AR)his voice was like the roar of many waters. ^16 (AS)In his right hand he held seven stars, ^(AT)from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and ^(AU)his face was like the sun shining ^(AV)in full strength.

^17 (AW)When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But ^(AX)he laid his right hand on me, ^(AY)saying, “Fear not, ^(AZ)I am the first and the last, ¹⁸ and the living one. ^(BA)I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and ^(BB)I have the keys of Death and Hades. ^19 (BC)Write therefore ^(BD)the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. ²⁰ As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and ^(BE)the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and ^(BF)the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

To the Church in Ephesus

2 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of ^(BG)him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, ^(BH)who walks among the seven golden lampstands.

^2 (BI)“‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but ^(BJ)have tested those ^(BK)who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. ³ I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up ^(BL)for my name's sake, and you ^(BM)have not grown weary. ⁴ But I have this against you, that you have abandoned ^(BN)the love you had at first. ⁵ Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do ^(BO)the works you did at first. If not, ^(BP)I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. ⁶ Yet this you have: you hate the works of ^(BQ)the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. ^7 (BR)He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. ^(BS)To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of ^(BT)the tree of life, which is in ^(BU)the paradise of God.’

To the Church in Smyrna

⁸ “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of ^(BV)the first and the last, ^(BW)who died and came to life.

⁹ “‘I know your tribulation and ^(BX)your poverty (^(BY)but you are rich) and the slander^[c] of ^(BZ)those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. ¹⁰ Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, ^(CA)that you may be tested, and for ^(CB)ten days ^(CC)you will have tribulation. ^(CD)Be faithful ^(CE)unto death, and I will give you ^(CF)the crown of life. ^11 (CG)He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. ^(CH)The one who conquers will not be hurt by ^(CI)the second death.’

To the Church in Pergamum

¹² “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has ^(CJ)the sharp two-edged sword.

¹³ “‘I know where you dwell, ^(CK)where Satan's throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not ^(CL)deny my faith^[d] even in the days of Antipas ^(CM)my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. ¹⁴ But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of ^(CN)Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might ^(CO)eat food sacrificed to idols and ^(CP)practice sexual immorality. ¹⁵ So also you have some who hold the teaching of ^(CQ)the Nicolaitans. ¹⁶ Therefore repent. If not, ^(CR)I will come to you soon and ^(CS)war against them with ^(CT)the sword of my mouth. ^17 (CU)He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. ^(CV)To the one who conquers I will give some of ^(CW)the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with ^(CX)a new name written on the stone ^(CY)that no one knows except the one who receives it.’

To the Church in Thyatira

¹⁸ “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, ^(CZ)who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.

^19 (DA)“‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. ²⁰ But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman ^(DB)Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants ^(DC)to practice sexual immorality and ^(DD)to eat food sacrificed to idols. ²¹ I gave her time to repent, but ^(DE)she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. ²² Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, ²³ and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he ^(DF)who searches mind and heart, and ^(DG)I will give to each of you according to your works. ²⁴ But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call ^(DH)the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I ^(DI)do not lay on you any other burden. ²⁵ Only hold fast ^(DJ)what you have until I come. ^26 (DK)The one who conquers and who keeps my works ^(DL)until the end, ^(DM)to him I will give authority over the nations, ²⁷ and ^(DN)he will ^(DO)rule^[e] them with a rod of iron, ^(DP)as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. ²⁸ And I will give him ^(DQ)the morning star. ^29 (DR)He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

To the Church in Sardis

3 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him ^(DS)who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.

“‘I know your works. You have the reputation ^(DT)of being alive, ^(DU)but you are dead. ² Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works ^(DV)complete in the sight of my God. ^3 (DW)Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, ^(DX)I will come ^(DY)like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. ⁴ Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not ^(DZ)soiled their garments, and they will walk with me ^(EA)in white, for they are ^(EB)worthy. ^5 (EC)The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never ^(ED)blot his name out of ^(EE)the book of life. ^(EF)I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. ^6 (EG)He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

To the Church in Philadelphia

⁷ “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of ^(EH)the holy one, ^(EI)the true one, ^(EJ)who has the key of David, ^(EK)who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.

⁸ “‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you ^(EL)an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. ⁹ Behold, I will make those of ^(EM)the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, ^(EN)I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that ^(EO)I have loved you. ^10 (EP)Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try ^(EQ)those who dwell on the earth. ^11 (ER)I am coming soon. ^(ES)Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize ^(ET)your crown. ^12 (EU)The one who conquers, I will make him ^(EV)a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him ^(EW)the name of my God, and ^(EX)the name of the city of my God, ^(EY)the new Jerusalem, ^(EZ)which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own ^(FA)new name. ^13 (FB)He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

To the Church in Laodicea

¹⁴ “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the ^(FC)Amen, ^(FD)the faithful and true witness, ^(FE)the beginning of God's creation.

¹⁵ “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. ^(FF)Would that you were either cold or hot! ¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. ^17 (FG)For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, ^(FH)blind, and naked. ¹⁸ I counsel you ^(FI)to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and ^(FJ)white garments so that you may clothe yourself and ^(FK)the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, ^(FL)so that you may see. ^19 (FM)Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. ²⁰ Behold, I stand at the door and ^(FN)knock. ^(FO)If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, ^(FP)I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. ^21 (FQ)The one who conquers, ^(FR)I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as ^(FS)I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. ^22 (FT)He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”