and to Thyatira, and to Sardis, and to Philadelphia, and to 12 Laodicea." Whereupon I turned to look towards the voice which spake to me; and upon turning about, I saw seven golden 13 candlesticks, and in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks

one like a son of man, clothed with a robe down to the feet, 14 and girded about the breast with a golden girdle; and as for

his head, the hairs like wool were glittering white as snow, 15 and his eyes were like a flame of fire; and his feet were like fine brass, as if they were glowing in a furnace; and his voice 16 was like the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars; and out of his mouth went a sharp two edg ed sword. And his countenance was like the sun shining in 17 its strength. And when I saw him I fell at his feet as one 18 dead. Whereupon he laid his right hand on me, and said to me, Fear not. I am the first and the last, even he who liveth. Though I was dead yet behold I am alive, and live for the ages of the ages, Amen. And I have the keys of the mansion 19 of the dead, and of death. Write what thou hast seen, and the

things which are, and the things which are about to be here. 20 after. With respect to the hidden meaning of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks; the seven stars are the angels of the seven congregations and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven congregations.

II.

To the angel of the congregation at Ephesus write,

"Thus saith he who holdeth the seven stars in his right hand--who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candle. 2 sticks, I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and that thou canst not bear with them who are evil, and hast tried them who pretend to be apostles, and are not, and hast found 3 them liars, and hast borne and dost exercise patience, and hast 4 laboured for my name's sake, and hast not fainted. But I have 5 this against thee that thou hast lost thy first love. Remember

therefore from what thou hast fallen, and reform, and do thy first works; else I will come to thee quickly, and remove thy can dlestick out of its place, unless thou reform. But thou hast 6 this, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I al

so hate. Whosoever hath an ear to hear let him hear what the 7 spirit saith to the congregations. To him who overcometh I

8

will give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

And to the angel of the congregation at Smyrna write, "Thus saith the first and the last, who was dead and is 9 alive, I know thy works, and thine affliction, and thy poverty, (though thou art rich) and the slander of them who say they 10 are Jews, and are not, but are a synagogue of satan. Be not terrified at what thou art about to suffer. Behold the devil will soon cast some of you into prison, that you may be tried; and ye will have tribulation ten days, Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life. Let him who 11 hath an ear hear what the spirit saith to the congregations. He who overcometh shall not be hurt by the second death.

12

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And to the angel of the congregation at Pergamus write, "Thus saith he who hath the sharp two edged sword, I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where the throne of satan is; yet thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied the belief of me, even in the days in which Anti. pas was my faithful witness, who was slain among you where 14 satan dwelleth. Nevertheless I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to 15 commit fornication. In like manner thou hast them who hold, 16 the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which I hate. Reform. If thou

18

dost not, I am coming to thee quickly, and I will fight against 17 them with the sword of my mouth. Let him who hath an ear hear what the spirit saith to the congregations. To him who overcometh I will grant to eat of the manna which was laid up; and I will give him a white stone, and on that stone a new name written, which no one knoweth but he who receiveth it. And to the angel of the congregation at Thyatira write, "Thus saith the son of God, whose eyes are like a 19 flame of fire, and whose feet are like works, and thy love, and thy service, and thy faith, and thy patience, and that thy last works exceed the first: but I have 20 a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezabel, who calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed

fine brass; I know thy

21 to idols. Though I gave her time to reform from her fornica22 tion, yet she hath not reformed. Behold I am about to cast her

into a bed, and them who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they reform from their works; and I will 23 slay her children with death; and all the congregations shall know, that I am the searcher of reins and hearts, and will give 24 to every one of you according to your works. But to you I say, even to the rest at Thyatira, to as many as do not hold this doctrine, and who have not known the depths (as they call 25 them) of satan; on you I will lay no other burthen, besides 26 what you have; hold it fast until I come. As for him who over

cometh, and keepeth my works to the end, to him I will give power over the nations, (and he shall rule them with a rod of 27 iron. Like vessels of potter's clay they shall be broken in pieces,*) as I have received from my Father; and I will give 28 him the morning star. Let him who hath an ear, hear what the spirit saith to the congregations.

III.

And to the angel of the congregation at Sardis write,

"Thus saith he, who hath the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know thy works, that thou hast the name of be- . 2 ing alive, though thou art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the remains which are likely to die. For I have not found thy 3 works perfect in the sight of God. Remember therefore how thou hast received, and heard, and keep fast hold, and reform. For if thou wilt not watch, I will come against thee, as a thief, so that thou shalt not know at what hour I shall come 4 against thee. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments. These shall walk with me in white 5 robes because they are worthy. He who overcometh shall be clothed with white raiment, and I will not blot his name out of the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my 6 Father, and before his angels. Let him who hath an ear hear what the spirit saith to the congregations."

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And to the angel of the congregation at Philadelphia write,

*These two lines, and, &c. and Like vessels, &c. which are included in a parenthesis, I consider as a quotation from Ps. 2. 9. with a change of persons in the first, and of measure in the second.

Thus saith the Holy one and the True, who hath the key[the Son] of David, who openeth and none shutteth, and who 8 shutteth and none openeth, I know thy works. Behold I have set before thee an open door, and none can shut it. Because thou hast a little strength and hast kept my word, and hast not 9 denied my name, behold I give thee some of the synagogue of satan, who say they are Jews and are not; but do lie. Behold I will make them come, and worship at thy feet, and know that I 10 have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I will keep thee from the hour of trial which is coming soon on the whole world, to try the inhabitants of the earth. 11 Behold I am coming quickly. Hold fast what thou hast, that 12 none may take thy crown. Him who overcometh I will make

a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out no more. And I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, (the new Jerusalem which cometh down. out of heaven from my God) and mine own new name. Let 13 him who hath an ear hear what the spirit saith to the congre

gations.

14 And to the angel of the congregation of the Laodiceans write, Thus saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the 15 beginning of the creation of God, I know thy works, that thou 16 art neither cold nor hot. I wish thou wert cold or hot. So then; 17 because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit thee out of my mouth, because thou sayest, I am rich and become wealthy, and have need of nothing, and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, 18 and blind, and naked. I advise thee to purchase of me gold tried in the fire that thou mayst be rich, and white raiment that 19 thou mayst be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness

may not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou 20 mayst see. Whomsoever I love, I rebuke and chastise. Be zealous therefore, and reform. Behold I stand at the door and knock. If any one will hearken to my voice and open the door, 21 I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with me. To him who overcometh I will grant to sit with me on my 22 throne, as I have overcome, and sit with my Father on his throne. Let him who hath an ear hear what the spirit saith to the congregations,"

IV.

After this I looked and behold a door was opened in the heaven, and the voice which I heard at first like that of a trum pet speaking to me said, Come up hither and I will shew thee 2 the things which must hereafter come to pass. Thereupon I was immediately enrapt, and behold a throne was set in the 3 heaven, and one was sitting on the throne. And he who was sitting was in appearance like a jasper and sardine stone, and there was a rainbow, in appearance like a smaragdine, around 4 the throne. And around the throne there were four and twenty thrones; and on the thrones I saw the four and twenty el5 ders sitting, clothed in white raiment And they had on their heads crowns of gold. And from the throne proceed lightnings and thunders and voices. And there were seven lamps of fire blazing before the throne: these are the seven spirits 6 of God. And before the throne was a glassy sea resembling chrystal. And in the middle of the throne and around the 7 throne were four animate beings full of eyes before and behind. And the first animate being was like a lion; and the second animate being was like a calf; and the third animate being had a face like a man; and the fourth animate being was 8 like a flying eagle. And the four animate beings had, each of them six wings around and underneath they were full of eyes. And they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord 9 God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come! And when the animate beings give glory and honour and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, to him who liveth for the ages of the ages, the four and twenty elders are to 10 prostrate themselves before him who is seated on the throne,

and to worship him who liveth for the ages of the ages, and 11 to cast their crowns before the throne saying, Thou, O Lord,

art worthy to receive the glory and the honour and the power, because thou hast created all things, and at thy will they exist and were created.

V. And I saw in the right hand of him who was sitting on the

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throne a volume written within and on the back sealed with 2 seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a 3 loud voice, Who is worthy to open the volume, even to loosen the seals of it. And no one in the heaven, nor on the earth, nor beneath the earth was able to open the volume and