2:1. Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:
The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands:
2:2. I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
I know your works:
Isaiah 66:18; Revelation (KJV 2:9, 13,) 2:19, 23; 3:1-2, 8, 15; 9:20.
Your toil and your patient endurance: And how you cannot bear evil men but have tested those who call themselves apostles but are not and have found them false:
1 Cor. 9:2; 2 Cor. 11:13-15, 26; 12:12; Gal. 2:4; 2 Peter 2:1; 1 John 4:1; Revelation 2:9; 3:9.
2:3. And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake and you have not grown weary:
Gal. 6:9; 2 Thess. 3:13.
2:4. Nevertheless I have [somewhat] against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
But I have this against you: (WS ‘Indictment’, WS ‘Cause’)
Translated ‘controversy’: Isaiah 34:8; Jer. 25:31; Hosea 4:1; 12:2; Micah 6:2;
Translated ‘contend’:(RSV) Isaiah 3:13-14;
Job 9:3; 10:2; Isaiah 49:25; 50:8; 57:16; Amos 7:4,(KJV); Micah 6:1;(KJV)
Translated ‘(Plead the) cause’: Prov. 22:23; 23:11; Isaiah 41:21; Jer. 50:34; 51:36; Acts 13:28; Revelation 2:14, 20.
That you have abandoned the love you had at first:
Matt. 24:12.
2:5. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Remember then from what you have fallen:
2 Peter 3:17.
Repent and do the works you did at first.
Jonah 3:6-10; Matt. 12:41-42; Rom. 2:4-5; Revelation 2:16, 21, 22; 3:3, 19; 9:20, 21; 16:9.
If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent:
2:6. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
Yet this you have, you hate the works of the Nicolaitans which I also hate:
Prov. 8:13; Isaiah 61:8; Jer. 44:3-4; Amos 5:21; Zech. 8:17; Revelation 2:15.
(See also note on this verse in Harper’s Study Bible.)
2:7. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
He who has an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the Churches:
Deut. 29:4; Psalms 115:4-8; 135:15-18; Isaiah 6:9-13; 29:11-12, 18; 30:10-11; 32:3; 35:5; 43:8; 44:9, 18; 64:4;
Jer. 5:21; 6:10; 7:23-28; 11:3-8; 12:17; 13:10, 15; 22:21; 26:4-6; 29:19-20; 34:14-17; 6:24-25, 31; 37:2; 43:5; 44:16;
Ezek. 2:5, 7; 3:11, 27; 12:2;
Zech. 1:4; 7:11-13; Matt. 7:24; 11:5, 15; 13:9, 13-23, 43; 23:38; Mark 4:3-25, 33; 8:17-18; Luke 8:8-10; 10:16, 24;
John 9; 12:39-40; Acts 28:26-27; Rom. 11:7; 15:21; 1 Cor. 2:9; Revelation 2:11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22; 13:9.
To him who conquers: (WS ‘Overcomes/Conquers’).
Matt. 24:13; Luke 11:22; 21:19; John 16:33; Rom. 8:37; 12:21; 2 Peter 19-20; 1 John 2:13-14; 4:4; 5:4-5; Revelation 2:11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21; 6:2; 11:7; 13:7; 15:2; 17:14; 21:7.
I will grant to eat of the tree of Life:
Gen. 2:9, 17; 3:22-24; Proverbs 3:18; 11:30; 13:12; Revelation 22:2, 14.
.Which is in the paradise of God:
Luke 23:43; Revelation 22:2, 14.
(Paradise=New Jerusalem)
2:8. And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The words of the first and the last:
Who died and came to life:
2:9. I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and [I know] the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but [are] the synagogue of Satan.
I know your tribulation and your poverty, (but you are rich):
John 11:52; James 2:5-7.
And the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan: (WS ‘Profane’ and WS ‘Jews’).
Exod. 20:7; Lev. 18:21; 19:12; 21:6; 22:2, 32; 24:16; Deut. 5:11; Psalm 73:1, (definition of “Israel”); 74:18; 139:20; Prov. 30:9; Jer. 34:15-16; Mal. 1:6,11,14; Matt. 12:31; Mark 3:28-29; Acts 19:13-14; 26:6; Rom. 2:24; Colossians 3:8; 1 Tim. 1:19-20; 6:1; James 2:7; Revelation 2:9; 13:5-6; 16:9, 11, 21; 17:3-5.
Theme False Jews / False Israel:
Ezra 9:1-4; 10:1-44; Isaiah 48:1-2; 63:19; Jer. 5:10 (with Rom. 11:17-21); Matt. 7:16-20; John 8:33-47; 10:16; 11:52; 5:2-6; Rom. 2:17-29; 9:6-8, 27; 10:21; 11:5-7; 2 Cor. 11:13-15; Eph. 2:13-22; 2 Thess. 2:9-12; 1 John 2:21-23; 4:1-6; 5:10; 2 John 7-9; Revelation 2:13, 24; 3:9;
By Contrast with True Israel:
Isaiah 49:1-12; John 10:16; 11:52; 15:6; Gal. 3:7-29; Eph. 3:11-21; Phil. 3:3; Colossians 3:11; Titus 1:10-14; James 1:1; 1 Peter 1:1-2 ‘Dispersion’; 2:9-10 ‘Chosen race’; 2:12 and 4:3 opposite of ‘Gentiles’.
Scriptures that show that Christ = “Israel”:
Isaiah 49:3; Hosea 11:1; Matt. 2:15;
Isaiah 49:1; Matt. 1:20 49:2; Revelation 1:16- Sharp sword of mouth;
49:3; John 13:31-33 – Glorified;
49:6; Luke 2:32 – Light;
49:7; 53:3; Luke 10:16; I Thess. 4:8 despised;
Isaiah 49:8; Luke 14:19; 2 Cor. 6:2 Acceptable time;
49:9; Isaiah 9:2; Matt. 4:16 – Darkness/light;
49:10; Revelation 7:16-17 – Not hunger, thirst, not smitten by heat of sun;
49:11; Luke 3:5 – Hiway, also Isaiah 35:8; 40:3;
49:12; Luke 13:29 – come from the east and west, etc.
2:10. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall 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 a crown of life.
Do not fear what you are about to suffer:
Matt. 25:36-44;
Mark 13:13;
John 15:20;
2 Cor. 11:23-27;
Phil. 1:29;
Heb. 2:18; 11:36-38;
1 Peter 2:19-21; 3:14-17; 4:1, 16, 19; 5:10.
The devil is about to throw some of you into prison:
Gen. 39:20;
Psalms 69:33; 79:11; 102:20; 146:7;
Isaiah 42:7; 49:9;61:1;
Jer. 32:2; 33:1; 37:21; 38:6, 28; 39:15;
Matt. 14:3; 25:36;
Luke 21:12;
Acts 5:18-19; 8:3; 12:4-7; 16:23-27; 26:9-11;
Eph. 3:1; 4:1;
Philemon 1:9.
That you may be tested and for ten days you will have tribulation:
Daniel 1:12-20.
Be Faithful unto death,
Gal. 6:9; Revelation 12:11.
And I will give you the crown of life: (WS 2:10 ‘Crown of Life’).
Psalm 8:5; 103:4;
Prov. 4:9; 14:18;
1 Cor. 9:25;
2 Tim. 2:5; 4:8;
Heb. 2:7-9;
James 1:12;
1 Peter 5:4;
Revelation 3:11; 4:4, 10; 6:2. See also 12:1; 14:14; 19:12.
2:11. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
He who conquers shall not be hurt by the second death: (WS ‘Hurt’)
Revelation 20:14; 21:8.