2 1:4John, to the seven churches in Asia. Grace and peace be to you, from the Is and the Was and the Is to come, and from the seven spirits which are before his throne, 1:5and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first born from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him that loved us and washed us from our sins with his blood, 1:6and made us a kingdom, priests to God even his Father, to him be the glory and the power forever; amen.
3 1:7Behold, he comes with the clouds, and every eye shall see him and those who pierced him, and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn because of him. Yes, amen. 1:8I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God; the Is, and the Was, and the Is to come, the Almighty.
4 1:9I, John, your brother and companion in the affliction and kingdom and patience in Christ Jesus, was in the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 1:10I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a loud voice as of a trumpet, 1:11saying, What you see write in a book, and send to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamus and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.
5 1:12And I turned to see the voice which spoke with me; and having turned around I saw seven golden candlesticks, 1:13and in the midst of the candlesticks one like the Son of man, clothed with a robe extending down to his feet, girded about the breasts with a golden girdle; 1:14and his head and hairs were white as white wool, as snow, and his eyes like a flame of fire, 1:15and his feet like fine brass as if they were burned in a furnace, and his voice like the sound of many waters, 1:16and he had in his right hand seven stars, and out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword, and his face shone like the sun in his strength.
6 1:17And when I saw him I fell at his feet as dead; and he put his right hand on me, saying, Fear not; I am the first and the last 1:18and the living, and I was dead, and behold, I am living forever and ever; and I have the keys of death and of hades. 1:19Write therefore the things which you saw, and which are, and which are about to appear hereafter, 1:20the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are angels of the seven churches, and the seven candlesticks the seven churches.
CHAPTER II.
LETTERS TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES.
1 2:1To the angel of the church in Ephesus write, These things says he that holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, 2:2I know your works and your labor and your patience, and that you cannot bear the wicked, and you tried those who say they are apostles and are not, and found them false; 2:3and you have patience, and suffered for my name, and did not faint. 2:4But I have against you that you have left your first love. 2:5Remember therefore whence you have fallen, and change your minds, and do the first works, otherwise I will come to you and remove your candlestick from its place, unless you change your minds. 2:6But you have this, that you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 2:7Let him that has an ear hear what the Spirit says to the churches; To him that conquers will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of my God.
2 2:8And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, These things says the first and the last, who was dead and lived, 2:9I know your affliction and poverty, but you are rich, and the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 2:10Fear not what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that you may be tried, and you shall have affliction ten days. Be faithful till death, and I will give you the crown of life. 2:11Let him that has an ear hear what the Spirit says to the churches; He that conquers shall not be injured by the second death.
3 2:12And to the angel of the church in Pergamus write, These things says he that has the two-edged sharp sword, 2:13I know your works and where you live; where Satan's throne is; and you hold my name, and did not deny my faith in the days in which Antipas my faithful martyr was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 2:14But I have a few things against you; you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put an occasion of sin before the children of Israel, both to eat things offered to idols and to commit fornication. 2:15So in like manner you have also those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans. 2:16Change your minds therefore; otherwise I will come to you quickly, and fight with them with the sword of my mouth. 2:17Let him that has an ear hear what the Spirit says to the churches; To him that conquers will I give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white token, and on the token a new name engraved, which no one knows but he that receives it.