English
‘Write to the angel of the assembly in Ephesos:
The one who grasps the seven stars in his right hand, who walks in the middle of the seven golden lampstands, says this:
I know your works, and your labor and endurance, and that you cannot tolerate evils. And you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and you found them false. And you have endurance and have borne because of my name and did not wear out. But I hold against you that you abandoned your first love. So remember where you have fallen from and repent, and do the first works. But if not, I am coming to you, and I will remove your lampstand from its place if you do not repent. But you have this, that you hate the works of the Nikolaitans, which I also hate.
Whoever has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the assemblies. To whoever conquers, I will allow him to eat from the tree of life that is in God’s garden.’
Interpretation
The seven assemblies (or ‘churches’) were located in cities on a somewhat circular route in Asia (i.e. Türkiye).
Jesus is identified to each assembly by attributes taken from chapter 1, generally in reverse order. Each selected attribute seems intended to tie into the message given to that particular assembly, though the meaning is not always clear. Jesus walks among the lampstands. Ephesos’ lampstand is threatened to be removed.
Parallels
Jeremiah
2.2 Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem, thus says Yhwh: I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.
9.20 Hear, O women, the word of Yhwh, and let your ears receive the word of his mouth
Ezekiel
3.10 He said to me: Mortal, all my words that I shall speak to you receive in your heart and hear with your ears
1 Enoch
24.4–6 ‘And as for this fragrant tree, no flesh has the right to touch it until the great judgment, in which there will be vengeance on all and a consummation forever. Then it will be given to the righteous and the pious, and its fruit will be food for the chosen. And it will be transplanted to the holy place, by the house of God, the King of eternity. Then they will rejoice greatly and be glad, and they will enter into the sanctuary. Its fragrances will be in their bones, and they will live a long life on the earth, such as your fathers lived also in their days, and torments and plagues and suffering will not touch them.’
Ascension of Isaiah
3.15 and the descent of the angel of the assembly which is in the heavens, whom he will summon in the last days
2 Corinthians
11.13 For such boasters are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of the Anointed One.
Mark
4.9 And he said, ‘Let anyone with ears to hear listen!’
Matthew
13.16 ‘But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.’
4 Ezra
8.52 it is for you that the garden is opened, the tree of life is planted
2 Baruch
4.5 Behold, now it is preserved with me—as also the garden.
5 Ezra
2.12 The tree of life shall give them fragrant perfume
Greek Revelation of Ezra
6.21-22 ‘The crown is readied for you. Come here, die, so that you may attain it.’