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OET OET-RV OET-LV ULT UST BSB BLB AICNT OEB WEB WMB NET LSV FBV TCNT T4T LEB BBE MOF JPS ASV DRA YLT DBY RV WBS KJB BB GNV CB TNT WYC SR-GNT UHB Related Parallel Interlinear Reference Dictionary Search
parallelVerse INT GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOS JDG RUTH 1SA 2SA 1KI 2KI 1CH 2CH EZRA NEH EST JOB PSA PRO ECC SNG ISA JER LAM EZE DAN HOS JOEL AMOS OBA YNA MIC NAH HAB ZEP HAG ZEC MAL YHN MARK MAT LUKE ACTs ROM 1COR 2COR GAL EPH PHP COL 1TH 2TH 1TIM 2TIM TIT PHM HEB YAC 1PET 2PET 1YHN 2YHN 3YHN YUD REV
Rev Intro C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 C15 C16 C17 C18 C19 C20 C21 C22
Rev 2 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18 V19 V20 V21 V22 V23 V24 V25 V26 V27 V28 V29
Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible. This view is only designed for doing comparisons of different translations. Click on any Bible version abbreviation to see the verse in more of its context. The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.
OET (OET-RV) To the assembly’s messenger in Ephesus write:
¶ The one holding the seven stars in his right hand, the one walking among the seven golden lampstands, says these things:
OET-LV To_the messenger which in Efesos assembly write:
These things is_saying the one taking_hold_of the seven stars in the right hand of_him, the one walking in the_midst of_the seven lampstands the golden:
SR-GNT Τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῷ ἐν Ἐφέσῳ ἐκκλησίας γράψον: ‘Τάδε λέγει ὁ κρατῶν τοὺς ἑπτὰ ἀστέρας ἐν τῇ δεξιᾷ αὐτοῦ, ὁ περιπατῶν ἐν μέσῳ τῶν ἑπτὰ λυχνιῶν τῶν χρυσέων: ‡
(Tōi angelōi tōi en Efesōi ekklaʸsias grapson: ‘Tade legei ho kratōn tous hepta asteras en taʸ dexia autou, ho peripatōn en mesōi tōn hepta luⱪniōn tōn ⱪruseōn:)
Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).
ULT To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:
¶ ‘The one holding the seven stars in his right hand, the one walking in the midst of the seven golden lampstands, says these things:
UST Write this message to the angel of the group of believers in the city of Ephesus: ‘I am the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand and who walks among the seven golden lamp holders. This is what I say to you:
BSB § “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.
BLB To the messenger of the church in Ephesus write: These things says the One holding the seven stars in His right hand, walking in the midst of the seven golden lampstands.
AICNT To the angel of the church {in}[fn] Ephesus write: “These things says the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands:
2:1, in: Later manuscripts read “of.” TR
OEB ‘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 lamps:
CSB “Write to the angel of the church in Ephesus: Thus says the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand and who walks among the seven golden lampstands:
NLT “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Ephesus. This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands:
NIV “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.
CEV This is what you must write to the angel of the church in Ephesus: I am the one who holds the seven stars in my right hand, and I walk among the seven gold lampstands. Listen to what I say.
ESV “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.
NASB “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this:
LSB “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: This is what the One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says:
WEB “To the angel of the assembly in Ephesus write:
¶ “He who holds the seven stars in his right hand, he who walks among the seven golden lamp stands says these things:
MSG To Ephesus
Write this to Ephesus, to the Angel of the church. The One with Seven Stars in his right-fist grip, striding through the golden seven-lights’ circle, speaks:
NET “To the angel of the church in Ephesus, write the following:
¶ “This is the solemn pronouncement of the one who has a firm grasp on the seven stars in his right hand – the one who walks among the seven golden lampstands:
LSV “To the messenger of the Ephesian assembly write: These things says He who is holding the seven stars in His right hand, who is walking in the midst of the seven golden lampstands:
FBV “Write this to the angel of the Ephesus church: This is what the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand says, the one who walks among the seven golden candlesticks:
TCNT “To the angel of the [fn]church in Ephesus write: ‘These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and who walks among the seven golden lampstands:
2:1 church in Ephesus ¦ Ephesian church TR
T4T He also said to me, “Write this message to the leader [MET] of the congregation in Ephesus city: ‘I am saying these things to you: I am the one who firmly holds the seven stars in my right hand. I am the one who walks among the seven golden lampstands.
LEB “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:“This is what the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand says, the one who walks in the midst of the seven gold lampstands:
NRSV “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands:
NKJV “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands:
NAB “To the angel of the church in Ephesus, write this: “ ‘The one who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks in the midst of the seven gold lampstands says this:
BBE To the angel of the church in Ephesus say: These things says he who has the seven stars in his right hand, who is walking in the middle of the seven gold lights:
MOF No MOF REV book available
ASV To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:
¶ These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, he that walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks:
DRA Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write: These things saith he, who holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks:
YLT 'To the messenger of the Ephesian assembly write: These things saith he who is holding the seven stars in his right hand, who is walking in the midst of the seven lamp-stands — the golden:
DBY To the angel of the assembly in Ephesus write: These things says he that holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lamps:
RV To the angel of the church in Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, he that walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks:
WBS To the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
KJB Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
( Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth/holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; )
BB Vnto the Angel of the Churche at Ephesus, write: these thynges sayth he that holdeth the seuen starres in his ryght hande, and that walketh in the middes of the seuen golden candlestickes:
(Unto the Angel of the Church at Ephesus, write: these things saith/says he that holdeth/holds the seven stars in his right hand, and that walketh in the middes of the seven golden candlesticks:)
GNV VNto the Angel of the Church of Ephesus write, These things saieth he that holdeth the seuen starres in his right hand, and walketh in the middes of the seuen golden candlestickes.
(VNto the Angel of the Church of Ephesus write, These things saieth he that holdeth/holds the seven stars in his right hand, and walketh in the middes of the seven golden candlesticks. )
CB Vnto the angell of the congregacion of Ephesus wryte: These thinges sayth he that holdeth the seuen starres in his righthonde, and walketh in the myddes of the seuen golde candelstickes:
(Unto the angell of the congregation of Ephesus wryte: These things saith/says he that holdeth/holds the seven stars in his righthonde, and walketh in the myddes of the seven gold candelstickes:)
TNT Unto the messenger of the congregacion of Ephesus wryte: These thynges sayth he that holdeth the vii. starres in his right honde and walketh in the myddes of the vii. golden candlestyckes.
(Unto the messenger of the congregation of Ephesus wryte: These things saith/says he that holdeth/holds the 7 stars in his right hand and walketh in the myddes of the 7 golden candlesticks. )
WYC And to the aungel of the chirche of Efesus write thou, These thingis seith he, that holdith the seuene sterris in his riyt hond, which walkith in the middil of the seuene goldun candilstikis.
(And to the angel of the church of Efesus write thou, These things saith/says he, that holdith the seven sterris in his right hand, which walkith in the middil of the seven golden candlesticks.)
LUT Und dem Engel der Gemeinde zu Ephesus schreibe: Das saget, der da hält die sieben Sterne in seiner Rechten, der da wandelt mitten unter den sieben güldenen Leuchtern:
(And to_him angel the Gemeinde to Ephesus schreibe: The saget, the there hält the seven Sterne in his Rechten, the there wandelt mitten under the seven güldenen Leuchtern:)
CLV Angelo Ephesi ecclesiæ scribe: Hæc dicit, qui tenet septem stellas in dextera sua, qui ambulat in medio septem candelabrorum aureorum:[fn]
(Angelo Ephesi ecclesiæ scribe: This dicit, who holds seven stellas in dextera sua, who ambulat in medio seven candelabrorum aureorum:)
2.1 Et angelo. Id est episcopo scribit, de manu cujus peccata subditorum requirit, et sine cujus consensu subditos judicare non præsumit ipse Joannes. Ephesi Ecclesiæ. Ephesus secundum bene persistentium partem voluntas interpretatur, quorum operibus Deus delectatur, de quibus proponit, ut per horum exemplum (qui lapsi fuerant) corrigantur. Item Ephesus interpretatur consilium, id est indigens consilio, sive lapsus profundus, vel voluntas mea. Septem. Incipit singulares admonitiones, quæ singulæ et universales esse possunt secundum diversa membra cujuslibet ecclesiæ. Non potes sustinere. Vi humanitatis. Vel, non potes sustinere quin emendes vel expellas.
2.1 And angelo. Id it_is episcopo scribit, about by_hand cuyus sins subditorum requirit, and without cuyus consensu subditos yudicare not/no præsumit himself Yoannes. Ephesi Ecclesiæ. Ephesus after/second bene persistentium partem voluntas interpretatur, quorum operibus God delectatur, about to_whom proponit, as per horum exemplum (who lapsi fuerant) corrigantur. Item Ephesus interpretatur consilium, id it_is indigens consilio, if/or lapsus profundus, or voluntas my. Septem. Incipit singulares admonitiones, which singulæ and universales esse possunt after/second diversa members cuyuslibet ecclesiæ. Non potes sustinere. Vi humanitatis. Vel, non potes sustinere quin emendes or expellas.
UGNT τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς ἐν Ἐφέσῳ ἐκκλησίας γράψον: τάδε λέγει ὁ κρατῶν τοὺς ἑπτὰ ἀστέρας ἐν τῇ δεξιᾷ αὐτοῦ, ὁ περιπατῶν ἐν μέσῳ τῶν ἑπτὰ λυχνιῶν τῶν χρυσῶν:
(tōi angelōi taʸs en Efesōi ekklaʸsias grapson: tade legei ho kratōn tous hepta asteras en taʸ dexia autou, ho peripatōn en mesōi tōn hepta luⱪniōn tōn ⱪrusōn:)
SBL-GNT Τῷ ἀγγέλῳ ⸀τῆς ἐν Ἐφέσῳ ἐκκλησίας γράψον· Τάδε λέγει ὁ κρατῶν τοὺς ἑπτὰ ἀστέρας ἐν τῇ δεξιᾷ αὐτοῦ, ὁ περιπατῶν ἐν μέσῳ τῶν ἑπτὰ λυχνιῶν τῶν χρυσῶν·
(Tōi angelōi ⸀taʸs en Efesōi ekklaʸsias grapson; Tade legei ho kratōn tous hepta asteras en taʸ dexia autou, ho peripatōn en mesōi tōn hepta luⱪniōn tōn ⱪrusōn; )
TC-GNT Τῷ ἀγγέλῳ [fn]τῆς [fn]ἐν Ἐφέσῳ ἐκκλησίας γράψον, Τάδε λέγει ὁ κρατῶν τοὺς ἑπτὰ ἀστέρας ἐν τῇ δεξιᾷ αὐτοῦ, ὁ περιπατῶν ἐν μέσῳ τῶν ἑπτὰ λυχνιῶν τῶν [fn]χρυσῶν·
(Tōi angelōi taʸs en Efesōi ekklaʸsias grapson, Tade legei ho kratōn tous hepta asteras en taʸ dexia autou, ho peripatōn en mesōi tōn hepta luⱪniōn tōn ⱪrusōn;)
2:1 της 𝔐A,C,K ¦ τω WH
2:1 εν εφεσω 𝔐Apt,C,K ¦ εφεσιων 𝔐Apt ¦ εφεσινης TR
2:1 χρυσων 𝔐A,C,K ¦ χρυσεων TH
Key for above GNTs: red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).
2:1–3:22 The seven messages to the seven churches reflect the state of Christ’s church when Revelation was written, and it is similar today. God still calls Christians to faithfulness and integrity. Those who heed Christ’s message will reap God’s promised rewards; those who fail to do so will be judged.
2:1-7 The letter to the church in Ephesus addresses tradition-bound Christians who are faithful but have lost their early, zealous love for Christ and for each other (see 2:5).
Letters to the Seven Churches
In the letters to the seven churches of Asia (Rev 2–3), John uses a single literary pattern. Each letter begins with an address to the “angel of the church” in a particular city, followed by an aspect of Christ’s appearance taken from the vision of the Son of Man (1:12-18). Christ states that he knows each church and describes the state of the church in that city. He then gives advice or judgment for the church along with a promised reward for obedience. Each time, Christ emphasizes the need for full attention to the Spirit’s message to the churches.
It is common for interpreters to separate the seven letters into seven distinct messages and to make them symbolic of seven types of people or seven distinct periods of time. However, the seven letters were first of all letters from Christ to specific local churches in Asia. Christ knows each local congregation, and he encourages each to follow him faithfully. These letters also form a single, unified message that can speak to the church in all times and places, taking into account all its spots and wrinkles. In other words, any single body of Christians might be similar to one of these churches, and each community contains people who are like the Christians from these churches. Christ invites every community of believers to examine itself in the light of all of these messages.
Passages for Further Study
Security and Obedience
The thought of one’s name being erased from the Book of Life (Rev 3:5) may raise questions about the security of salvation: Doesn’t the New Testament assure believers that their salvation is secure?
The New Testament is filled with words of assurance (e.g., John 10:27-30; 1 Cor 10:13; Heb 6:18-20), but it also contains stern warnings (e.g., John 15:6; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8; Rev 2:4-5; 3:11). We often dislike and avoid the warnings because they threaten our sense of security. Yet this concern for security is the precise reason that the New Testament writers issued their warnings. They stressed the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and endurance.
This call to obedience was nothing new. God repeatedly called the people of Israel to be faithful (e.g., Gen 12:1-2; 15:1-18; 22:16-18; 28:13-14; 1 Sam 12:19-25; 15:10-11; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 7:11-16; 1 Kgs 9:4-9). All the promises and predictions of God are conditioned upon faithfulness and obedience (see especially Jer 18:7-10). Paul realized that the disobedience of Israel had led to some of them being “broken off” (Rom 11:17), and he clearly warned Gentile Christians not to become overconfident of their position (Rom 11:13-32). The promise of God is unchanged, but human disobedience brings judgment. Humble obedience and dependence on God are the basis for genuine security.
At the time when the New Testament was written, it was costly and threatening to be a Christian. The book of Revelation promises a secure hope for believers in Christ despite the threat of death, but this hope is set clearly within the context of warnings about judgment (Rev 21:8, 27; 22:15). The call to faithfulness and obedience is a major theme in Revelation (see 2:5, 10-11, 16-17, 26-29; 3:2, 12, 17-19, 21-22; 7:14; 13:9-10, 12; 16:15; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7; 22:3, 7, 11-12). The New Testament clearly affirms that with God’s help, faithful Christians will persevere to the end (see Heb 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 3:10).
Passages for Further Study
Gen 15:1, 13-16; 1 Sam 12:22-25; 1 Kgs 9:4-9; Jer 18:7-10; John 10:27-30; 15:6; Rom 11:13-32; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Heb 6:4-8, 18-20; 13:6; Jas 1:25; Rev 2:5, 10-11, 16-17; 3:5, 10-12; 18:4; 20:12; 21:7-8; 22:11-12
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / quotesinquotes
τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς ἐν Ἐφέσῳ ἐκκλησίας γράψον: τάδε λέγει ὁ κρατῶν τοὺς ἑπτὰ ἀστέρας ἐν τῇ δεξιᾷ αὐτοῦ, ὁ περιπατῶν ἐν μέσῳ τῶν ἑπτὰ λυχνιῶν τῶν χρυσῶν
˱to˲_the angel (Some words not found in SR-GNT: τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῷ ἐν Ἐφέσῳ ἐκκλησίας γράψον τάδε λέγει ὁ κρατῶν τοὺς ἑπτὰ ἀστέρας ἐν τῇ δεξιᾷ αὐτοῦ ὁ περιπατῶν ἐν μέσῳ τῶν ἑπτὰ λυχνιῶν τῶν χρυσέων)
See the General Notes to this chapter for a discussion of how you could translate this verse so that there is not a quotation within a quotation and so that the letter that follows in verses 2–7 is not a quotation within a quotation within a quotation.
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς ἐν Ἐφέσῳ
˱to˲_the angel (Some words not found in SR-GNT: τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῷ ἐν Ἐφέσῳ ἐκκλησίας γράψον τάδε λέγει ὁ κρατῶν τοὺς ἑπτὰ ἀστέρας ἐν τῇ δεξιᾷ αὐτοῦ ὁ περιπατῶν ἐν μέσῳ τῶν ἑπτὰ λυχνιῶν τῶν χρυσέων)
As the General Notes to this chapter discuss, here and in verses 8, 12, and 18 you should translate the term angel the way you did in 1:20. Alternate translation: “To the angel who represents the church in Ephesus” or “To the leader of the church in Ephesus” or “To the messenger of the church in Ephesus”
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
τάδε λέγει ὁ κρατῶν τοὺς ἑπτὰ ἀστέρας ἐν τῇ δεξιᾷ αὐτοῦ
these_‹things› /is/_saying the_‹one› taking_hold_of the seven stars in the right_‹hand› ˱of˲_him
As the General Notes to this chapter discuss, Jesus is identifying himself by referring to symbols from the vision that John describes in chapter 1. As Jesus does this, he speaks of himself in the third person. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate this in the first person. Alternate translation: “I, Jesus, the one holding the seven stars in my right hand … say these things”