Revelation 2 "To the agent of (or: For the messenger belonging to; In the person with the message which corresponds to) the called-out community within Ephesus, write: 'The One continuously holding in His strength (or: the One being constantly strong in) the seven stars residing within His right hand, the One continuously walking about within the midst of the seven golden lampstands, continues saying these things:

JMNT⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ "To the agent of (or: For the messenger belonging to; In the person with the message which corresponds to) the called-out community within Ephesus, write: 'The One continuously holding in His strength (or: the One being constantly strong in) the seven stars residing within His right hand, the One continuously walking about within the midst of the seven golden lampstands, continues saying these things: ² I have seen, and thus know, your [note: the pronouns and verbs are singular] works (acts; deeds), and your exhausting labor, and yourremaining-under (patient endurance), and that you are not able (have no power) to bear up (lift up to carry) evil ones (worthless ones; those of bad quality), and you put to the proof those declaring themselves to be envoys (representatives; "apostles") – and they are not – and youfound them false (liars; deceivers); ³ and you constantly have patient endurance (habitually hold to remaining-under), and you bore up (lifted; carried-on) because of My Name, and are not wearied. ⁴ But on the other hand, I hold (or: have) [this] down against you: you [note: still singular] sent away (or: left; abandoned) your first love (urge toward reunion; unambiguous acceptance of others as being on the same ground; participating in the others; movement toward overcoming existential separation from another being – Tillich). ⁵ You [assembly] must be remembering, then, whence you [as a single entity] have fallen, and you must change your way of thinking and feeling (change your frame of mind and your perceptions), and you [group] must do (perform; construct) the first works (deeds; actions). Yet if not, I am continuously (repeatedly; habitually) coming to you [as a group], and I will proceed removing (or: moving) your lampstand out of its place, if ever you [as a group] may not change your way of thinking (your mind-set). ⁶ But still, this you do have, that you are constantly hating the works (acts; deeds) of the Nicolaitans, which I also continuously hate (detest; regard with ill-will).' ⁷ "Let the person having an ear hear what the Spirit is repeatedly saying to, in and by (or: the Breath-effect is continuously laying out for) the called-out communities: In (To; For) the one continuously overcoming (habitually conquering; normally victorious) I will continue giving in him (to him; for him) to eat from out of the substance of the tree (wood; log; post) of Life which continuously is (exists being) within the midst of God’s paradise [note: same word in Gen. 2:8, LXX; Luke 23:43; a garden of fruit trees]." ⁸ "And in and for the agent of (or: to the person with a message pertaining to; cf vs. 1, above) the called-out community within Smyrna, write: 'The First and the Last, the One Who came to be (was birthed) a dead one and lives (or: lived), is presently saying these things: ⁹ I have seen, and thus know (am aware of) your works (deeds; actions) and pressure (squeezing; tribulation) and poverty – but rather, you are rich – and the blasphemy (slanderous speech; hindering of light) of those declaring themselves to be Jews – and yet they are not – but rather [are] a gathering-together (a synagogue) of the adversary (Greek: of satan; or: which is satan; or: from the adversary). ¹⁰ Do not be habitually fearing things which you are about to experience (or: to suffer; in which you are about to have sensible experience). Consider: the one who thrusts-through (the one who casts adversity through your midst; the devil) is about to thrust some from among you into prison (or: jail), so that you may be tried (put to the proof), and you will continue having pressure (squeezing; tribulation) [for] ten days. Progressively come to be a faithful and reliable person (or: You must be being birthed a trusting and loyal one) until death, and I will continue giving Life’s wreath to you (or: for you the wreath of The Life; or: the victor’s symbol, which is life in you).' ¹¹ "Let the person who has an ear hear what the Spirit is presently saying to the called-out communities (the summoned forth assemblies): The one habitually overcoming (or: repeatedly victorious) may by no means be injured or harmed from the midst of the second death." ¹² "And in (or: to; for) the agent of (person with the message corresponding to; cf vs. 1, above) the called-out community within Pergamos, write: 'The One constantly holding (having) the sharp, two-mouthed broadsword is presently laying out and saying these things: ¹³ I have seen, and thus know (am aware of) where you are continually dwelling (settling down for an abode) – where satan’s seat (or: the adversary's throne and place of power) [is]! – and yet you are constantly strong in (or: getting into your power) My Name, and did not deny (disown) My Faith in the days in which Antipas, My faithful witness (or: martyr), who was killed alongside you folks: where satan dwells (where the adversary continuously has his abode). ¹⁴ But still I am holding down a few things against you: you have there those continuously strong to be retaining the teaching of Balaam, who instructed Balak to thrust a snare in the sight of the sons of Israel to eat things offered to forms (or: sacrificed to idols), and thus, to commit prostitution (= idolatry). ¹⁵ Thus, you also constantly have those being continuously strong in, and retaining, the teaching of the Nicolaitans, likewise. ¹⁶ You must change your mind (your way of thinking), therefore! Yet if not, I am repeatedly (habitually) coming swiftly in you (to you; for you) [again: you, singular], and I will proceed waging war (do battle) with them within the broadsword of My mouth.' ¹⁷ "Let the one having an ear hear what the Spirit is now saying to the called-out community: To the one habitually overcoming (repeatedly conquering), to him (in him; for him) I will continue giving manna having been hidden, and I will proceed to give to him a white pebble, and upon the pebble a new name having been written which no one knows, except the one receiving it." ¹⁸ "And to (or: in; for) the agent and message-bearer of the called-out community in Thyatira, write: 'The Son of God, the One having His eyes as a flame of fire and His feet like burnished (or: white) brass (bronze; fine copper), presently says these things: ¹⁹ I have seen, and thus know (am aware of) your [singular] acts (deeds; works), and love (urge toward reunion; participating acceptance), and faith (reliability), and service, as well as persistent remaining-under for support (relentless, humble endurance); and your last acts (works) [are] more than the first ones, ²⁰ but still, I continue holding (having) much down against you, because you are constantly letting-off (tolerating; allowing; pardoning) your wife [other MSS: the woman] Jezebel – she is habitually calling herself a prophetess – and she is continually teaching and deceiving (seducing) My slaves to practice prostitution (adultery; fornication) and (or: that is,) to eat things sacrificed to idols (things offered to forms and outward appearances). ²¹ And I give time to her, to the intent that she may change her mind (way of thinking), and habitually she is not intending (or: willing) to change her thinking out of her prostitution (= idolatry, or, association with idol temples). ²² Consider: I am presently casting her into a bed, and those habitually committing adultery with her into great pressure (tribulation; squeezing) if ever they may not change their minds out of her works (activities; deeds). ²³ And I will proceed killing her children within death, and all the called-out assemblies shall know that I am the One continuously searching the kidneys and hearts, and I will continue giving to each one of you down from (in accord to; in the sphere of; to the level of) your [plural] actions (deeds; works). ²⁴ Now I am saying to you, to the rest (the remaining) within Thyatira – whoever are not holding this teaching – who do not know "the depths of satan (the adversary), " as they are saying, I will proceed casting no other burden (weight) upon you. ²⁵ Moreover, what you have (hold) you must get into your power (be strong in; lay hold of), until of which [time or situation] whenever I may arrive (or, as a future: will proceed to be arriving).' ²⁶ "And [to] the one habitually conquering (repeatedly overcoming; constantly victorious) and keeping watch over (guarding; maintaining observance of) My acts (works; deeds) until completion (down to a final act; as far as [the] purposed and destined goal; until an end), I will continue giving to him authority (privilege from out of Being) upon the multitudes (the nations; the ethnic groups; the Gentiles). ²⁷ "And he will continue shepherding (i.e., feeding, tending and guarding) them with a staff made of iron, as he is being continuously broken [like] pottery vessels, [Ps. 2:8-9] as I also have received from My Father. ²⁸ "And I will continue giving to him (or: bestowing in him; granting for him; delivering up with him) the morning star. ²⁹ "Let the person having an ear at once hear (= pay attention and obey) what the Spirit is continuously saying to (or: in; for; among) the called-out communities!"