To the Church in Ephesus (Acts 19:8–12; Ephesians 1:1–2)
1 WBS To 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; 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 WBS I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and that thou canst not bear them who are evil; and thou hast tried them who say they are apostles, and are not; and hast found them liars: 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 WBS And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast labored, and hast not fainted. BSB BSB: Without growing weary, you have persevered and endured many things for the sake of My name.
4 WBS Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. BSB BSB: But I have this against you: You have abandoned your first love.
5 WBS Remember therefore from whence thou hast fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come to thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of its place, except thou repent. 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 WBS But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. BSB BSB: But you have this to your credit: You hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 WBS He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to 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. 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 WBS And to the angel of the church in Smyrna, write; These things saith the first and the last, who was dead, and is alive; 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 WBS I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them who say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. 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 WBS Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer. Behold, the devil will cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful to death, and I will give thee a crown of 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 WBS He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches; He that overcometh, shall not be hurt by the second death. 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 WBS And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he who hath the sharp sword with two 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 WBS I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is : and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. 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 WBS But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit lewdness. 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 WBS So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. BSB BSB: In the same way, some of you also hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
16 WBS Repent; or else I will come to thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. BSB BSB: Therefore repent! Otherwise I will come to you shortly and wage war against them with the sword of My mouth.
17 WBS He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth, he excepted, that receiveth it . 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 WBS And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass; 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 WBS I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first: BSB BSB: I know your deeds—your love, your faith, your service, your perseverance—and your latest deeds are greater than your first.
20 WBS Notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit lewdness, and to eat things sacrificed 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 WBS And I gave her time to repent of her lewdness, and she repented not. BSB BSB: Even though I have given her time to repent of her immorality, she is unwilling.
22 WBS Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. 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 WBS And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he who searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give to every one of you according to your works. 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 WBS But to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, As many as have not this doctrine, and who have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you no other burden: 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 WBS But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. BSB BSB: than to hold fast to what you have until I come.
26 WBS And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works to the end, to him will I give power over the 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 WBS (And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers:) even as I received of my Father. 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 WBS And I will give him the morning-star. BSB BSB: And I will give him the morning star.
29 WBS He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. 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.