Revelation

¹		To the messenger of the church in Ephesus write: Thus says the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks before the seven golden lamps.
²		I acquainted with your liturgy and your toil and endurance -- that you cannot tolerate evildoers. You examine those who claim to be apostles but are not and declare them to be liars
³		You have endurance, bear up through my power and do not grow weary.
⁴		Nevertheless, I hold against you that you have abandoned your original Eucharist
⁵		Remember therefore whence you have departed and change and perform your first rites. If you do not I am coming against you and will remove your lamp from its place if you do not change
⁶		But it is in your favor that you avoid the rites of the Nicolaitans which I also hate.
⁷		Let whoever understands heed what the Spirit says to the churches. To the victorious I will grant to eat from the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.

⁸		To the messenger of the church in Smyrna write: Thus says the First and the Last, who became dead yet lives:
⁹		I know your trials and poverty (but you are rich!) and the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not but are the Synagogue of Satan.
¹⁰		Fear nothing which you are about to suffer. Watch, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison that you may be tested. You will have torment for ten days. Be steadfast to the death and I will give you the crown of life.
¹¹		Let whoever understands heed what the Spirit says to the churches. The victorious will not be harmed by the second death.

¹²		To the messenger of the church in Pergamum write: Thus say the one who has the sharp two-edged sword:
¹³		I know your location where the throne of Satan is; yet you hold fast to my name and have not denied my trust even in the days of Antipas, my faithful martyr who was slain in your midst where Satan dwells.
¹⁴		Yet, I hold a few things against you. You have those who maintain the teaching of Balaam who instructed Balak to throw a stumbling-block before the Israelites by eating food offered to idols and committing adultery.
¹⁵		Thus, you, even you, likewise are companions of those who maintain the teaching [of the] Nicolaitans.
¹⁶		Change, therefore, for if you do not I will come against you suddenly and will make war against them with the sword from my mouth.
¹⁷		Let whoever understands heed what the Spirit says to the churches. To the victor I will grant the hidden manna and will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which none knows except him who receives it.

¹⁸		To the messenger of the church in Thyatira write: Thus says the Son of God who has eyes like blazing fire and whose feet are like brass:
¹⁹		I am familiar with your rites, even your Eucharist, and your service and your endurance. Your latter rites are greater than your former.
²⁰		Nevertheless, I hold this against you that you allow the woman Jezebel, who claims to be a prophetess to teach and to mislead my servants to commit adultery by eating food offered to idols.
²¹		I have given her an opportunity to change, but she will not change from her adultery.
²²		Watch, I will throw her into a bed and those who commit adultery with her into great affliction if they do not forsake her rites.
²³		I will assuredly slay her followers so that all the churches will know that I am the one who discerns the innermost thoughts. I will recompense each according to your rites.
²⁴		I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold these teachings, whoever is not acquainted with the deep things of Satan (as they say), I will not lay upon you any other burden.
²⁵		Only strengthen what you maintain until I come.
²⁶		To the victor, the one who observes my rites to the end I will give him authority over the nations
²⁷		He shall tend them with an iron rod;
²⁸		He shall smash them like a pottery vessel. Just as I have received it from my father, so I will give to him the morning star [Venus].
²⁹		Let whoever understands heed what the Spirit says to the churches.

� gfsomsel, 1999

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