Di Letters to di Seven Churches

One messenger start one long road wey go round seven cities. Inside im bag na one scroll. And for each city, one church go gather to hear wetin Jesus get to talk, to dem.

For di island of Patmos, John don see di Jesus wey rise from death, dey shine inside glory, dey stand among seven golden lampstands. Dat lampstands, Jesus explain, na seven churches. Now Jesus give John message for each of dem. Di seven cities na real places for di Roman province of Asia, for di place wey dem dey call western Turkey today, and one road join dem together like big circle: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. Each message start as Jesus talk, I know wetin you dey do. E know each church pass how di church know imself.

To Ephesus, Jesus talk: I know how you dey work hard, how you get patience, and say you no dey tolerate false teachers. But I get dis one against you. You don leave di love wey you get for di beginning. Remember how you dey love before, and turn back. To Smyrna, one church wey poor and wey dey suffer, Jesus no get any warning at all, only comfort. I know your trouble and your poverty, but you dey rich. No fear. Stay faithful even reach death, and I go give you di crown of life. To Pergamum, where one faithful man wey dem dey call Antipas die because of im faith, Jesus talk: you don hold my name tight. But some of una don dey follow false teaching. Turn back. To Thyatira: I know your love, your faith, your service, and say wetin you dey do now pass wetin you do for di beginning. But you don allow one woman wey call herself prophetess, but she no be true prophet, to lead people go wrong road. Hold wetin you get tight until I come.

To Sardis, Jesus talk something wey serious well well. People dey call you say you dey alive, but you don die. Wake up! Make wetin remain strong. Yet even for Sardis, few people dey wey never dirty dia clothes, and dem go waka with me inside white. To Philadelphia, one small church wey no get much strength, Jesus get only praise. You don keep my word, and you no deny my name. I don put one open door for your front, wey nobody fit close. Hold wetin you get tight, so dat nobody go take your crown. I go make you one pillar inside di temple of my God.

And di last one, Laodicea, one rich city. Jesus talk: I know wetin you dey do. You no cold, and you no hot. You just dey lukewarm, and dat one no dey help anybody. You dey talk, I rich, I get everything, I no need anything. But you no see say you poor, and you blind, and you naked. So come meet me for real gold, wey dem don refine inside fire, for white clothes to wear, and for medicine to rub for your eyes, so dat you go fit see. And then Jesus talk some of di most tender words for di whole book. All di people wey I love, I dey correct dem and I dey discipline dem. Look, I stand for di door, I dey knock. If anybody hear my voice, and open di door, I go come inside meet am, and I go eat with am, and e go eat with me. Even to di church wey get di most things to fix, Jesus dey knock, e want come inside and share food. Each of di seven messages end di same way: anybody wey get ear, make e hear wetin di Spirit dey talk to di churches. And each one give promise to di one wey overcome: di tree of life, one crown, one new name, one place with Jesus.

Laodicea no get strong spring of im own, and na aqueduct, one long water channel, dem take dey bring water enter di city. No too far, di city of Hierapolis dey famous for im hot springs, wey di Greek geographer Strabo describe, and Colossae wey dey near dey known for cool, fresh water. Plenty scholars think say di people of Laodicea go understand quick quick di picture wey Jesus use, of water wey no cold to refresh person, and wey no hot to heal person.

Di letters to di seven churches. You go find dem for Revelation chapter two and three. Jesus know each church, e praise wetin dey good, e warn about wetin dey wrong, and e promise reward to di people wey keep going. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. If Jesus write letter to you, wetin you think say e go praise, and wetin e go ask you make you change?