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 lampstands. 2. I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy endurance, and that thou canst not bear the evil, and hast tried them that say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars;

3. And hast borne, and hast endurance, and for My name's sake hast labored, and hast not fainted. 4. But I have against thee, that thou hast left thy first charity. 5. Remember therefore from whence thou hast fallen; and repent, and do the first works; but if not I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy lampstand out of its place, except thou repent. 6. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. To him that overcometh I will 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 of Smyrna write; These things saith the First and the Last, who was dead, and is alive. 9. I know thy works, and affliction, and poverty, and the blasphemy of them that 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 will cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried: and ye shall have affliction 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 that hath the sharp two-edged sword. 13. I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's throne is; and thou holdest fast My name, and hast not denied My faith, even in those days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was slain among you where Satan dwelleth. 14. But I have a few things against thee, that thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumblingblock before the sons of Israel, to eat idol-sacrifices, and to commit whoredom. 15. So thou hast, even thou, them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which I hate. 16. Repent, or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight with 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 I will give to eat of the hidden manna; and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no one knoweth but 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 like fine brass. 19. I know thy works, and charity, and ministry, and faith, and thy endurance, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. 20. But I have a few things against thee, that thou permittest that women Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess, to teach, and to seduce My servants to commit whoredom, and to eat idol-sacrifices. 21. And I gave her time to repent of her whoredom, and she repented not. 22. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great affliction, except they repent of their works. 23. And I will kill her sons with death. And all the churches shall know that I am He that searcheth the reins and hearts; and I will give unto each 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 who have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.* 25. Nevertheless, that which ye have, 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 in pieces; even as I have received from 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. * The original Latin has "opus" for "onus," evidently a misprint; in n. 144 we read "onus."

THE SPIRITUAL SENSE THE CONTENTS OF THE WHOLE CHAPTER. To the churches in the Christian world: To those there who primarily regard truths of doctrine and not goods of life, who are meant by the church of Ephesus (n. 73-90). To those there who are in goods as to life and in falsities as to doctrine, who are meant by the church of Smyrna (n. 91-106). To those there who place the all of the church in good works, and not anything in truths, who are meant by the church in Pergamos (n. 107-123). And to those there who are in faith from charity, as also to those who are in faith separated from charity, who are meant by the church in Thyatira (n. 124-152). All these are called to the New Church, which is the New Jerusalem.

The contents of each verse

Verse 1. "Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write," signifies to those and concerning those who primarily regard truths of doctrine, and not goods of life (n. 73). "These things saith He that holdeth the seven stars in His right hand," signifies the Lord, from whom through the Word, are all truths (n. 74). "Who walketh in the midst of the seven golden lampstands," signifies from whom enlightenment is to those who are of His church (n. 75). Verse 2. "I know thy works," signifies that He sees all the interiors and exteriors of man at once (n. 76). "And thy labor and thy endurance," signifies their study and patience (n. 77). "And that thou canst not bear the evil," signifies that they cannot bear that evil should be called goods and the reverse (n. 78). "And hast tried them that say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars," signifies that they scrutinize those things which are called goods and truths in the church, which nevertheless are evils and falsities (n. 79). Verse 3. "And hast borne and hast endurance," signifies patience with them (n. 80). "And for My name's sake hast labored, and hast not fainted," signifies their study and endeavor to procure the things which belong to religion and its doctrine (n. 81). Verse 4. "But I have against thee, that thou hast left thy first charity," signifies that this is against them, that they do not hold the goods of life in the first place (n. 82). Verse 5. "Remember therefore from whence thou hast fallen," signifies remembrance of their error (n. 83). "And repent, and do the first works," signifies that they ought to invert the state of their life (n. 84). "But if not I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy lampstand out of its place, except thou repent," signifies that otherwise, of a certainty, enlightenment will not be given them to see truths any longer (n. 85). Verse 6. "But this thou hast, that thou hatest the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate," signifies that they know this from their truths, and thence are not willing that works should be meritorious (n. 86). Verse 7. "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches," signifies that he that understands, ought to obey what the Divine truth of the Word teaches those who will be of the New Church, which is the New Jerusalem (n. 87). "To him that overcometh," signifies he who fights against evils and falsities, and is reformed (n. 88). "Will I give to eat of the tree of life," signifies appropriation of the good of love and charity from the Lord (n. 89). "Which is in the midst of the paradise of God," signifies interiorly in the truths of wisdom and faith (n. 90). Verse 8. "And unto the angel of the church of Smyrna write," signifies to those and concerning those who are in goods as to life, but in falsities as to doctrine alone (n. 91). "These things saith the First and the Last," signifies the Lord, that He alone is God (n. 92). "Who was dead and is alive," signifies that He is neglected in the church, and His Human not acknowledged to be Divine, when yet as to that also He alone is life, and from Him alone is eternal life (n. 93). Verse 9. "I know thy works," signifies that the Lord sees all their interiors and exteriors at once (n. 94). "And affliction and poverty," signifies that they are in falsities, and thence not in goods (n. 95). "And the blasphemy of them that say they are Jews, and are not," signifies the false assertion that they are in the goods of love, when yet they are not (n. 96). "But are the synagogue of Satan," signifies, because they are in falsities as to doctrine (n. 97). Verse 10. "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer," signifies, despair not when infested by evils and assaulted by falsities (n. 98). "Behold the devil will cast some of you into prison," signifies that their good of life will be infested by evils from hell (n. 99). "That ye may be tried," signifies by falsities fighting against them (n. 100). "And ye shall have affliction ten days," signifies that it will endure its full time (n. 101). "Be thou faithful unto death," signifies reception of truths until falsities are removed (n. 102). "And I will give thee a crown of life," signifies that they will then have eternal life, the reward of victory (n. 103). Verse 11. "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches," signifies here, as before (n. 104). "He that overcometh," signifies he that fights against evils and falsities, and is reformed (n. 105). "Shall not be hurt of the second death," signifies that afterwards they will not succumb to evils and falsities from hell (n. 106). Verse 12. "And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write," signifies to those and concerning those who place the all of the church in good works, and not anything in truths of doctrine (n. 107). "These things saith He that hath the sharp two-edged sword," signifies the Lord as to the truths of doctrine from the Word, by which evils and falsities are dispersed (n. 108). Verse 13. "I know thy works," signifies here, as before (n. 109). "And where thou dwellest," signifies their life in darkness (n. 110). "And thou holdest fast My name, and hast not denied My faith," signifies when yet they have religion and worship according to it (n. 111). "Even in those days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was slain among you where Satan dwelleth," signifies when all truth was extinguished by falsities in the church (n. 112). Verse 14. "But I have a few things against thee," signifies that the things which follow are against them (n. 113). "That thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the sons of Israel, to eat idol-sacrifices, and to commit whoredom," signifies that there are some among them who do hypocritical works, by which the worship of God in the church is defiled and adulterated (n. 114). Verse 15. "So thou hast, even thou, them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which I hate," signifies that there are some among them also who make works meritorious (n. 115). Verse 16. "Repent" signifies that they should take heed of such works (n. 116). "Or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight with them with the sword of My mouth," signifies, if not, that the Lord will contend with them from the Word (n. 117). Verse 17. "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches," signifies here, as before (n. 118). "To him that overcometh," signifies here, the same as before (n. 119). "I will give to eat of the hidden manna," signifies the appropriation then of the good of celestial love, and thus conjunction of the Lord with those who work (n. 120) "And I will give him a white stone," signifies truths favoring and united to good (n. 121). "And in the stone a new name written," signifies that thus they will have good of a quality such as they had not before (n. 122). "Which no one knoweth but he that receiveth it," signifies that it does not appear to anyone, because it is inscribed on their life. Verse 18. "And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write," signifies to those and concerning those who are in faith from charity, and thence in good works; and also to those and concerning those, who are in faith separated from charity, and thence in evil works (n. 124). "These things saith the Son of God who hath His eyes like unto a flame of fire," signifies the Lord as to the Divine wisdom of His Divine love (n. 125). "And His feet like fine brass," signifies Divine good natural (n. 126). Verse 19. "I know thy works," signifies here, as before (n. 127). "And charity and ministry," signifies the spiritual affection which is called charity, and its operation (n. 128). "And faith, and thy endurance," signifies truth and the desire of acquiring and teaching it (n. 129). "And* the last to be more than the first," signifies the increase thereof from the spiritual affection of truth (n. 130). Verse 20. "But I have a few things against thee," signifies what follows (n. 131). "That thou permittest that woman Jezebel," signifies that among them there are some in the church who separate faith from charity (n. 132). "Who calleth herself a prophetess," signifies, and who make the doctrine of faith alone the doctrine of the church (n. 133). "To teach and to seduce My servants to commit whoredom," signifies, from which it comes to pass that the truths of the Word are falsified (n. 134). "And to eat idol-sacrifices," signifies the defilement of worship, and profanations (n. 135). Verse 21. "And I gave her time to repent of her whoredom, and she repented not," signifies that they who have confirmed themselves in that doctrine do not recede, although they see things contrary to it in the Word (n. 136). Verse 22. "Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great affliction," signifies that therefore they will be left in their doctrine with falsifications, and that they will be grievously infested by falsities. "Except they repent,"** signifies if they will not desist from separating faith from charity (n. 138). Verse 23. "And I will kill her sons with death," signifies that all the truths of the Word will be turned into falsities (n. 139). "And all the churches shall know that I am He that searcheth the reins and hearts," signifies that the church may know that the Lord sees the quality of everyone's truth, and the quality of his good (n. 140). "And I will give unto each one according to his works," signifies that He gives unto everyone according to the charity and its faith which is in the works (n. 141). Verse 24. "But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine," signifies to those with whom the doctrine of faith is separated from charity, and to those with whom the doctrine of faith is joined with charity (n. 142). "And who have not known the depths of Satan,"*** signifies they who do not understand their interiors, which are mere falsities (n. 143). "I will put upon you none other burden," signifies only that they should beware of them (n. 144). Verse 25. "Nevertheless, that which ye have, hold fast till I come," signifies that they should retain the few things which they know concerning charity, and thence concerning faith from the Word, and live according to them until the Lord's coming (n. 145). Verse 26. "And he that overcometh and keepeth My works unto the end," signifies those who are in charity and thence actually in faith, and remain in them to the end of their lives (n. 146). "To him will I give power over the nations," signifies that they shall overcome the evils in themselves which are from hell (n. 147). Verse 27. "And he shall rule them with a rod of iron," signifies by truths from the literal sense of the Word, and at the same time by rational things from natural light (n. 148). "As the vessels of a potter shall they be broken in pieces," signifies as of little or no account (n. 149). "Even as I have received from My Father," signifies this from the Lord, who, when He was in the world, procured to Himself all power over the hells, from His Divine which was in Him (n. 150). Verse 28. "And I will give him the morning star," signifies intelligence and wisdom then (n. 151). Verse 29. "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches," signifies here, as before (n. 152). * The original Latin omits "and thy works." ** The original Latin omits, "of their works." *** The original Latin omits, "as they speak."