BVP - Revelations 2

Blended Voice Paraphrased (BVP)

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, Who walks among the seven golden candlesticks, that is, the seven churches and their leaders.

2 I know everything you have done, your hard work and how you have endured. I know you won’t put up with evil among your members. When some persons pretended to be apostles you tested and found out that they, in fact, were not but were instead impostors.

3 You have endured, suffered for my sake and have not given up.

4 Yet I have this to say against you – You don’t love me or each other as you did at first!

5 Look how far you have fallen! Return to me and change the way you think and act, and do what you did at first. If you don’t repent and change your ways then I will come and remove your candlestick from its place among the churches.

6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices and corrupt teachings of the Nicolaitans as much as I do.

7 If you have ears, then listen to and heed what the Spirit says to the churches! “To those who win the victory, overcoming the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God, I will grant the right to eat the fruit of the tree of life that grows in the wonderful Garden of God.

8 To the angel of the church in Smyrna write, “These are the words from Him Who is the First and the Last, Who died and then came back to life.

9 I know how much you suffer and how poor you are, yet I also see your wealth. I know the cruel slander being said about you by unchanged Jews who are Jews only by blood and don’t believe and truly honor the God they claim to worship. They belong to Satan.

10 Fear not the things you are about to suffer: behold, the devil is about to put your faith to the test by casting some of you into prison. You shall have tribulation ten days. Be faithful to the point of death and I will give you the crown of life.

11 He that has an ear, let him both hear and heed what the Spirit says to the churches. Whoever overcomes and wins the victory shall not be hurt of the second death.

12 To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: This is the message from the One Who wields the sharp two-edged sword. Listen to what I say.

13 I know where you live, where Satan has his throne at the center of Satanic worship. Yet you remain loyal to me. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even when Antipas, my faithful witness, was martyred among you there in Satan’s city.

14 But I have a few complaints against you. You tolerate some among you who follow the teachings of Balaam. He showed Balak how to corrupt the people of Israel, persuading them to eat food that had been offered to idols and to practice sexual immorality.

15 In the same way you have people among you who follow the teaching of the Nicolaitans who also teach the corruptions of Balaam, which I hate.

16 Repent, turn from your sins, change the way you think and act; or else I will come unto you quickly and will wage war against you with the sword of my mouth.In the same way you have people among you who follow the teaching of the Nicolaitans who also teach the corruptions of Balaam, which I hate.

17 He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches. To him who is overcoming, I will give the privilege of eating some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone inscribed with a new name known only to the one who receives it.

18 And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes penetrate like flames of fire and whose feet shine like polished brass.

19 I know your love and your faith, your kindness to the poor, and your patient endurance. Impressive! I know that you are doing more now than you have ever done.

20 Still, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who claims to be an inspired prophet. She teaches a self-indulging religion which accepts sex sin as a trivial matter, even urging the practice of immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.

21 I have given her a chance to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. She does not want to turn away from her immorality.

22 So I will cast her on a sickbed of intense suffering, along with her immoral lovers who commit adultery, playing the sex and religion games. And I will make them suffer unless they repent of her ways.

23 I will strike her children dead with pestilence. Then all the churches will know that I am He who searches deep within men’s hearts and minds, Who knows everyone’s thoughts and wishes. I will repay each one accordingly as there deeds deserve.

24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned the deep things of Satan, as they call them, I will not impose any other burden on you.

25 except to hold on firmly to the truth you have until I come.

26 I have received authority from my Father and will reward you, giving authority over the nations to everyone who refuses to give up, wins the victory, and continues to do what I want until the end.

*27 They and I will rule with an iron scepter and smash them like clay pots.

28 And I will give you the Morning Star!

29 He who has an ear, let him hear and heed what the Spirit says to the churches.

*verse 27. Some versions indicate that God will rule while others show that the people who hold on victoriously will rule. The CVP joins those expressions.

Blended Voice Version (BVV)

1 [RSVCE] “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 ([AMP] the seven churches or [TLB] leaders).
2 [CEV] I know everything you have done, including your hard work and how you have endured. I know you won’t put up with anyone [TLB] among your members [CEV] who is evil. When some people pretended to be apostles, you tested them and found out that they [AMP] [in fact] are not, and have found them to be liars and impostors;
3 [CEV] You have endured, [GNT] you have suffered for my sake, and you have not given up.
4 [NIV] Yet I hold this against you: [NLT] You don’t love me or each other as you did at first!
5 [NIV] Look how far you have fallen! [MSG] Return to me and change the way you think and act, and do what you did at first. [NIV] If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches.
6 [NIV] But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices [AMP] and corrupt teachings [NIV] of the Nicolaitans, [GNT] as much as I do.
7 [GNT] If you have ears, then, listen to [AMP] and heed[GNT] what the Spirit says to the churches! “To those who win the victory , [AMP] To him who overcomes the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God, I will grant [GNT] the right to eat the fruit of the tree of life that grows in the [CEV] wonderful [GNT] Garden of God.
8 [RSVCE] “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words [TLB] from him who is the First and Last, [RSVCE]who died and [TLB] then came back to life.
9 [CEV] I know how much you suffer and how poor you are, [YLT] yet thou art rich, ([MSG] I also see your wealth. [CEV] I also know the cruel [RSVCE] slander [CEV] being said about you by people who claim to be Jews. But [AMP] (they are Jews only by blood, and do not believe and truly honor the God whom they claim to worship). [CEV] They are a group that belongs to Satan.
10 [RSVCE] Fear not the things which thou art about to suffer: behold, the devil is about to [NIV] put you to the test [AMP] in your faith, [RSVCE] cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days. [AMP] Be faithful to the point of death, [RSVCE] and I will give thee the crown of life.
11 [ASV] He that hath an ear, [ASV]let him hear [AMP] and heed [ASV] what the Spirit saith to the churches. He that overcometh, [GNT] those who win the victory, [ASV] shall not be hurt of the second death.
12 [GNT] “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: “This is the message from the one [GW] who wields [GNT] the sharp two-edged sword. [CEV] Listen to what I say.
13 [NIV] I know where you live—where Satan has his throne [TLB] at the center of satanic worship. [NIV] Yet you remain [NLV] loyal to me. [NIV] You did not renounce your faith in me, not [NLV] even when Antipas, my faithful witness, was martyred among you there in Satan’s city.
14 [NLT] “But I have a few complaints against you. You tolerate some among you [NIV] following the teaching of Balaam, [NLT] who showed Balak how to [AMP] corrupt [NIV] the people of Israel, [GNT] persuading them to eat food that had been offered to idols and to practice sexual immorality.
15 [GNT] In the same way you have people among you who follow the teaching of the Nicolaitans [NLT] who follow the same teaching, [KJV] which thing I hate.
16 [KJV] Repent, [GNT] turn from your sins, [MSG] change the way you think and act;[KJV] or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will [MSG] wage war [KJV] against them with the sword of my mouth.
17 [KJV] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. [YLT] To him who is overcoming, [NIV] I will give [AMP] the privilege of eating [NIV] some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone [MSG] inscribed [NIV] with a new name known only to the one who receives it.
18 [RSVCE] And to the angel of the church in Thyati'ra write: [AMP] These are the words of the Son of God, [TLB] whose eyes penetrate like flames of fire, [GNT] whose feet shine like polished brass.
19 [NLV] I know [TLB] your love and faith, your kindness to the poor, [NLV] and your patient endurance. [MSG] Impressive! [CEV] I know that you are doing more now than you have ever done before.
20 [NIV] Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet by [AMP] claiming to be inspired. [NIV] her teaching [MSG] self-indulging religion, [TLB] sex sin not a serious matter; [TLB] urges them to practice immorality [NIV] and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.
21 [NIV] I have given her [MSG] a chance [NIV] to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. [NLV] She does not want to turn away from her immorality.
22 [NIV] So I will cast her on a [TLB] sickbed of intense [NIV[]suffering, [TLB] along with all her immoral [PHILLIPS] lovers [RSVCE] who commit adultery [MSG] as they play their sex-and-religion games. [NIV] And I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways.
23 [NLV] I will strike her children dead [AMP] with pestilence. [NLV] Then all the churches will know that I am [TLB] he who searches deep within men’s hearts, and minds, [GNT] who knows everyone's thoughts and wishes. [NET] I will repay each one of you what your deeds deserve.
24 [NIV] Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned [MOUNCE] the deep things of Satan, as they call them, [NIV] ‘I will not impose any other burden on you,
25 [NIV] except to hold on [CEV] firmly [NIV] to [MSG] the truth [NIV] you have until I come.’
26 [GW] I have received authority from my Father. I will [MSG] reward, [GW] give authority over the nations to everyone who, [MSG] refusing to give up, [GW] wins the victory and continues to do what I want until the end.
27 [NIV] That One will rule them with an iron scepter ([GW] Those people will rule) [NLT] and smash them like clay pots.
28 [TLB] And I will give you the Morning Star!
29 [AMP] He who has an ear, let him hear and heed what the Spirit says to the churches.

King James Version (KJV)

1 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;
2 I 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:
3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
5 Remember 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.
6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.
7 He 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.
8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;
13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.
16 Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
17 He 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 hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;
19 I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.
20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.
22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
24 But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.
25 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.
26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
28 And I will give him the morning star.
29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.