It said, »Write forthwith in a roll an account of what you see, and send it to the seven Churches–to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyateira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.«
Among our hearers was one named Lydia, a dealer in purple goods. She belonged to the city of Thyateira, and was a worshipper of the true God. The Lord opened her heart, so that she gave attention to what Paul was saying.
If from merely human motives I have fought with wild beasts in Ephesus, what profit is it to me? If the dead do not rise, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we are to die.
For I would have you know in how severe a struggle I am engaged on behalf of you and the brethren in Laodicea and of all who have not known me personally,
When I was on my journey to Macedonia I begged you to remain on in Ephesus that you might remonstrate with certain persons because of their erroneous teaching
When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as if I were dead. But He laid His right hand upon me and said, »Do not be afraid: I am the First and the Last, and the ever-living One.
the secret meaning of the seven stars which you have seen in My right hand, and of the seven lampstands of gold. The seven stars are the ministers of the seven Churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven Churches.
John sends greetings to the seven Churches in the province of Asia. May grace be granted to you, and peace, from Him who is and was and evermore will be; and from the seven Spirits which are before His throne;
And when the seven peals of thunder had spoken, I was about to write down what they had said; but I heard a voice from Heaven which told me to keep secret all that the seven peals of thunder had said, and not write it down.
And I heard a voice speaking from Heaven. It said, »Write as follows: »`Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from this time onward. Yes, says the Spirit, let them rest from their sorrowful labours; for what they have done goes with them.'«
And he said to me, »Write as follows: `Blessed are those who receive an invitation to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.'« And he added, still addressing me, »These are truly the words of God.«
»To the minister of the Church in Ephesus write as follows:« `This is what He who holds the seven stars in the grasp of His right hand says–He who walks to and fro among the seven lampstands of gold.
»To the minister of the Church at Thyateira write as follows:« `This is what the Son of God says–He who has eyes like a flame of fire, and feet resembling silver-bronze.
But to you, the rest of you in Thyateira, all who do not hold this teaching and are not the people who have learnt the »deep things,« as they call them (the deep things of Satan!) –to you I say that I lay no other burden on you.
»I Jesus have sent My angel for him solemnly to declare these things to you among the Churches. I am the Root and the offspring of David, the bright Morning Star.«
»To the minister of the Church at Sardis write as follows:« `This is what He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars says. I know your doings–you are supposed to be alive, but in reality you are dead.
»And to the minister of the Church at Laodicea write as follows:« `This is what the Amen says–the true and faithful witness, the Beginning and Lord of God's Creation.
»To the minister of the Church at Philadelphia write as follows:« `This is what the holy One and the true says –He who has the key of David– He who opens and no one shall shut, and shuts and no one shall open.