“To the messenger of the congregation in Ephesus write: These things says he who holds the seven stars in his right hand, he who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands.
I know your works, and your labor, and your endurance, and that you are not able to put up with those who are evil, and you tested those who call themselves apostles (and they are not), and found them false,
and you have endurance and have put up with many things for my name’s sake and have not grown weary.
But I have this against you, that you left your first love.
Therefore, remember from where you have fallen and repent, and do the first works, or else I will come to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place, unless you repent.
But this you do have, that you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
Anyone who has an ear had better listen to what the Spirit says to the congregations! To him who overcomes, to him I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.
To the Church in Smyrna
“And to the messenger of the congregation in Smyrna write: These things says the first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life.
I know your affliction and poverty (but you are rich), and the defaming speech of those who say they are Jews, and are not, but are a synagogue of the Adversary.
Do not fear the things that you are about to suffer. Look! The Devil is about to throw some of you into prison so that you will be tested, and you will be afflicted for ten days. Be faithful to death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Anyone who has an ear had better listen to what the Spirit says to the congregations! Whoever overcomes will absolutely not be hurt by the second death.
To the Church in Pergamum
“And to the messenger of the congregation in Pergamum write: These things says he who has the sharp two-edged broadsword.
I know where you live, even where the Adversary’s throne is, and you hold on firmly to my name, and did not deny your trust in me, even in the days of Antipas, my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where the Adversary lives.
But I have a few things against you because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, the one who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.
So you also have some who in the same way hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
Repent therefore, or else I will come to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the broadsword coming from my mouth.
Anyone who has an ear had better listen to what the Spirit says to the congregations! To him who overcomes, to him I will give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows but the one who receives it.
To the Church in Thyatira
“And to the messenger of the congregation in Thyatira write: These things says the Son of God, who has his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet are like burnished bronze.
I know your works and love and trust and service and endurance, and that your last works are greater than the first.
But I have this against you, that you do not restrain the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads astray my servants to commit sexual immorality, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.
And I gave her time so she could repent, and she does not want to repent of her sexual immorality.
Look! I am throwing her onto a bed of suffering, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works.
And I will kill her children with death, and all the congregations will know that I am he who searches the kidneys and hearts, and I will give to each one of you according to your works.
But to you I say, to the rest that are in Thyatira, as many as do not have this teaching, who do not know the deep things of the Adversary (as they call them), I place no other burden on you.
Nevertheless, hold on firmly to what you have until I come.
And whoever overcomes, and whoever keeps my works to the end, to him I will give authority over the nations
(and he will shepherd them with a rod of iron…as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces), as I also have received from my Father,
and I will give him the morning star.
Anyone who has an ear had better listen to what the Spirit says to the congregations!