Revelation 2:1-7

Living Bible

2 “Write a letter to the leader^[a] of the church at Ephesus and tell him this:

“I write to inform you of a message from him who walks among the churches and holds their leaders in his right hand.

“He says to you: ²I know how many good things you are doing. I have watched your hard work and your patience; I know you don’t tolerate sin among your members, and you have carefully examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but aren’t. You have found out how they lie. ³You have patiently suffered for me without quitting.

⁴“Yet there is one thing wrong; you don’t love me as at first! ⁵Think about those times of your first love (how different now!) and turn back to me again and work as you did before; or else I will come and remove your candlestick from its place among the churches.

⁶“But there is this about you that is good: You hate the deeds of the licentious Nicolaitans,^[b] just as I do.

⁷“Let this message sink into the ears of anyone who listens to what the Spirit is saying to the churches: To everyone who is victorious, I will give fruit from the Tree of Life in the Paradise of God.

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Footnotes

Revelation 2:1 leader, literally, “angel” and so also in 2:8; 2:12; 2:18; 3:1; 3:7; 3:14. from him who walks among the churches, literally, “from him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the golden candlesticks.”
Revelation 2:6 Nicolaitans, which, when translated from Greek to Hebrew, becomes Balaamites, who were followers of the man who induced the Israelites to fall by lust. (See 2:14 and Numbers 31:15-16.)