The Byble in Englyshe that is to saye, the content of all the holye scrypture, bothe of the olde and newe Testament, truly translated after the veryte of the Hebrue and Greke textes, by the diligent studye of dyuers excellent lerned [men e]xperte in the fore[saide] tongues.

¶ He exhorteth foure congregacyons 〈◊〉〈◊〉 amende, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ weth the rewarde of hym that ouercommeth.

CAPI. II.

VNto the messenger of the congrega∣cyon [unspec A] of Ephesus wryte: these thynges sayeth he, that holdeth seuen starres in hys ryght hande, and that walcketh in the myd∣des of seuen golden candelstickes. I know thy worckes, and thy labour, and thy pacy∣ence, and howe thou cannest not forbeare them whiche are euyll: and haste examyned them, whyche saye they are Apostles, and are not: and hast foūde them lyars, and hast suffred. And hast pacyence: and for my na∣mes sake haste labored, and haste not fayn∣ted. Neuertheles, I haue sumwhat against the, because thou hast lefte thy fyrste loue. [unspec B] Remember therfore, from whence thou arte fallen, and repent, and do the fyrst worckes. Or elles I wyll come vnto the shortly, and wyll remoue thy cādelsticke out of his place except thou repent. But this thou hast, be∣cause thou hatest the dedes of the * 1.1 Nicolai∣tans, which dedes I also hate. Let hym that hath eares, heare what the spirite sayth vn∣to the congregacions. To hym that ouercō∣meth,* 1.2 wyll I gyue to eate of the tree of lyfe, whyche is in the myddes of the Paradyse of God.

And vnto the Angel of the congregacyon [unspec C] of Smyrna wryte. These thynges sayth he that is fyrst, and the laste, whyche was deed and is a lyue. I knowe thy workes & tribu∣lacyon and pouerte, but thou art ryche: And I knowe the▪ blasphemy of them, why∣che call them selues Iewes and are not: but are the congregacyon of Sathan. Feare none of those thynges, which thou shalt suf∣fre Beholde, the deuyl shal cast some of you into preson, to tempte you and ye shall haue trybulacyon ten dayes. Be faythfull vnto the deeth, and I wyll geue the a crowne of lyfe. Let hym that hathe eares, heare, what the spyryte sayth to the congregacyons: He that ouercommeth, shall not be hurte of the seconde deeth.

And to the messenger of the congregacion [unspec D] in Pergamos wryte: Thys sayth he, whiche hath the sharpe swearde wyth two edges: I knowe thy worckes, & where thou dwellest, euen where Sathans seat is, and thou ke∣pest my name, & hast not denyed my faythe. And in my dayes Antipas was a faythfull wytnes of myne, which was slayne amonge you, where Sathan dwelleth. But I haue a fewe thynges agaynste the: because thou hast there, them that maintaine the doctrine of Balam * 1.3 whiche taught in Balake, to put occasyon of synne before the chyldren of Israell, that they shulde eate of meate dedi∣cate vnto ydoles, and commyt fornicacyon. Euen so hast thou them that maintayne the doctryne of the Nycolaytans, which thyng I hate. But be cōuerted, or els I wyll come vnto the shortly, and wyll fyght agaynste the with the swearde of my mouth. Let hym [unspec E] that hath eares, heare, what the spirite saith vnto the cōgregacyons. To hym that ouer∣cōmeth, wyll I geue to eate Manna that is hyd, and wyll geue hym a whyte stone, and in the stone a newe name wrytten, which no man knoweth, sauynge he that receaueth it.

And vnto the messenger of the congrega∣cion of Thiatira write. This sayth the sone of god, which hath eyes lyke vnto a flamme of fyre, and hys fete are lyke brasse: I knowe thy worckes and thy loue, seruyce, & fayth, and thy pacyēce, and thy dedes, which are mo at the last then at the fyrst. Notwith¦standynge [unspec F] I haue a fewe thynges agaynst the, because thou sufferest that woman‡ 1.4 Ie∣sabel, which called her selfe a Prophetise, to teach and to deceaue my seruaūtes, to make them commyt fornicacyon, and to eate mea∣tes offered vp vnto ydols. And I gaue her space to repente of her fornycacyon, and she repented not. Beholde, I wyll cast her into a bed: and them that commyt fornycacyon with her, into great aduersyte, excepte they turne from theyr deades. And I wyl kyl her chyldren with deeth. And all the congrega∣cyōs shal knowe, that * 1.5 I am he which sear∣cheth the reynes & hertes. And I wyll geue vnto euery one of you acordynge vnto hys worckes. Unto you I saye, & vnto other of them of Thiatira, as many as haue not this [unspec G] lernynge and whyche haue not knowen the de••nes of Sathan (as they saye) I wyl put vpon you none other burthen, but that whi¦che ye haue already. Holde fast tyll I come, and whosoeuer ouercommeth and kepeth my worckes vnto the ende, to hym wyll I geue power ouer nacions, * 1.6 and he shal rule them with a rodde of yron: and as the ves∣sels of a potter, shall they be broken to she∣uers. Euen as I receaued of my father, so wyll I gyue hym the mornynge starre. Let hym that hath eares, heare, what the spirite sayth to the congregacyons.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Actes. ••▪ 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪
• * 1.2

  ••••••••. ••. ••
• * 1.3

  •••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ c
• ‡ 1.4

  3. Re. 16. •• 4. Reg. x. d
• * 1.5

  Iere. 27. ••.
• * 1.6

  Psal. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. b