Revelation 2
New International Version
To the Church in Ephesus
2 “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 hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
To the Church in Smyrna
8 “To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:
These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 9 I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.
11 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.
The Way of the Cross
Mark 8
34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
Bible Study Chapter 2 summary
Revelation Chapter 2Message to the Church In the ancient city of Ephesus, the church stood as a beacon of faith amidst the bustling streets and marketplaces. The believers gathered, their hearts filled with devotion and zeal as they worshiped together. A messenger arrived, bearing a scroll inscribed with words of warning and guidance for the church in Ephesus. The congregation hushed as the message was read aloud, each word carrying the weight of divine authority. “These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands,” the messenger intoned, his voice echoing through the sanctuary. “I know your deeds, your hard work, and your perseverance.” The congregation listened intently, their faces reflecting a mixture of pride and anticipation as their faithfulness was acknowledged by the divine voice. “I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people,” the messenger continued, “that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.” The believers nodded in agreement, their resolve strengthened by the knowledge that their discernment had been recognized and commended. “You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name,” the messenger proclaimed, “and have not grown weary.” A murmur of gratitude rippled through the congregation, their hearts lifted by the assurance that their sacrifices had not gone unnoticed. “Yet I hold this against you,” the messenger’s voice took on a somber tone, “You have forsaken the love you had at first.” The church fell silent, a sense of unease settling over them as they considered these words of rebuke. The messenger’s warning hung heavy in the air, a call to repentance and renewal. “Consider how far you have fallen,” the messenger’s voice rang out with urgency. ” Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.” The congregation listened with bated breath, their hearts stirred by the gravity of the warning. The message was clear: they must return to their first love or face dire consequences. “To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death. In the city of Smyrna, a small gathering of believers met in a humble meeting place, their faces reflecting a mix of weariness and resilience. As they listened to the words being read aloud, a sense of solemnity settled over the room. “These are the words of him who is the First and the Last,” the messenger’s voice carried the weight of authority, “who died and came to life again.” The congregation leaned in, their hearts stirred by the reminder of the divine presence among them, despite their afflictions and poverty. “I know your afflictions and your poverty,” the messenger continued, “yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.” A murmur of agreement rippled through the room, the believers nodding in recognition of the challenges they faced from those who sought to discredit and harm them. “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer,” the messenger’s voice held a note of reassurance. “The devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days.” The congregation exchanged knowing glances, a sense of determination flickering in their eyes as they braced themselves for the trials ahead. “Be faithful, even to the point of death,” the messenger’s voice rang out with conviction, “and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.” The believers sat in solemn silence, their hearts stirred by the promise of victory in the face of persecution. The message was clear: they were called to endure with unwavering faith, trusting in the ultimate triumph that awaited them. “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches,” the messenger’s voice echoed through the room. “The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.” The Way of the Cross Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” The streets of Jerusalem bustled with activity as Jesus stood before the crowd, his disciples gathered around him. His words carried a weight of solemnity as he addressed them, his gaze unwavering. “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me,” Jesus declared, his voice commanding attention. The crowd grew still, their eyes fixed on him, absorbing the gravity of his words. “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it,” Jesus continued, his tone unwavering. ” But whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. ” His words hung in the air, a challenge and a promise intertwined. “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” Jesus’s voice carried a note of urgency. The crowd shifted uneasily, grappling with the stark choice laid before them. “Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” Jesus’s question echoed through the crowd, stirring contemplation and conviction in equal measure. “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation,” Jesus’s voice held a solemn warning, “the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” The crowd stood in silence, the weight of Jesus’s words settling upon them like a heavy mantle. His call to discipleship was clear: to follow him was to embrace sacrifice and obedience, to forsake worldly gain for the sake of eternal salvation. As the sun dipped low on the horizon, casting long shadows across the city streets, the crowd dispersed, each individual left to ponder the choice set before them by the one who walked among them, bearing his cross.
Bible Study Chapter 3
Audio File Scriptures