Revelation 1:11 Cross References - AUV

¹¹ saying, “Write down in a book what you see and send it to the seven churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicia” [Note: These seven congregations were all located in western Asia Minor].

¹⁹ When they arrived at Ephesus, Paul left Priscilla and Aquila there. He then went into the [Jewish] synagogue and held discussions with the Jews. ²⁰ When they asked him to stay [and continue the discussions] longer, he declined. ²¹ So, he left them, saying, "I will come back to you if it is God's will." Then He sailed from Ephesus.

²⁴ Now a certain Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria [Egypt] and an effective speaker, who was well-grounded in the [Old Testament] Scriptures, came to Ephesus.

¹ Then, while Apollos was [still] at Corinth, Paul traveled through the [western] districts and came to Ephesus where he found some disciples. ² He asked them, "Did [any of] you receive the [indwelling] Holy Spirit when you became believers [in Jesus]?" They answered him, "No, we have never [even] heard that there was a Holy Spirit." ³ Paul [again] asked, "Into what were you immersed then?" They answered him, "Into John's immersion." ⁴ Paul [then] said, "John immersed people who [demonstrated their] repentance, telling them they must believe in Jesus, the One who would come after him." ⁵ When they heard this they were immersed into the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ Then Paul placed his hands on them and [the supernatural power of] the Holy Spirit came on them and they [began to] speak in [other] languages and prophesy [i.e., speak God's message]. ⁷ The total number [of those immersed] was twelve men. ⁸ Paul went into the Jewish synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, discussing and convincing people about matters regarding the kingdom of God. ⁹ But some became stubborn and refused to obey [the message], saying false things about "the Way" [Note: This was a term used to designate the early church] in front of the large crowds. So, Paul left [the synagogue] and took the disciples and began holding discussions every day at Tyrannus' school [house]. ¹⁰ This continued for two years so that all the Jews and Greeks [i.e., Gentiles] who lived in [the province of] Asia heard the message of the Lord. ¹¹ And God performed special miracles through the hands of Paul, ¹² such as sick people, who were given hand towels or [leather] aprons that had touched Paul's body, being healed from diseases and delivered from evil spirits. ¹³ But certain traveling Jews, who practiced exorcism, decided that they too would attempt to speak the name of the Lord over people dominated of evil spirits while saying, "I command you [evil spirits to come out] by [the authority of] Jesus whom Paul preaches." ¹⁴ [Now] the seven sons of a Jewish leading priest named Sceva were doing this. ¹⁵ [On one occasion] the evil spirit replied, "I know Jesus and I know Paul, but who are you?" ¹⁶ The man with the evil spirit then jumped on all of them, took control, then overpowered them so that they ran out of the house with their clothes torn off and badly beaten. ¹⁷ When this incident became known to all of the Jews and Greeks [i.e., Gentiles] who lived in Ephesus, they became fearful and the name of the Lord Jesus was regarded with honor. ¹⁸ Many of the believers also came confessing their sins and describing what they had [previously] done. ¹⁹ And a large number of them, who had been involved in occultic practices, brought their books [on the occult] and began burning them publicly. When they calculated the cost [of the books] it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. [Note: The actual amount was approximately 150 years of a farm laborer's pay, or more than 3 million dollars in 1994]. ²⁰ So, the message of the Lord spread widely and had a great influence [over people]. ²¹ After these things happened Paul decided to travel through Macedonia and Achaia on his way to Jerusalem. He said, "Then, after I have been there I want to visit Rome also." ²² After sending his two associates Timothy and Erastus on to Macedonia [Note: These were men who cared for various needs of his ministry], Paul remained in [the province of] Asia for a while. ²³ About that time a large disturbance arose [in Ephesus] concerning "the Way." ²⁴ [Here is what happened]: A certain manufacturer of silver objects named Demetrius, who made silver replicas of the temple of Artemis [i.e., a Greek goddess], brought much business to his workmen. ²⁵ He called a meeting of his men and others involved in the same work and said to them, "Fellows, you know that we have made a good living from this work [of making temple replicas]. ²⁶ And now you have seen and heard, not only here in Ephesus, but throughout almost all of [the province of] Asia, that this Paul has been convincing people, [even] to the point of turning many away [from idol worship]. [He is] saying that hand-made gods [like we make] are not real [gods at all]. ²⁷ And not only is there a [real] danger that our trade will be discredited but also that the temple of our great goddess Artemis will be considered worthless and that even she [herself] will be dethroned from her magnificent place of being adored by all [in the province of] Asia and the world." ²⁸ When they heard this they became extremely angry and shouted out, "Great is [the goddess] Artemis, of the Ephesians." ²⁹ The city became full of confusion; they grabbed Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's Macedonian traveling companions, and everyone together rushed into the amphitheater. ³⁰ And when Paul decided to go before the crowd [to talk with them], the disciples would not allow him. ³¹ Some of his friends, who were officers in the province of Asia, sent word urging him not to take a chance by entering the amphitheater. ³² Some [in the crowd] were shouting one thing and some another; there was mass confusion, with most of the people not [even] knowing why they had assembled. ³³ [It appears that] Alexander was appointed out of the crowd by the Jews [i.e., to be their spokesman in defending them from the charges being made against Paul]. He motioned with his hand [to get attention] and attempted to speak to the assembly in defense [of the Jewish viewpoint]. ³⁴ But when the crowd realized that he was a Jew, they all joined together for about two hours shouting, "Great is [the goddess] Artemis, of the Ephesians." ³⁵ When the town clerk had quieted down the crowd, he said, "You people of Ephesus, who among you does not know that the city of Ephesus is caretaker of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell down from the sky? ³⁶ Since no one can [really] say anything against these things, just calm down and do not do anything foolish. ³⁷ For you have brought these men here --- [men] who have neither desecrated our temple nor defamed our goddess. ³⁸ If therefore Demetrius, and the workmen associated with him, have a charge against anyone, the courts are open and there are magistrates [to judge such cases]; let them file their charges against each other. ³⁹ But if you want to address other matters, they can be settled in the regular, scheduled assembly. ⁴⁰ For we are truly in danger of being accused of inciting a riot here today when there is [really] no reason for it to happen. Then concerning this problem, we will not be able to explain how it all came about." ⁴¹ And after the town clerk had said all this, he dismissed the assembly.

¹⁷ And from Miletus Paul sent to Ephesus, requesting that the elders of the church [there] come to him.

³² What benefit was it to me, from a human standpoint, if I fought wild animals in Ephesus, and [yet] the dead are not raised? [Note: This probably refers to Paul facing ferocious opposition from people there in Ephesus]. We should [just] eat and drink, for tomorrow we [may] die.

⁸ But I will wait [here] in Ephesus until the Day of Pentecost [Note: This was an annual Jewish festival, held at spring harvest time];

¹ [This letter is from] Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, according to God’s will, [and is being sent] to the saints [i.e., God’s holy people] at Ephesus [Note: This was a major city in the western province of Asia Minor, and now a part of Turkey. The words “at Ephesus” are omitted in some manuscripts, suggesting it was a circular letter], and the faithful ones in [fellowship with] Christ Jesus [everywhere else ?].

¹⁵ Greet the brothers who are at Laodicia, and Nympha, along with the church that meets in her house. ¹⁶ And when this letter has been read to you people, see that it is read in the church of the Laodicians also. And see that you read the letter [coming] from Laodicia also. [Note: This could have been a reference to the letter to the Ephesians].

³ As I urged you to do when I was leaving Macedonia [See Acts 20:1ff], I want you to remain in Ephesus in order to urge certain people not to teach a different [i.e., false] doctrine,

² [So], John testified concerning everything he saw of God’s message and Jesus Christ’s testimony [of it].

⁴ [This book is from] John [and is being sent] to the seven churches that are in Asia [Note: This refers to the province of Asia Minor, a part of present-day Turkey]. May there be unearned favor and peace to you from God, the One who is [in the present], who was [in the past] and who will come [in the future], and from the seven spirits that are in front of God’s throne [Note: Because the number “seven” was regarded as the number of perfection by the Jews, it is thought that this refers to the Holy Spirit].

⁸ “I am the Alpha and the Omega” [Note: These are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, and indicate “the beginning and the end” See 21:6], says the Lord God Almighty, who is [in the present], and who was [in the past] and who will come [in the future].

¹⁷ And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as [though I were] dead. And He placed His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last,

¹⁹ “So, write down the things that you have seen, and the things now going on, and the things that will happen later on.

⁸ “And write [this] to the angel of the church at Smyrna: These things are the words of the First and the Last [i.e., Jesus], who was dead, but has come [back] to life:

¹² “And write [this] to the angel of the church at Pergamum: These are the words of Him who has the sharp double-edged sword:

¹⁸ “And write [this] to the angel of the church at Thyatira: These are the words of the Son of God, who has eyes like flaming fire and feet like shiny brass:

¹ “And write [this] to the angel of the church at Sardis: These are the words of Him who has the seven Spirits of God [i.e., Jesus, who has the Holy Spirit] and the seven stars [i.e., the seven angels of the seven churches. See 1:20]: I know about your deeds, that you have a reputation for being [spiritually] alive, but you are [really] dead.

⁷ “And write [this] to the angel of the church at Philadelphia: These are the words of Him who is holy and true, [and] who possesses the key [i.e., the power and authority] of King David, [and] who opens [a door] which no one will close, and who closes one that no one will open:

¹⁴ “Write [this] to the angel of the church at Laodicia: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the source [or, ruler] of God’s creation [See John 1:3; Heb. 1:1-2]:

⁴ And when the seven thunders spoke [words], I started to write down [what the voices said], but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have [just] said, and do not write them down.”

¹³ Then I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write [this]: Those who are [now] dead, who died in [fellowship with] the Lord, are blessed from now on. Yes, says the Holy Spirit, they will rest from their work, for [the record of] their deeds will follow them [i.e., into the next life].”

⁹ Then the angel said to me [See 17:1; 18:1-2], “Write [this]: Those who are invited to the wedding reception of the Lamb are blessed.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

⁵ Then the One who is seated on the throne [i.e., Christ, or God] said, “Listen, I am making everything new!” Then He said, “Write [this], because these words are trustworthy and true.”