#1 Left Jesus - Message to Ephesus: Left First Love
Re 9:20, Re 14:13, Re 18:6, Re 20:12-13, Re 22:12 — The "works" mentions in 9:20, 14:13, 18:6, 20:12-13, and 22:12 seem related to those of the seven churches in 2:2, 2:9, 2:13, 2:19, 3:1, 3:8, and 3:15.
The KJV/TR reads "…and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted"; the critical text reads καὶ ὑπομονὴν ἔχεις καὶ ἐβάστασας διὰ τὸ ὄνομά μου καὶ οὐ κεκοπίακες — "and you have patience, and have borne for my name's sake, and have not become weary" — without the separate "laboured" clause.
"Somewhat" is supplied in translation; the Greek reads ἔχω κατὰ σοῦ — "I have against you."
The KJV/TR reads "I will come unto thee quickly"; the critical text reads ἔρχομαί σοι — without "quickly" here, though it stands at 2:16 (ταχύ).
Re 2:5, Re 2:16
Re 2:6, Re 2:15 — Ephesus hates evil teachers
The KJV/TR places the tree "in the midst of the paradise of God"; the critical text reads ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ τοῦ θεοῦ — "in the paradise of God."
The Greek here is ξύλον — wood — the word the Greek Old Testament uses for the tree of life in Genesis 2:9 and the New Testament uses for the cross (Acts 5:30; Galatians 3:13; 1 Peter 2:24). The natural trees of the plagues are a different word, δένδρον (7:1, 7:3, 8:7, 9:4).
#2 Crown - Message to Smyrna: Ten Days of Tribulation
Important Note: Smyrna mirrors Philadelphia, yet Philadelphia is promised to escape "the hour of testing, which is about to come upon the whole inhabited-world." This is not the ordinary expected temptation of the church; this is the one that comes on the whole world. Yet here, Smyrna is told to be faithful unto death.
Re 2:8, Re 13:14 — ἔζησεν — is alive or did live
The KJV/TR opens "I know thy works, and…"; the critical text reads οἶδά σου τὴν θλῖψιν — "I know your tribulation" — without the works clause.
Re 9:20, Re 14:13, Re 18:6, Re 20:12-13, Re 22:12 — The "works" mentions in 9:20, 14:13, 18:6, 20:12-13, and 22:12 seem related to those of the seven churches in 2:2, 2:9, 2:13, 2:19, 3:1, 3:8, and 3:15.
Re 2:9, 2 Corinthians 8:9
Re 2:9, Re 3:9
Two details here anchor larger patterns. First, testing and tribulation are welded in one clause — "that you all may be tested; and you all shall have tribulation ten days" — and the only other use of the testing word in Revelation is "the hour of testing" in 3:10. The book itself pairs the two ideas. Second, this testing is counted — ten days — a local, bounded tribulation for one church, while Philadelphia, Smyrna's mirror, is kept out of a designated world-wide hour (3:10). The two crown churches carry the two modes: a counted tribulation endured unto death with a crown of life promised (2:10), and a designated hour escaped with a crown held fast (3:11). Ten counted days here, a great one at the span's opening (7:14), and a greatest at the middle (Matthew 24:21) — tribulation comes in types and degrees.
Re 1:17, Re 2:10
Re 2:10, Re 3:11
Re 2:11, Re 6:6, Re 7:3, Re 9:4 — Mentions of “not harming” or “not hurting” appear in Revelation 2:11, 6:6, 7:3, and 9:4. These references should not be treated as the same event or action simply because similar language is used. Revelation 7:3 and 9:4 may seem closely related because both involve the sealed servants of God, but they differ in the actors and purposes. In Revelation 7:3, the four angels are told not to harm the earth, sea, or trees “until” the servants of God are sealed. In Revelation 9:4, however, the locusts are commanded not to harm the grass, any green thing, or any tree "at all," but only the people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.
#3 Fornication - Message to Pergamum: Doctrine of Balaam
Important Note: Jesus will come to this church with the sword of his mouth. A mirror of Thyatira, false teachers, idols, and fornication.
The KJV/TR opens "I know thy works, and…"; the critical text reads οἶδα ποῦ κατοικεῖς — "I know where you dwell."
Re 9:20, Re 14:13, Re 18:6, Re 20:12-13, Re 22:12 — The "works" mentions in 9:20, 14:13, 18:6, 20:12-13, and 22:12 seem related to those of the seven churches in 2:2, 2:9, 2:13, 2:19, 3:1, 3:8, and 3:15.
Re 2:13, Re 3:8, 1 John 5:4-5 — Faith in Jesus and his name are deeply linked. This is the one who has faith in the name of the Son of God and believes in his name.
Re 2:14, Re 2:20
Re 2:14, Re 2:20
Re 2:6, Re 2:15 — Pergamum has some evil teachers.
Re 2:5, Re 2:16
The KJV/TR reads "to eat of the hidden manna"; the critical text reads δώσω αὐτῷ τοῦ μάννα — "I will give to him of the manna" — without the eating verb.
“Stone” here is ψῆφος (psēphos), a different word from λίθος, the book’s ordinary stone (4:3, 18:21, 21:11, 21:19): a small, smoothed stone. Its only other New Testament occurrence is a vote — Acts 26:10, “I cast my ψῆφον against them.” What this stone is for, the text does not say; it says only what it is: white, with a new name written, which none knows saving he who receives it.
#4 Fornication - Message to Thyatira: Jezebel
Important Note: A mirror of Pergamum, false teachers, idols, and fornication.
Re 1:15, Re 2:18, Re 10:1 — The Greek reinforces the shared fire imagery through the πυρ- word family. In Revelation 1:15, πεπυρωμένης comes from πυρόω, “to make fiery hot, burn, or refine,” a verb derived from πῦρ, “fire.” Revelation 2:18 repeats both the description of the feet as χαλκολίβανον (“burnished/fine bronze”) and the noun πῦρ in φλόγα πυρός (“a flame of fire”). Revelation 10:1 then describes the angel’s feet as στῦλοι πυρός (“pillars of fire”). Thus, the passages are linked by repeated fiery imagery and by the related Greek forms πυρόω–πῦρ–πυρός. The rare word χαλκολίβανον itself for brilliant bronze, however, does not contain the root πυρ-.
If 7 is the number of completion, Jesus' listing of only 6 qualities here helps emphasize that something is lacking.
Re 9:20, Re 14:13, Re 18:6, Re 20:12-13, Re 22:12 — The "works" mentions in 9:20, 14:13, 18:6, 20:12-13, and 22:12 seem related to those of the seven churches in 2:2, 2:9, 2:13, 2:19, 3:1, 3:8, and 3:15.
The KJV/TR includes ὀλίγα — "a few things" (KJV "I have a few things against thee"); the critical text reads ἔχω κατὰ σοῦ ὅτι — "I have against you that…" — without it.
Re 2:14, Re 2:20
Re 2:14, Re 2:20
Both νεφρούς (kidneys) and καρδίας (hearts) are plural in Greek, reflecting an idiom for the totality of the inner life (“inner parts and hearts”), which English translations often render in the singular for smoothness.
Re 2:28, Re 22:16
Important Note: This church is also shown to need to repent, and there is a promise of the tree of life.