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Write {this message} to the angel of the assembly of believers in the city of Ephesus: "The one who holds the seven stars in his right hand and who walks among the seven golden lamp holders says the following: 2 ‘I am aware of all that you have done. {I am aware of how hard} you have worked {for me}. {I am aware of how} you have patiently endured {difficult times}. {I am also aware of the fact that} you do not accept wicked people and that you evaluate the people who claim to be Representatives that Jesus sent. {However, such people are} not Representatives that Jesus sent, just as you have discovered them to be lying. 3 {I am aware of how} you have patiently endured. {I am also aware of how} you have suffered for my sake. {I am also aware of the fact that you have worked very hard to the point of exhaustion, but} you have not become so tired {that you would give up your labors}. 4 Nevertheless, I must criticize you {about this matter}: you have abandoned your original love {that you had when you first began to believe}. 5 Therefore, remember how you used to love me. Love me again with the effort you made at first. However, if you do not change your mind, I will visit you and take away your lamp holder from its location. 6 However, {I praise you for} one thing you do {well}: You detest the practices of the disciples of Nicolaus. I also detest {the practices of the disciples of Nicolaus}. 7 You can hear, can you not? {Then} listen to what the Spirit {of God} says to the assemblies of believers. {The message is this}: I will permit anyone who is victorious to eat {fruit} from the tree that gives life and is in the garden of God.'" 8 Write {this message} to the angel of the assembly of believers in the city of Smyrna: "The First One {who began all things}, the Last One {who causes all things to end}, and the one who died and became alive again says the following: 9 'I am aware of {how people have} distressed you. {I am aware of how} poor you are, although {actually} you are wealthy. {I am aware of the people who} slander you. {These are the people} who claim to be Jews, but who are not {really} Jews. {They are actually members} of the gathering of Satan. 10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to endure. Pay attention! The devil will soon place some of you in jail in order that {your enemies} may test you. {Your enemies} will distress you for ten days. {But} remain loyal {to me} until you die. {When you die, then} I will give you {eternal} life {as a victory prize, just like} a sports wreath. 11 You can hear, can you not? {Then} listen to what the Spirit {of God} says to the assemblies of believers. {The message is this}: Whoever is victorious will never die a second time.'" 12 Write {this message} to the angel of the assembly of believers in the city of Pergamum: “The one who has a sword with two sharp edges says the following: 13 ’I am aware of where you live. It is the {place} where Satan controls people. {I am also aware that} you are very loyal to me. You never reject your faith in me, not even when Antipas, who faithfully witnessed about me, {was living}. {People} executed him in your presence {within your city}, there where Satan dwells {and rules}. 14 Nevertheless, I must criticize you regarding a few {matters}: {Some people of your assembly} practice the instruction of Balaam. Balaam showed Balak {how} to tempt the people of Israel {into doing sinful acts}. {Balak tempted the people of Israel} so that they then ate meat that other people had previously sacrificed to idols. {Balak also tempted the people of Israel} so that they then practiced sexual immorality. 15 Thus, in a similar manner, {some people of your assembly} also practice the instruction of the disciples of Nicolaus. 16 Therefore, {stop doing such things and} change your minds. However, if you do not change your minds, then I will visit you suddenly {for your punishment}. I will fight against those {who do not change their minds}. I will fight them with a sword that has two sharp edges and extends from my mouth. 17 You can hear, can you not? {Then} listen to what the Spirit {of God} says to the assemblies of believers. {The message is this}: To the one who is victorious I will award him with a manna that I have hid for him. I will also award him a white pebble upon which I have written a new name for him. I will award him a new name that no one knows except the one who receives {the new name}.’” 18 Write {this message} to the angel of the assembly of believers in the city of Thyatira: “The Son of God, whose eyes shine like a flame of fire and whose feet shine like bronze, says the following: 19 ’I am aware of all that you have done. {I am also aware of how} you love. {I am aware that} you are very loyal. {I am also aware of how} you serve. {I am aware of how} you have patiently endured. {Finally, I am aware of the fact that} you are {now} doing more than you did {when you first believed in me}. 20 Nevertheless, I must criticize you {about this matter}: You tolerate that woman {in your assembly} who is {like that wicked woman named} Jezebel in the Old Testament. Although she calls herself a prophet, but by what she teaches, she is misleading those who serve me. She is teaching {believers} to practice sexual immorality and to eat meat that other people had previously sacrificed to idols. 21 Although I allowed her {sufficient} time to change her mind and to stop her immorality, she did not wish to stop. 22 Pay attention! I will consequently strike her and her {fellow} adulterers soon with a {terrible} sickness. {I will cause her and her fellow adulterers} to suffer terribly if they do not change their minds and stop their {wicked} actions. 23 I will kill those who believe in her teachings {as if they were} her children. Then all the assemblies of believers will realize that I am the one who examines what everyone thinks and desires. I will punish each one of you according to what you have done. 24 But {I now speak} to the rest of you {believers} in Thyatira who have not accepted {Jezebel‘s evil} instruction. {I address you} who have not become acquainted with that instruction {which their teachers} call ‘the profound truths that Satan reveals to them’. {To you I promise that} I will not burden you with any other duty than this one: 25 {I do not burden you with any duty} except {the duty} which you already know. {Therefore}, you must firmly believe in me {so that you continue to obey me} until {the final day when} I arrive. 26 As for those who are victorious and who keep on doing what I command until they die, I will grant to such people an authority over all people. 27 They will rule {all people} by striking them with an iron rod. {They will punish those who are wicked} just like people shatter clay containers. 28 Just as {I also will use my authority} which I took from my Father. {Likewise,} I will grant to that person {who is victorious and rules with me} the morning star {as an award}. 29 You can hear, can you not? {Then} listen to what the Spirit {of God} says to the assemblies of believers.’”