Being a Full Account of the Seven Letters Sent by Our Lord
to the Seven Congregations of the Province of Asia Minor
Revelation II:I — III:XXII · c. AD XCVI · The Island of Patmos
No. I · Revelation II:I–VII
The Loveless Church
The Letter in Full
1Unto 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; 2I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. 4Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 6But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.Revelation 2:1–7 · King James Version Also available in the NRSVue, an ecumenical modern translation
"He that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks" — Christ presented Himself as sovereign over His churches, walking among them still.
Praised for labor, endurance, and doctrinal discernment — for testing those who called themselves apostles and finding them liars, and for hating the deeds of the Nicolaitans.
"Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love." Zeal for sound doctrine had outlived affection for Christ Himself.
Remember from whence thou art fallen, repent, and do the first works — or the candlestick would be removed from its place.
"To eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God."
History & Ruins
Ephesus was the greatest port city of Roman Asia and home to the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Paul spent nearly three years teaching there, and church tradition holds that John the Apostle later made the city his home.
The Library of Celsus and the 25,000-seat Great Theatre remain among the best-preserved ruins of the classical world. Only a single reconstructed column now marks the once-colossal Temple of Artemis, and the harbor that made Ephesus great silted over centuries ago, leaving its ruins several miles from the modern coast.
Among the most-visited ancient sites in all of Turkey.