Revelation 2-3

Modern English Version

The Message to Ephesus

2 “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write:

“He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, says these things: ² I know your works, your labor and your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles, but are not, and have found them to be liars. ³ You have endured, and have been patient, and for My name’s sake have labored and have not grown weary.

⁴ “But I have something against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. ⁵ Remember therefore from where you have fallen. Repent, and do the works you did at first, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your candlestick from its place, unless you repent. ⁶ But this you have: You hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

⁷ “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give permission to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.

The Message to Smyrna

⁸ “To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:

“The First and the Last, who was dead and came to life, says these things: ⁹ I know your works and tribulation and poverty (but you are rich). And I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. ¹⁰ Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tried, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

¹¹ “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.

The Message to Pergamum

¹² “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write:

“He who has the sharp two-edged sword says these things: ¹³ I know your works and where you live, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold firmly to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.

¹⁴ “But I have a few things against you: You have there those who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality. ¹⁵ So you also have those who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. ¹⁶ Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will war against them with the sword of My mouth.

¹⁷ “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows except he who receives it.

The Message to Thyatira

¹⁸ “To the angel of the church in Thyatira write:

“The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like fine brass, says these things: ¹⁹ I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience, and that your last works are more than the first.

²⁰ “But I have a few things against you: You permit that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat food sacrificed to idols. ²¹ I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, but she did not repent. ²² Look! I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. ²³ I will put her children to death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the hearts and minds. I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.

²⁴ “Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this teaching, who have not known what some call the ‘depths of Satan,’ I will put on you no other burden. ²⁵ But hold firmly what you have until I come.

²⁶ “To him who overcomes and keeps My works to the end, I will give authority over the nations—

even as I myself have received authority from My Father. ²⁸ And I will give him the morning star. ²⁹ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

The Message to Sardis

3 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write:

“He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars says these things: I know your works, that you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. ² Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain but are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfected before God. ³ Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.

⁴ “You have a few names even in Sardis who have not soiled their garments. They shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. ⁵ He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments. I will not blot his name out of the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. ⁶ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

The Message to Philadelphia

⁷ “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:

“He who is holy, He who is true, He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens, says these things: ⁸ I know your works. Look! I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it. For you have a little strength, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name. ⁹ Listen! I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie. Listen! I will make them come and worship before your feet and to know that I have loved you. ¹⁰ Because you have kept My word of patience, I also will keep you from the hour of temptation which shall come upon the entire world, to test those who dwell on the earth.

¹¹ “Look, I am coming quickly. Hold firmly what you have, so that no one may take your crown. ¹² He who overcomes will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My own new name. ¹³ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

The Message to Laodicea

¹⁴ “To the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write:

“The Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says these things: ¹⁵ I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. ¹⁶ So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spit you out of My mouth. ¹⁷ For you say, ‘I am rich, and have stored up goods, and have need of nothing,’ yet do not realize that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. ¹⁸ I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, that you may be rich, and white garments, that you may be dressed, that the shame of your nakedness may not appear, and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.

¹⁹ “Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be zealous and repent. ²⁰ Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me.

²¹ “To him who overcomes will I grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. ²² He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”