1 To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, he that walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks: 2 I know thy works, and thy toil and patience, and that thou canst not bear evil men, and didst try them that call themselves apostles, and they are not, and didst find them false; 3 and thou hast patience and didst bear for my name’s sake, and hast not grown weary. 4 But I have [this] against thee, that thou didst leave thy first love. 5 Remember therefore whence thou art fallen, and repent and do the first works; or else I come to thee, and will move thy candlestick out of its place, except thou repent. 6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh, to him will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God. 8 And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These things saith the first and the last, who was dead, and lived [again]: 9 I know thy tribulation, and thy poverty (but thou art rich), and the blasphemy of them that say they are Jews, and they are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Fear not the things which thou art about to suffer: behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life. 11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. 12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These things saith he that hath the sharp two-edged sword: 13 I know where thou dwellest, [even] where Satan’s throne is; and thou holdest fast my name, and didst not deny my faith, even in the days of Antipas my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwelleth. 14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there some that hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication. 15 So hast thou also some that hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans in like manner. 16 Repent therefore; or else I come to thee quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh, to him will I give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and upon the stone a new name written, which no one knoweth but he that receiveth it. 18 And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet are like unto burnished brass: 19 I know thy works, and thy love and faith and ministry and patience, and that thy last works are more than the first. 20 But I have [this] against thee, that thou sufferest the woman Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess; and she teacheth and seduceth my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 And I gave her time that she should repent; and she willeth not to repent of her fornication. 22 Behold, I cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of her works. 23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he that searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto each one of you according to your works. 24 But to you I say, to the rest that are in Thyatira, as many as have not this teaching, who know not the deep things of Satan, as they are wont to say; I cast upon you none other burden. 25 Nevertheless that which ye have, hold fast till I come. 26 And he that overcometh, and he that keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the nations: 27 and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to shivers; as I also have received of my Father: 28 and I will give him the morning star. 29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.
Revelation · American Standard Version (1901)
Revelation 2 American Standard Version (1901)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Antipas
Called Christ's faithful witness, killed at Pergamum where Satan dwells.
Cited in the guide: Revelation 2:13
Jezebel
A woman at Thyatira who called herself a prophetess and led Christ's servants into immorality and idolatry; the name probably recalls Ahab's wife.
Cited in the guide: Revelation 2:20
Places
Ephesus
The chief city of Roman Asia, famed for the temple of Artemis. Paul's long ministry sparked the silversmiths' riot; the city is also the first addressed in Revelation.
Cited in the guide: Acts 19:1; Acts 19:28; Revelation 2:1
Cross references (29)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Revelation 1:20; Revelation 1:16; Revelation 1:11–13; Revelation 3:7; Revelation 2:18
- 2 1 John 4:1; 2 Peter 2:1–3; 1 Thessalonians 5:21; 2 Corinthians 11:13–15; Revelation 3:8
- 3 Hebrews 10:36; Galatians 6:9; James 5:7–11; Hebrews 12:1; James 1:3–4
- 4 Matthew 24:12–13; Jeremiah 2:2–5; Hebrews 6:10–11; Philippians 1:9; 2 Thessalonians 1:3
- 5 Revelation 3:2–3; Revelation 3:19; Revelation 2:16; Hosea 14:1; Acts 17:30–31
- 6 Psalm 26:5; Psalm 101:3; 2 John 9–10; Revelation 2:14–15; 2 Chronicles 19:2
- 7 Revelation 2:11; Revelation 2:17; Matthew 11:15; Matthew 13:43; Revelation 13:9
- 8 Revelation 1:17–18; Revelation 1:8; Revelation 1:11; Revelation 2:1
- 9 Revelation 3:9; James 2:5–6; 2 Corinthians 8:9; Romans 9:6; 2 Corinthians 6:10
- 10 James 1:12; Matthew 10:22; Revelation 3:10–11; Luke 21:16–19; Mark 13:13
- 11 Revelation 20:6; Revelation 20:14; Revelation 21:8; Revelation 2:7; Revelation 2:17
- 12 Revelation 2:16; Revelation 1:16; Hebrews 4:12; Revelation 19:15; Revelation 1:11
- 13 Revelation 2:9–10; 1 Timothy 5:8; Revelation 3:8–9; Revelation 3:11; Acts 22:20
- 14 Numbers 31:16; 2 Peter 2:15; Revelation 2:20; Numbers 25:1–3; Jude 11
- 15 Revelation 2:6
- 16 2 Thessalonians 2:8; Revelation 1:16; Ephesians 6:17; Revelation 2:5; Isaiah 11:4
- 17 Isaiah 62:2; Isaiah 65:15; Revelation 19:12–13; Revelation 3:12–13; Revelation 2:7
- 18 Revelation 1:14–15; Revelation 1:11; John 3:35–36; Psalm 2:7; John 5:25
- 19 1 Timothy 1:5; 2 Peter 1:7; John 15:2; 2 Thessalonians 1:3; Revelation 2:2–4
- 20 Revelation 2:14; 1 Kings 16:31; 1 Corinthians 10:18–21; Acts 15:29; 2 Kings 9:7
- 21 2 Peter 3:9; Romans 2:4–5; Revelation 9:20–21; Revelation 16:11; Revelation 16:9
- 22 Revelation 17:2; Luke 13:5; Ezekiel 16:37–41; Jeremiah 36:3; Revelation 18:3
- 23 Matthew 16:27; Psalm 7:9; Romans 8:27; 1 Peter 1:17; Acts 1:24
- 24 2 Corinthians 2:11; Revelation 12:9; 2 Corinthians 11:3; Acts 15:28; 2 Corinthians 11:13–15
- 25 Revelation 3:3; Revelation 3:11; Hebrews 10:23; 1 Thessalonians 5:21; Revelation 22:7
- 26 Revelation 3:21; Revelation 2:7; Daniel 7:27; Psalm 2:8; Revelation 20:4
- 27 Psalm 2:8–9; Revelation 12:5; Revelation 19:15; Isaiah 30:14; Matthew 11:27
- 28 Revelation 22:16; 2 Peter 1:19; Luke 1:78–79
- 29 Revelation 2:7
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Wherefore the Word has also spoken of them thus: "But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate." Chapter XXVII — Doctrines of Cerdo and Marcion
… and is called so; so also, when man is grafted in by faith and receives the Spirit of God, he certainly does not lose the substance of flesh, but changes the quality of the fruit [brought forth, i.e.,] of his works, and receives another name, showing that he has become changed for the better, being now not [mere] flesh and …