The Lampstand^(A)

¹⁷ They made the lampstand^(B) of pure gold. They hammered out its base and shaft, and made its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms of one piece with them.

The Lampstand^(A)

³¹ “Make a lampstand^(B) of pure gold. Hammer out its base and shaft, and make its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms of one piece with them. ³² Six branches are to extend from the sides of the lampstand—three on one side and three on the other. ³³ Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms are to be on one branch, three on the next branch, and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand. ³⁴ And on the lampstand there are to be four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms. ³⁵ One bud shall be under the first pair of branches extending from the lampstand, a second bud under the second pair, and a third bud under the third pair—six branches in all. ³⁶ The buds and branches shall all be of one piece with the lampstand, hammered out of pure gold.^(C)

³⁷ “Then make its seven lamps^(D) and set them up on it so that they light the space in front of it. ³⁸ Its wick trimmers and trays^(E) are to be of pure gold. ³⁹ A talent^[a] of pure gold is to be used for the lampstand and all these accessories.

² A tabernacle^(A) was set up. In its first room were the lampstand^(B) and the table^(C) with its consecrated bread;^(D) this was called the Holy Place.^(E)

¹² I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands,^{(A) 13} and among the lampstands^(B) was someone like a son of man,^[a](C) dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet^(D) and with a golden sash around his chest.^{(E) 14} The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.^{(F) 15} His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace,^(G) and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.^{(H) 16} In his right hand he held seven stars,^(I) and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword.^(J) His face was like the sun^(K) shining in all its brilliance.

¹⁷ When I saw him, I fell at his feet^(L) as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me^(M) and said: “Do not be afraid.^(N) I am the First and the Last.^{(O) 18} I am the Living One; I was dead,^(P) and now look, I am alive for ever and ever!^(Q) And I hold the keys of death and Hades.^(R)

¹⁹ “Write, therefore, what you have seen,^(S) what is now and what will take place later. ²⁰ The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand^(T) and of the seven golden lampstands^(U) is this: The seven stars are the angels^[b] of the seven churches,^(V) and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.^(W)

To the Church in Ephesus

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

¹⁵ so that you may become blameless^(A) and pure, “children of God^(B) without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”^[a](C) Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky

⁴ In him was life,^(A) and that life was the light^(B) of all mankind. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness,^(C) and the darkness has not overcome^[a] it.^(D)

⁶ There was a man sent from God whose name was John.^{(E) 7} He came as a witness to testify^(F) concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.^{(G) 8} He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

⁹ The true light^(H) that gives light to everyone^(I) was coming into the world.

¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.^(A)

¹¹ Then I asked the angel, “What are these two olive trees^(A) on the right and the left of the lampstand?”

² He asked me, “What do you see?”^(A)

I answered, “I see a solid gold lampstand^(B) with a bowl at the top and seven lamps^(C) on it, with seven channels to the lamps.