To the Church in Pergamum

12 “To the angel of the church in Pergamum(A) write:

These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.(B) 13 I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me,(C) not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness,(D) who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives.(E)

14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you:(F) There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam,(G) who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols(H) and committed sexual immorality.(I) 15 Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.(J) 16 Repent(K) therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.(L)

17 Whoever has ears, let them hear(M) what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious,(N) I will give some of the hidden manna.(O) I will also give that person a white stone with a new name(P) written on it, known only to the one who receives it.(Q)

Read full chapter

16 “They were the ones who followed Balaam’s advice(A) and enticed the Israelites to be unfaithful to the Lord in the Peor incident,(B) so that a plague(C) struck the Lord’s people.

Read full chapter

Moab Seduces Israel

25 While Israel was staying in Shittim,(A) the men began to indulge in sexual immorality(B) with Moabite(C) women,(D) who invited them to the sacrifices(E) to their gods.(F) The people ate the sacrificial meal and bowed down before these gods. So Israel yoked themselves to(G) the Baal of Peor.(H) And the Lord’s anger burned against them.

The Lord said to Moses, “Take all the leaders(I) of these people, kill them and expose(J) them in broad daylight before the Lord,(K) so that the Lord’s fierce anger(L) may turn away from Israel.”

So Moses said to Israel’s judges, “Each of you must put to death(M) those of your people who have yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor.”(N)

Then an Israelite man brought into the camp a Midianite(O) woman right before the eyes of Moses and the whole assembly of Israel while they were weeping(P) at the entrance to the tent of meeting. When Phinehas(Q) son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, saw this, he left the assembly, took a spear(R) in his hand and followed the Israelite into the tent. He drove the spear into both of them, right through the Israelite man and into the woman’s stomach. Then the plague against the Israelites was stopped;(S) but those who died in the plague(T) numbered 24,000.(U)

Read full chapter

17 Take the helmet of salvation(A) and the sword of the Spirit,(B) which is the word of God.(C)

Read full chapter

12 For the word of God(A) is alive(B) and active.(C) Sharper than any double-edged sword,(D) it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.(E)

Read full chapter

34 As the Lord commanded Moses, Aaron put the manna with the tablets of the covenant law,(A) so that it might be preserved.

Read full chapter

21 There are to be twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel,(A) each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.(B)

Read full chapter

35 Then Jesus declared, “I am(A) the bread of life.(B) Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes(C) in me will never be thirsty.(D)

Read full chapter

you also, like living stones, are being built(A) into a spiritual house[a](B) to be a holy priesthood,(C) offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.(D)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 2:5 Or into a temple of the Spirit

To the Church in Thyatira

18 “To the angel of the church in Thyatira(A) write:

These are the words of the Son of God,(B) whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze.(C) 19 I know your deeds,(D) your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.

20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel,(E) who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.(F) 21 I have given her time(G) to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling.(H) 22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery(I) with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds,(J) and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.(K)

24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you,(L) 25 except to hold on to what you have(M) until I come.’(N)

26 To the one who is victorious(O) and does my will to the end,(P) I will give authority over the nations(Q) 27 that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter(R) and will dash them to pieces like pottery’[a](S)—just as I have received authority from my Father. 28 I will also give that one the morning star.(T) 29 Whoever has ears, let them hear(U) what the Spirit says to the churches.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 2:27 Psalm 2:9

Ahab Becomes King of Israel

29 In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria over Israel twenty-two years. 30 Ahab son of Omri did more(A) evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him. 31 He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married(B) Jezebel daughter(C) of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal(D) and worship him. 32 He set up an altar(E) for Baal in the temple(F) of Baal that he built in Samaria. 33 Ahab also made an Asherah pole(G) and did more(H) to arouse the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than did all the kings of Israel before him.

Read full chapter

Elijah Flees to Horeb

19 Now Ahab told Jezebel(A) everything Elijah had done and how he had killed(B) all the prophets with the sword. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely,(C) if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”(D)

Read full chapter

Naboth’s Vineyard

21 Some time later there was an incident involving a vineyard belonging to Naboth(A) the Jezreelite. The vineyard was in Jezreel,(B) close to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. Ahab said to Naboth, “Let me have your vineyard to use for a vegetable garden, since it is close to my palace. In exchange I will give you a better vineyard or, if you prefer, I will pay you whatever it is worth.”

But Naboth replied, “The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance(C) of my ancestors.”

So Ahab went home, sullen and angry(D) because Naboth the Jezreelite had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my ancestors.” He lay on his bed sulking and refused(E) to eat.

His wife Jezebel came in and asked him, “Why are you so sullen? Why won’t you eat?”

He answered her, “Because I said to Naboth the Jezreelite, ‘Sell me your vineyard; or if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’”

Jezebel his wife said, “Is this how you act as king over Israel? Get up and eat! Cheer up. I’ll get you the vineyard(F) of Naboth the Jezreelite.”

So she wrote letters(G) in Ahab’s name, placed his seal(H) on them, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city with him. In those letters she wrote:

“Proclaim a day of fasting and seat Naboth in a prominent place among the people. 10 But seat two scoundrels(I) opposite him and have them bring charges that he has cursed(J) both God and the king. Then take him out and stone him to death.”

11 So the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city did as Jezebel directed in the letters she had written to them. 12 They proclaimed a fast(K) and seated Naboth in a prominent place among the people. 13 Then two scoundrels came and sat opposite him and brought charges against Naboth before the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed both God and the king.” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death.(L) 14 Then they sent word to Jezebel: “Naboth has been stoned to death.”

15 As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, “Get up and take possession of the vineyard(M) of Naboth the Jezreelite that he refused to sell you. He is no longer alive, but dead.” 16 When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of Naboth’s vineyard.

17 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: 18 “Go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who rules in Samaria. He is now in Naboth’s vineyard, where he has gone to take possession of it. 19 Say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Have you not murdered a man and seized his property?’(N) Then say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: In the place where dogs licked up Naboth’s blood,(O) dogs(P) will lick up your blood—yes, yours!’”

20 Ahab said to Elijah, “So you have found me, my enemy!”(Q)

“I have found you,” he answered, “because you have sold(R) yourself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord. 21 He says, ‘I am going to bring disaster on you. I will wipe out your descendants and cut off from Ahab every last male(S) in Israel—slave or free.[a](T) 22 I will make your house(U) like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have aroused my anger and have caused Israel to sin.’(V)

23 “And also concerning Jezebel the Lord says: ‘Dogs(W) will devour Jezebel by the wall of[b] Jezreel.’

24 “Dogs(X) will eat those belonging to Ahab who die in the city, and the birds(Y) will feed on those who die in the country.”

25 (There was never(Z) anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife. 26 He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites(AA) the Lord drove out before Israel.)

27 When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth(AB) and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly.(AC)

28 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite:

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 21:21 Or Israel—every ruler or leader
  2. 1 Kings 21:23 Most Hebrew manuscripts; a few Hebrew manuscripts, Vulgate and Syriac (see also 2 Kings 9:26) the plot of ground at

Jezebel Killed

30 Then Jehu went to Jezreel. When Jezebel heard about it, she put on eye makeup,(A) arranged her hair and looked out of a window. 31 As Jehu entered the gate, she asked, “Have you come in peace, you Zimri,(B) you murderer of your master?”[a]

32 He looked up at the window and called out, “Who is on my side? Who?” Two or three eunuchs looked down at him. 33 “Throw her down!” Jehu said. So they threw her down, and some of her blood spattered the wall and the horses as they trampled her underfoot.(C)

34 Jehu went in and ate and drank. “Take care of that cursed woman,” he said, “and bury her, for she was a king’s daughter.”(D) 35 But when they went out to bury her, they found nothing except her skull, her feet and her hands. 36 They went back and told Jehu, who said, “This is the word of the Lord that he spoke through his servant Elijah the Tishbite: On the plot of ground at Jezreel dogs(E) will devour Jezebel’s flesh.[b](F) 37 Jezebel’s body will be like dung(G) on the ground in the plot at Jezreel, so that no one will be able to say, ‘This is Jezebel.’”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 9:31 Or “Was there peace for Zimri, who murdered his master?”
  2. 2 Kings 9:36 See 1 Kings 21:23.

To the Church in Thyatira

18 “To the angel of the church in Thyatira(A) write:

These are the words of the Son of God,(B) whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze.(C) 19 I know your deeds,(D) your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.

20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel,(E) who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.(F) 21 I have given her time(G) to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling.(H) 22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery(I) with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds,(J) and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.(K)

24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you,(L) 25 except to hold on to what you have(M) until I come.’(N)

26 To the one who is victorious(O) and does my will to the end,(P) I will give authority over the nations(Q) 27 that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter(R) and will dash them to pieces like pottery’[a](S)—just as I have received authority from my Father. 28 I will also give that one the morning star.(T) 29 Whoever has ears, let them hear(U) what the Spirit says to the churches.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 2:27 Psalm 2:9

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.(A) 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,(B) baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,(C) 20 and teaching(D) them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you(E) always, to the very end of the age.”(F)

Read full chapter

23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching.(A) My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.(B)

Read full chapter

Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world?(A) And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!

Read full chapter

To the Church in Sardis

“To the angel[a] of the church in Sardis(A) write:

These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits[b](B) of God and the seven stars.(C) I know your deeds;(D) you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.(E) Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent.(F) But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief,(G) and you will not know at what time(H) I will come to you.

Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes.(I) They will walk with me, dressed in white,(J) for they are worthy. The one who is victorious(K) will, like them, be dressed in white.(L) I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life,(M) but will acknowledge that name before my Father(N) and his angels. Whoever has ears, let them hear(O) what the Spirit says to the churches.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 3:1 Or messenger; also in verses 7 and 14
  2. Revelation 3:1 That is, the sevenfold Spirit

Those who are wise[a](A) will shine(B) like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness,(C) like the stars for ever and ever.(D)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 12:3 Or who impart wisdom

43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun(A) in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.(B)

Read full chapter

14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ,(A) and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.[a](B)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Romans 13:14 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.

23 save others by snatching them from the fire;(A) to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.[a](B)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Jude 1:23 The Greek manuscripts of these verses vary at several points.

Fine linen,(A) bright and clean,
    was given her to wear.”

(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts(B) of God’s holy people.)

Read full chapter

Bible Gateway Recommends