New International Version NIV
New Century Version NCV
1 “To the angelof 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.
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"Write this to the angel of the church in Ephesus: "The One who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands says this:
2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.
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I know what you do, how you work hard and never give up. I know you do not put up with the false teachings of evil people. You have tested those who say they are apostles but really are not, and you found they are liars.
3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
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You have patience and have suffered troubles for my name and have not given up.
4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.
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"But I have this against you: You have left the love you had in the beginning.
5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
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So remember where you were before you fell. Change your hearts and do what you did at first. If you do not change, I will come to you and will take away your lampstand from its place.
6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
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But there is something you do that is right: You hate what the Nicolaitansn do, as much as I.
7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
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"Every person who has ears should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. To those who win the victory I will give the right to eat the fruit from the tree of life, which is in the garden of God.
8 “To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.
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"Write this to the angel of the church in Smyrna: "The One who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again, says this:
9 I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
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I know your troubles and that you are poor, but really you are rich! I know the bad things some people say about you. They say they are Jews, but they are not true Jews. They are a synagogue that belongs to Satan.
10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.
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Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer for ten days. But be faithful, even if you have to die, and I will give you the crown of life.
11 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.
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"Everyone who has ears should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. Those who win the victory will not be hurt by the second death.
12 “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write:These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.
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"Write this to the angel of the church in Pergamum: "The One who has the sharp, double-edged sword says this:
13 I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives.
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I know where you live. It is where Satan has his throne. But you are true to me. You did not refuse to tell about your faith in me even during the time of Antipas, my faithful witness who was killed in your city, where Satan lives.
14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality.
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"But I have a few things against you: You have some there who follow the teaching of Balaam. He taught Balak how to cause the people of Israel to sin by eating food offered to idols and by taking part in sexual sins.
15 Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
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You also have some who follow the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
16 Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
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So change your hearts and lives. If you do not, I will come to you quickly and fight against them with the sword that comes out of my mouth.
17 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.
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"Everyone who has ears should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. "I will give some of the hidden manna to everyone who wins the victory. I will also give to each one who wins the victory a white stone with a new name written on it. No one knows this new name except the one who receives it.
18 “To the angel of the church in Thyatira write:These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze.
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"Write this to the angel of the church in Thyatira: "The Son of God, who has eyes that blaze like fire and feet like shining bronze, says this:
19 I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.
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I know what you do. I know about your love, your faith, your service, and your patience. I know that you are doing more now than you did at first.
20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.
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"But I have this against you: You let that woman Jezebel spread false teachings. She says she is a prophetess, but by her teaching she leads my people to take part in sexual sins and to eat food that is offered to idols.
21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling.
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I have given her time to change her heart and turn away from her sin, but she does not want to change.
22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways.
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So I will throw her on a bed of suffering. And all those who take part in adultery with her will suffer greatly if they do not turn away from the wrongs she does.
23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.
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I will also kill her followers. Then all the churches will know I am the One who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you for what you have done.
24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you,
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"But others of you in Thyatira have not followed her teaching and have not learned what some call Satan's deep secrets. I say to you that I will not put any other load on you.
25 except to hold on to what you have until I come.’
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Only continue in your loyalty until I come.
26 To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations—
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"I will give power over the nations to everyone who wins the victory and continues to be obedient to me until the end.
27 that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’—just as I have received authority from my Father.
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'You will rule over them with an iron rod, as when pottery is broken into pieces.'
28 I will also give that one the morning star.
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This is the same power I received from my Father. I will also give him the morning star.
29 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
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Everyone who has ears should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.