Chapter 2

  'To the minister of the Church in Ephesus write as follows: ''This is what He who holds the seven stars in the grasp of His right hand says--He who walks to and fro among the seven lampstands of gold.

  I know your doings and your toil and patient suffering. And I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, but have put to the test those who say that they themselves are Apostles but are not, and you have found them to be liars.

  And you endure patiently and have borne burdens for My sake and have never grown weary.

  Yet I have this against you--that you no longer love Me as you did at first.

  Be mindful, therefore, of the height from which you have fallen. Repent at once, and act as you did at first, or else I will surely come and remove your lampstand out of its place--unless you repent.

  Yet this you have in your favor: you hate the doings of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

  ''Let all who have ears give heed to what the Spirit is saying to the Churches. To him who overcomes I will give the privilege of eating the fruit of the Tree of Life, which is in the Paradise of God.'

  'To the minister of the Church at Smyrna write as follows: ''This is what the First and the Last says--He who died and has returned to life.

  Your sufferings I know, and your poverty--but you are rich--and the evil name given you by those who say that they themselves are Jews, and are not, but are Satan's synagogue.

  Dismiss your fears concerning all that you are about to suffer. I tell you that the Devil is about to throw some of you into prison that you may be put to the test, and for ten days you will have to endure persecution. Be faithful to the End, even if you have to die, and then I will give you the victor's Wreath of Life.

  ''Let all who have ears give heed to what the Spirit is saying to the Churches. He who overcomes shall be in no way hurt by the Second Death.'

  'To the minister of the Church at Pergamum write as follows: ''This is what He who has the sharp, two-edged sword says. I know where you dwell.

  Satan's throne is there; and yet you are true to Me, and did not deny your faith in Me, even in the days of Antipas My witness and faithful friend, who was put to death among you, in the place where Satan dwells.

  Yet I have a few things against you, because you have with you some that cling to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling-block in the way of the descendants of Israel--to eat what had been sacrificed to idols, and commit fornication.

  So even you have some that cling in the same way to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

  Repent, at once; or else I will come to you quickly, and will make war upon them with the sword which is in My mouth.

  ''Let all who have ears give heed to what the Spirit is saying to the Churches. He who overcomes--to him I will give some of the hidden Manna, and a white stone; and--written upon the stone and known only to him who receives it-- a new name.'

  'To the minister of the Church at Thyateira write as follows: ''This is what the Son of God says--He who has eyes like a flame of fire, and feet resembling silver-bronze.

  I know your doings, your love, your faith, your service, and your patient endurance; and that of late you have toiled harder than you did at first.

  Yet I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and by her teaching leads astray My servants, so that they commit fornication and eat what has been sacrificed to idols.

  I have given her time to repent, but she is determined not to repent of her fornication.

  I tell you that I am about to cast her upon a bed of sickness, and I will severely afflict those who commit adultery with her, unless they repent of conduct such as hers.

  Her children too shall surely die; and all the Churches shall come to know that I am He who searches into men's inmost thoughts; and to each of you I will give a requital which shall be in accordance with what your conduct has been.

  But to you, the rest of you in Thyateira, all who do not hold this teaching and are not the people who have learnt the 'deep things,' as they call them (the deep things of Satan!) --to you I say that I lay no other burden on you.

  Only that which you already possess, cling to until I come.

  ''And to him who overcomes and obeys My commands to the very end, I will give authority over the nations of the earth.

  And he shall be their shepherd, ruling them with a rod of iron, just as earthenware jars are broken to pieces; and his power over them shall be like that which I Myself have received from My Father;

  and I will give him the Morning Star.

  Let all who have ears give heed to what the Spirit is saying to the Churches.'