Focused Passage

Revelation 2:1-7

Christ Speaks to Four Churches: Love, Suffering, Compromise, and Perseverance

The chapter moves through four church messages in which Christ commends faithfulness, exposes spiritual danger, commands repentance or endurance, and promises eschatological reward to those who overcome.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of Him who holds the seven stars in His right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.

2 I know your deeds, your labor, and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate those who are evil, and you have tested and exposed as liars those who falsely claim to be apostles.

3 Without growing weary, you have persevered and endured many things for the sake of My name.

4 But I have this against you: You have abandoned your first love.

5 Therefore, keep in mind how far you have fallen. Repent and perform the deeds you did at first. But if you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

6 But you have this to your credit: You hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to eat from the tree of life in the Paradise of God.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

To the Τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular angel ἀγγέλῳ G32 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular of the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular church ἐκκλησίας G1577 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular in ἐν G1722 Preposition Ephesus Ἐφέσῳ G2181 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular write γράψον G1125 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular These [are] Τάδε G3592 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural the words λέγει G3004 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular of Him who G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular holds κρατῶν G2902 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular the τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural seven ἑπτὰ G2033 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural stars ἀστέρας G792 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural in ἐν G1722 Preposition His αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular - τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular right hand δεξιᾷ G1188 Adjective - Dative Feminine Singular - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular [and] walks περιπατῶν G4043 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular vvv ἐν G1722 Preposition among μέσῳ G3319 Adjective - Dative Neuter Singular the τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Plural seven ἑπτὰ G2033 Adjective - Genitive Feminine Plural - τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Plural golden χρυσῶν G5552 Adjective - Genitive Feminine Plural lampstands λυχνιῶν G3087 Noun - Genitive Feminine Plural
Verse 2

Original words

I know Οἶδα G1492 Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular your σου G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular - τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural deeds ἔργα G2041 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural - καὶ G2532 Conjunction your σου G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular - τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular labor κόπον G2873 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction [your] τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular perseverance ὑπομονήν G5281 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular [I know] καὶ G2532 Conjunction that ὅτι G3754 Conjunction vvv οὐ G3756 Adverb you cannot δύνῃ G1410 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Singular tolerate βαστάσαι G941 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active [those who are] evil κακούς G2556 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction you have tested ἐπείρασας G3985 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction exposed εὗρες G2147 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular - αὐτοὺς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural as liars ψευδεῖς G5571 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural those who τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural vvv καὶ G2532 Conjunction vvv εἰσίν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural falsely οὐκ G3756 Adverb claim λέγοντας G3004 Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Plural to be ἑαυτοὺς G1438 Reflexive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural apostles ἀποστόλους G652 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Verse 3

Original words

Without καὶ G2532 Conjunction . . . οὐ G3756 Adverb growing weary κεκοπίακες G2872 Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular - καὶ G2532 Conjunction you have ἔχεις G2192 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular persevered ὑπομονὴν G5281 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction endured many things ἐβάστασας G941 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular for the sake of διὰ G1223 Preposition My μου G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular - τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular name ὄνομά G3686 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Verse 4

Original words

But Ἀλλὰ G235 Conjunction I have ἔχω G2192 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular this ὅτι G3754 Conjunction against κατὰ G2596 Preposition you σοῦ G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular You have abandoned ἀφῆκες G863 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular your σου G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular - τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular first πρώτην G4413 Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular - τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular love ἀγάπην G26 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Verse 5

Original words

Therefore οὖν G3767 Conjunction keep in mind μνημόνευε G3421 Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular how far πόθεν G4159 Adverb you have fallen πέπτωκας* G4098 Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular - καὶ G2532 Conjunction Repent μετανόησον G3340 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction perform ποίησον G4160 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular the τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural deeds [you did] ἔργα G2041 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural at first πρῶτα G4413 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural But δὲ G1161 Conjunction if εἰ G1487 Conjunction vvv μή G3361 Adverb vvv ἐὰν G1437 Conjunction vvv μὴ G3361 Adverb you do not repent μετανοήσῃς G3340 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Singular I will come ἔρχομαί G2064 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular to you σοι G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction remove κινήσω G2795 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular your σου G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular - τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular lampstand λυχνίαν G3087 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular from ἐκ G1537 Preposition its αὐτῆς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular place τόπου G5117 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Verse 6

Original words

But Ἀλλὰ G235 Conjunction you have ἔχεις G2192 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular this τοῦτο G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular [to your credit] ὅτι G3754 Conjunction You hate μισεῖς G3404 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular the τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural works ἔργα G2041 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural of the τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural Nicolaitans Νικολαϊτῶν G3531 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural which G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural I also κἀγὼ G2504 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular hate μισῶ G3404 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Verse 7

Original words

He who G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular has ἔχων G2192 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular an ear οὖς G3775 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular let him hear ἀκουσάτω G191 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 3rd Person Singular what τί G5101 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular the τὸ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Singular Spirit Πνεῦμα G4151 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular says λέγει G3004 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular to the ταῖς G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Plural churches ἐκκλησίαις G1577 Noun - Dative Feminine Plural To the [one who] Τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular overcomes νικῶντι G3528 Verb - Present Participle Active - Dative Masculine Singular I will grant [the right] δώσω G1325 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular . . . αὐτῷ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular to eat φαγεῖν G5315 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active from ἐκ G1537 Preposition the τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Singular tree ξύλου G3586 Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular - τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular of life ζωῆς G2222 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular - G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular - ἐστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular in ἐν G1722 Preposition the τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular Paradise Παραδείσῳ G3857 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular of God Θεοῦ G2316 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.