Revelation 2 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

Write this to the angel of the gathered community in Ephesus: Here is what the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand says — the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands:

I know what you've been doing — your hard work and your endurance. I know you can't tolerate people who do evil. You tested those who claim to be sent ones but aren't, and you exposed them as fakes.

You have endurance, and you've carried heavy burdens because of my name, and you haven't given up.

But I have this against you: you've abandoned the love you had at the beginning.

So remember how far you've fallen. Change direction and do the things you did at first. If you don't, I'm coming to you and I'll remove your lampstand from its place.

But you do have this going for you: you hate what the Nicolaitans do, which I also hate.

If you have ears, pay attention to what the Breath is telling the gathered communities. To everyone who conquers, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life that stands in God's paradise.

And write this to the angel of the gathered community in Smyrna: Here is what the First and the Last says — the one who died and came back to life:

I know your suffering and your poverty — but you're actually rich. And I know the slander from those who claim to be Jewish but aren't. They're a gathering place for the adversary.

Don't be afraid of what you're about to suffer. Pay attention — the devil is going to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you'll go through intense pressure for ten days. Stay faithful all the way to death, and I'll give you the crown of life.

If you have ears, pay attention to what the Breath is telling the gathered communities. Whoever conquers will not be harmed by the second death.

And write this to the angel of the gathered community in Pergamum: Here is what the one with the sharp double-edged sword says:

I know where you live — right where the adversary has his throne. Yet you hold on to my name and didn't deny your trust in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was killed among you — right where the adversary lives.

But I have a few things against you: you have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to set a trap for the people of Israel — luring them to eat food sacrificed to idols and to engage in sexual corruption.

In the same way, you also have people who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

So change direction! If you don't, I'm coming to you quickly and I'll fight against them with the sword that comes from my mouth.

If you have ears, pay attention to what the Breath is telling the gathered communities. To everyone who conquers, I will give some of the hidden manna. I'll also give them a white stone with a new name written on it that nobody knows except the one who receives it.

And write this to the angel of the gathered community in Thyatira: Here is what the Son of God says — the one whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like polished bronze:

I know what you've been doing — your love, your trust, your service, and your endurance. And your recent work is even better than what you did at first.

But I have this against you: you're putting up with that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet and is teaching and misleading my servants to engage in sexual corruption and eat food sacrificed to idols.

I gave her time to change direction, but she refuses to turn away from her sexual corruption.

So pay attention — I'm about to throw her onto a bed of suffering, and those who are unfaithful with her will go through intense pressure unless they change direction and abandon what she's been doing.

I will strike her followers dead. Then all the gathered communities will know that I am the one who searches minds and hearts, and I will give each of you what your actions deserve.

Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira — those who don't follow this teaching and haven't explored what they call 'the deep things of the adversary' — I'm not going to pile any other burden on you.

Just hold on to what you have until I come.

To everyone who conquers and keeps doing what I want until the end, I will give authority over the nations —

and they will rule them with an iron rod, shattering them like clay pots — the same authority I received from my Father.

And I will give them the morning star.

If you have ears, pay attention to what the Breath is telling the gathered communities.