Revelation 2:1-7
New American Standard Bible
Message to Ephesus
2 “To the angel of the church in (A)Ephesus write:
The One who holds (B)the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks [a](C)among the seven golden lampstands, says this:
2 ‘(D)I know your deeds and your labor and [b]perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil people, and you have (E)put those who call themselves (F)apostles to the test, and they are not, and you found them to be false; 3 and you have [c]perseverance and have endured (G)on account of My name, and have not become weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have (H)left your first love. 5 Therefore, remember from where you have fallen, and (I)repent, and (J)do the [d]deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and I will remove your (K)lampstand from its place—unless you repent. 6 But you have this, that you hate the deeds of the (L)Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 (M)The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (N)To the one who overcomes, I will grant to eat from (O)the tree of life, which is in the (P)Paradise of God.’
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Revelation 2:1 Lit in the middle of
- Revelation 2:2 Or steadfastness
- Revelation 2:3 Or steadfastness
- Revelation 2:5 Lit first deeds
Revelation 2:1-7
The Message
To Ephesus
2 Write this to Ephesus, to the Angel of the church. The One with Seven Stars in his right-fist grip, striding through the golden seven-lights’ circle, speaks:
2-3 “I see what you’ve done, your hard, hard work, your refusal to quit. I know you can’t stomach evil, that you weed out apostolic pretenders. I know your persistence, your courage in my cause, that you never wear out.
4-5 “But you walked away from your first love—why? What’s going on with you, anyway? Do you have any idea how far you’ve fallen? A Lucifer fall!
“Turn back! Recover your dear early love. No time to waste, for I’m well on my way to removing your light from the golden circle.
6 “You do have this to your credit: You hate the Nicolaitan business. I hate it, too.
7 “Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches. I’m about to call each conqueror to dinner. I’m spreading a banquet of Tree-of-Life fruit, a supper plucked from God’s orchard.”
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Revelation 2:1-7
King James Version
2 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.
7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
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Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson