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And to the angel of the church of Ephesus write thou, These things saith he, that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, which walketh [that walketh] in the middle of the seven golden candlesticks.

I know thy works, and thy travail, and thy patience, and that thou mayest not suffer evil men [and that thou mayest not sustain evil men]; and thou hast assayed them that say that they be apostles, and be not, and thou hast found them liars;

and thou hast patience, and thou hast suffered for my name [and thou hast sustained for my name], and failedest not.

But I have against thee a few things, that thou hast left thy first charity.

Therefore be thou mindful from whence thou hast fallen, and do penance, and do the first works; or else, I shall come soon to thee, and I shall move thy candlestick from his place [if not, I shall come soon to thee, and shall move thy candlestick of his place], but thou do penance.

But thou hast this good thing, that thou hatedest [for thou hatest] the deeds of Nicolaitanes, which also I hate.

He that hath ears, hear he, what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh, I shall give to eat of the tree of life, that is in the paradise of my God.

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1 John is commanded to write those things which the Lord knew necessary to the Churches of Ephesus. 8 Of the Smyrnians, 12 of Pergamos, 18 and of Thyatira, as that they keep those things which they received of the Apostles.

[a]Unto the Angel of the Church of Ephesus write, [b]These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, and walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks.

[c]I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear with them which are evil, and hast examined them which say they are Apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars.

And thou wast burdened, and hast patience, and for my Name’s sake hast labored, and hast not fainted.

Nevertheless, I have somewhat [d]against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent and do the first works: or else I will come against thee shortly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou amend.

But this thou hast that thou hatest the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

[e]Let him that hath an ear 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 [f]the midst of the [g]Paradise of God.

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 2:1 The former part of this book is comprised in a narration of those things which then were as S. John taught us, Rev. 1:19, it belongeth wholly to instruction and in these next two Chapters, containeth seven places according to the number and condition of those Churches which were named before, Rev. 1:11, figured verse 12, distributed most aptly into their Pastors and flocks, verse 20, which verse of that Chap. is as it were a passage unto the first part. Every one of the seven places hath three principal members, an Exordium taken from the person of the Author: a Proposition, in which is praise and commendation of that which is good, reprehension of that which is evil: an instruction containing either an exhortation alone, or withal a dissuasion opposite unto it, and a conclusion stirring unto attention by divine promises. And this first place is unto the Pastors of the Church of Ephesus.
  2. Revelation 2:1 The exordium wherein are contained the special praises of Christ Jesus the Author of this prophecy, out of verses 16 and 13 of the first Chapter.
  3. Revelation 2:2 The proposition, first condemning the Pastor of this Church, verses 2, 3, then reproving him, verse 4, after informing him and withal threatening that he will translate the Church to another place, verse 5. This commutation or threat Christ mitigateth by a kind of correction, calling to mind the particular virtue and piety of the Church, which God never leaveth without recompense, verse 6. Concerning the Nicolaitans see after upon verse 11.
  4. Revelation 2:4 To deal with thee for.
  5. Revelation 2:7 The conclusion, containing a commandment of attention and a promise of everlasting life, shadowed out in a figure of which, Gen. 2:9.
  6. Revelation 2:7 That is, in Paradise after the manner of the Hebrew phrase.
  7. Revelation 2:7 Thus Christ speaketh as the Mediator.

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; 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: and hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 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. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 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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