1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds ^lthe seven stars in his right hand, ^mwho walks among the seven golden lampstands.

2 “‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and ⁿyou have ^onot grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; ^prepent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. 6 Yet this you have: you hate the works of the ^qNicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 ^rHe who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the ^stree of life, which is in the ^tparadise of God.’

8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of ^uthe first and the last, who ^vdied and came to life.

9 “‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are ^wrich) and the slander¹ of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a ^xsynagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the ^ydevil is about to throw some of you into ^zprison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have ^atribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the ^bcrown of life. 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by ^cthe second death.’