To the Church in Ephesus (Acts 19:8–12; Ephesians 1:1–2)
1 UDB "Write this message to the angel of the group of believers in the city of Ephesus: The one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this: BSB BSB: “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of Him who holds the seven stars in His right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.
2 UDB 'I know all you have done. I know that you work hard for me. I know that you are patient when you go through hard times. I also know that you cannot tolerate people who are evil, that you question people about their faith, and that you know those who claim to be apostles, but they are not. BSB BSB: I know your deeds, your labor, and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate those who are evil, and you have tested and exposed as liars those who falsely claim to be apostles.
3 UDB I know also that you endure patiently when you suffer for believing in me and that you continue to serve me steadfastly, even when people caused you to suffer because you followed me. You have continued to serve and hold to my words even when it was difficult. You did not give up or stop, even though it has been difficult for you. BSB BSB: Without growing weary, you have persevered and endured many things for the sake of My name.
4 UDB Nevertheless, you have done something wrong: You no longer love each other and me as you did when you first came to trust me. You do not have the same love for me now that you had at first. BSB BSB: But I have this against you: You have abandoned your first love.
5 UDB So, I tell you to remember how you used to love me. Love me again like you did at the first. If you do not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand so that you will no longer be my people together. BSB BSB: Therefore, keep in mind how far you have fallen. Repent and perform the deeds you did at first. But if you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
6 UDB But you do one thing very well: Those Nicolaitans, the people who say you can worship idols and act immorally—you hate what they do, just as I hate it. BSB BSB: But you have this to your credit: You hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 UDB Everyone who wants to understand my message must listen carefully to the message that God's Spirit is saying to the groups of believers assembled together. The message is this: I will allow those who are victorious to eat fruit from the tree that gives eternal life, the tree that is in God's garden.' BSB BSB: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to eat from the tree of life in the Paradise of God.
To the Church in Smyrna 8 UDB "Write this message to the angel of the group of believers in the city of Smyrna: 'I am saying these things to you. I am the first, the one who began all things, and I am the last, who causes all things to end. I am the one who died and became alive again. BSB BSB: To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of the First and the Last, who died and returned to life.
9 UDB I know about how you have suffered. I know about how you are poor and lack many things that you need (but you are really rich in the things that are eternal and that can never be taken from you). You know what it is like to have people curse you and say terrible things about you because you follow Christ. Those Jews (who are not real Jews) who curse you and say terrible things about you—they are members of the gathering of Satan and not the gathering of God's people. BSB BSB: I know your affliction and your poverty—though you are rich! And I am aware of the slander of those who falsely claim to be Jews, but are in fact a synagogue of Satan.
10 UDB Do not be afraid of any of the things that you are about to suffer. The truth is that the devil is about to put some of you in prison, to put you in a difficult place where you are being tested to see what kind of faith you have. For a short period of time, you will suffer. Continue to trust in me for as long as you live, and when you die I will reward you with a glorious life. BSB BSB: Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days. Be faithful even unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
11 UDB Listen carefully to the message that God's Spirit speaks to the groups of believers assembled together. All who conquer will never die a second time.' BSB BSB: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who overcomes will not be harmed by the second death.
To the Church in Pergamum 12 UDB "Write this message to the angel of the group of believers in the city of Pergamum: 'I am saying these things to you. I am the one who has the sword with two sharp edges. BSB BSB: To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of the One who holds the sharp, double-edged sword.
13 UDB I know that you live where Satan's power is strong and his influence is everywhere. I know that you firmly believe, and you hold onto what I love and what is important to me—even when they killed my faithful servant Antipas, who had kept telling people who I am and what I did for them. BSB BSB: I know where you live, where the throne of Satan sits, yet you hold fast to My name. You did not deny your faith in Me, even in the days of My faithful witness Antipas, who was killed among you where Satan dwells.
14 UDB But, even so, I see some matters that are hurting your testimony and weakening your obedience. Some of your members teach things that Balaam taught long ago. He taught Balak to persuade God's people to eat food that had been offered to idols and to be sexually immoral. BSB BSB: But I have a few things against you, because some of you hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block before the Israelites so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality.
15 UDB Also, some of your members believe what the Nicolaitans teach. They teach the lie that God permits his people to be sexually immoral. BSB BSB: In the same way, some of you also hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
16 UDB Stop doing this and change your direction, or I will come to you suddenly and I will make war against them with the sword in my mouth—the word of God. BSB BSB: Therefore repent! Otherwise I will come to you shortly and wage war against them with the sword of My mouth.
17 UDB Listen carefully to the message that God's Spirit speaks to the groups of believers. To him who conquers I will give the hidden manna that will feed and strengthen him, and I will also give him a white stone on which I will engrave a new name for him, and the name I give him only he will know.' BSB BSB: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will give the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone inscribed with a new name, known only to the one who receives it.
To the Church in Thyatira (Acts 16:11–15)
18 UDB "Write this message to the angel of the group of believers assembled together in the city of Thyatira: 'I, the Son of God, whose eyes shine like a flame of fire and whose feet shine like gleaming bronze, am saying these things to you. BSB BSB: To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like a blazing fire and whose feet are like polished bronze.
19 UDB I know all the good things that you do. I know that you love me and each other and that you trust in me. I know that you serve others and that you steadfastly endure many difficulties. I know that you are doing these things more now than you did in the past. BSB BSB: I know your deeds—your love, your faith, your service, your perseverance—and your latest deeds are greater than your first.
20 UDB Nevertheless, you have done something wrong: You tolerate that woman among your people who is like that wicked Queen Jezebel who lived long ago. She says that she is a prophetess. However, by what she teaches she is deceiving my servants. She is urging them to commit sexual immorality and to eat food that they have offered to idols. BSB BSB: But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads My servants to be sexually immoral and to eat food sacrificed to idols.
21 UDB Although I gave her time to turn away from her sexual immorality and pagan practices, she did not want to stop. BSB BSB: Even though I have given her time to repent of her immorality, she is unwilling.
22 UDB As a result, I will cause her to become very ill. I will also cause those who act immorally as she does to suffer greatly, if they do not stop doing what she does. BSB BSB: Behold, I will cast her onto a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her will suffer great tribulation unless they repent of her deeds.
23 UDB Some have become like her children by accepting what she teaches, and I will certainly kill them. Then all the groups of believers will learn that I am the one who finds out what everyone thinks and desires. I will reward each of you according to what you have done. BSB BSB: Then I will strike her children dead, and all the churches will know that I am the One who searches minds and hearts, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.
24 UDB But I have something good to say about the rest of you believers in the city of Thyatira. It is good that you do not accept these wrong things. It is good that you reject what those teachers call their "secret practices" that Satan taught them. I will not burden you with any other commands. BSB BSB: But I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned the so-called deep things of Satan: I will place no further burden upon you
25 UDB Just keep believing firmly in me and obey me until I come. BSB BSB: than to hold fast to what you have until I come.
26 UDB As for those who conquer Satan and who keep on doing what I command until they die, I will give them my authority over all nations. BSB BSB: And to the one who overcomes and continues in My work until the end, I will give authority over the nations.
27 UDB They will control them as if they were striking them with an iron rod. They will destroy evildoers just as people shatter clay pots. BSB BSB: He will rule them with an iron scepter and shatter them like pottery—just as I have received authority from My Father.
28 UDB I do all of this with the authority my Father gave me, and I will give the morning star to those who rule with me so that we may have great joy in our victory. BSB BSB: And I will give him the morning star.
29 UDB Everyone who wants to understand must listen carefully to the message that God's Spirit is saying to the groups of believers assembled together.' BSB BSB: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.