The Seven Churches of Revelation
The seven churches of Revelation are Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea, the "seven churches which are in Asia" named in Revelation 1:11. Each gets its own letter from Jesus in Revelation 2 and 3, 51 verses in all. Smyrna and Philadelphia are the only two with no rebuke, and Laodicea, the "lukewarm" church, is the only one with no praise.
Updated October 25, 2026. Quotations are from the King James Version. The World English Bible calls the churches "assemblies" and spells Pergamos as Pergamum. Every verse and word count is taken from the full text of both translations.
The seven churches at a glance
In the order Revelation 1:11 names them, which is also the order of the letters. Words are counted in the King James Version; the rank runs from longest (1) to shortest (7).
| # | Church | Letter | Verses | KJV words | Rank | Praise | Rebuke | Key phrase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ephesus | Rev 2:1-7 | 7 | 189 | 5 | Yes | Yes | "thou hast left thy first love" 2:4 |
| 2 | Smyrna | Rev 2:8-11 | 4 | 128 | 7 | Yes | None | "be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life" 2:10 |
| 3 | PergamosWEB: Pergamum | Rev 2:12-17 | 6 | 194 | 4 | Yes | Yes | "where Satan's seat is" 2:13 |
| 4 | Thyatira | Rev 2:18-29 | 12 | 291 | 1 | Yes | Yes | "thou sufferest that woman Jezebel" 2:20 |
| 5 | Sardis | Rev 3:1-6 | 6 | 181 | 6 | Yes | Yes | "thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead" 3:1 |
| 6 | Philadelphia | Rev 3:7-13 | 7 | 246 | 2 | Yes | None | "I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it" 3:8 |
| 7 | Laodicea | Rev 3:14-22 | 9 | 231 | 3 | None | Yes | "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock" 3:20 |
The seven letters fill Revelation 2 and 3 exactly: 51 verses, 1,460 words in the King James Version and 1,430 in the World English Bible. Thyatira, the fourth letter, is the longest at 12 verses. Smyrna, the second, is the shortest at 4. Revelation 1:20 explains the picture behind them: "The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches."
The seven letters, one by one
Each letter opens "Unto the angel of the church ... write; These things saith", followed by a title for Jesus that mostly repeats words from Revelation 1.
1. Ephesus
Revelation 2:1-7, 7 verses, 189 KJV words
- Jesus is
- "he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks" (Revelation 2:1; compare "in his right hand seven stars", Revelation 1:16)
- Praised for
- Hard work and patience; tested false apostles and found them liars; hates the deeds of the Nicolaitanes (Revelation 2:2; Revelation 2:6)
- Rebuked for
- Has left its first love (Revelation 2:4)
- To him that overcometh
- To eat of the tree of life in the paradise of God (Revelation 2:7)
- Key phrase
- "thou hast left thy first love" (Revelation 2:4)
2. Smyrna
Revelation 2:8-11, 4 verses, 128 KJV words
- Jesus is
- "the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive" (Revelation 2:8; compare "I am the first and the last", Revelation 1:17)
- Praised for
- Poor in tribulation, but rich; slandered by "the synagogue of Satan" (Revelation 2:9)
- Rebuked for
- No rebuke.
- To him that overcometh
- Shall not be hurt of the second death (Revelation 2:11)
- Key phrase
- "be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life" (Revelation 2:10)
3. Pergamos (Pergamum)
Revelation 2:12-17, 6 verses, 194 KJV words
- Jesus is
- "he which hath the sharp sword with two edges" (Revelation 2:12; compare "a sharp twoedged sword", Revelation 1:16)
- Praised for
- Holds fast his name where "Satan's seat is"; did not deny the faith when Antipas was killed (Revelation 2:13)
- Rebuked for
- Tolerates the doctrine of Balaam and of the Nicolaitanes (Revelation 2:14; Revelation 2:15)
- To him that overcometh
- Hidden manna and a white stone with a new name written on it (Revelation 2:17)
- Key phrase
- "where Satan's seat is" (Revelation 2:13)
4. Thyatira
Revelation 2:18-29, 12 verses, 291 KJV words
- Jesus is
- "the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass" (Revelation 2:18; compare "his eyes were as a flame of fire", Revelation 1:14; "his feet like unto fine brass", Revelation 1:15)
- Praised for
- Charity, service, faith and patience, with more works at the last than at the first (Revelation 2:19)
- Rebuked for
- Allows "that woman Jezebel", a self-styled prophetess, to teach (Revelation 2:20)
- To him that overcometh
- Power over the nations, and the morning star (Revelation 2:26-28)
- Key phrase
- "thou sufferest that woman Jezebel" (Revelation 2:20)
5. Sardis
Revelation 3:1-6, 6 verses, 181 KJV words
- Jesus is
- "he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars" (Revelation 3:1; compare "the seven Spirits which are before his throne", Revelation 1:4)
- Praised for
- Only a few names "which have not defiled their garments" (Revelation 3:4)
- Rebuked for
- Has a name for being alive but is dead; its works are not perfect (Revelation 3:1; Revelation 3:2)
- To him that overcometh
- Clothed in white; name kept in the book of life (Revelation 3:5)
- Key phrase
- "thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead" (Revelation 3:1)
6. Philadelphia
Revelation 3:7-13, 7 verses, 246 KJV words
- Jesus is
- "he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David" (Revelation 3:7; compare "the key of the house of David", Isaiah 22:22)
- Praised for
- Has a little strength, kept his word and did not deny his name (Revelation 3:8)
- Rebuked for
- No rebuke.
- To him that overcometh
- A pillar in the temple of God, with God's name, the new Jerusalem and his new name written on him (Revelation 3:12)
- Key phrase
- "I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it" (Revelation 3:8)
7. Laodicea
Revelation 3:14-22, 9 verses, 231 KJV words
- Jesus is
- "the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God" (Revelation 3:14; compare "the faithful witness", Revelation 1:5)
- Praised for
- No praise.
- Rebuked for
- Lukewarm, neither cold nor hot; says "I am rich" but is "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked" (Revelation 3:16; Revelation 3:17)
- To him that overcometh
- To sit with him on his throne (Revelation 3:21)
- Key phrase
- "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock" (Revelation 3:20)
Two Old Testament names come up in the letters. Pergamos is rebuked for holding "the doctrine of Balaam", the prophet whose counsel led Israel into sin (Numbers 31:16; see Balaam). Thyatira tolerates "that woman Jezebel", a name taken from the queen of Ahab, "Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal" (1 Kings 16:31; see Jezebel). The Nicolaitanes are named only twice in the Bible, both in these letters: Ephesus hates their deeds (2:6) and Pergamos has some who hold their doctrine (2:15). Philadelphia's title, "he that hath the key of David", echoes Isaiah 22:22 rather than Revelation 1.
The pattern every letter follows
The seven letters are built on the same frame, and the counts show how closely.
- "I know thy works" appears 7 times in the King James Version, once in each letter and nowhere else in the Bible (2:2, 2:9, 2:13, 2:19, 3:1, 3:8, 3:15). The World English Bible's "I know your works" matches, 7 times.
- "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches" is in every letter: 7 times, all in Revelation 2 and 3.
- Every letter has a promise "to him that overcometh". In the first three (Ephesus, Smyrna and Pergamos) the call to hear comes first and the promise last. In the last four (Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea) the order flips.
- "Overcometh" appears 11 times in the King James Version: 8 in Revelation (7 in the letters, plus "He that overcometh shall inherit all things" in Revelation 21:7) and 3 in 1 John.
- Only Ephesus, Pergamos and Thyatira hear the words "against thee" ("I have somewhat against thee", "I have a few things against thee"). Sardis and Laodicea are rebuked without them.
"Seven" and "church" in Revelation
Revelation ties Genesis for the most uses of "seven" in the King James Version, 54 each, and uses the word far more densely than any other book: seven churches, seven stars, seven candlesticks, seven Spirits. The five books with the most:
In the King James Version the word "seven" appears 54 times in Revelation and the same 54 times in Genesis, so Revelation ties for the most. In the World English Bible Genesis edges ahead, 57 to 55. Measured by length, Revelation has no rival: 4.5 uses of "seven" per 1,000 words, against 1.9 in Leviticus, the next densest. The whole King James Version has 463 of them (see seven).
"Church" or "churches" appears 114 times in the King James Version, all in the New Testament. Revelation has 20, 15 of them in the seven letters, behind Acts (22) and 1 Corinthians (22). The last is Revelation 22:16: "I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches." The World English Bible never uses the word; it has "assembly" or "assemblies" 20 times in Revelation (see church).
Where were the seven churches?
All seven cities stood in western Anatolia, in present-day Turkey. John writes "to the seven churches which are in Asia" (Revelation 1:4), and this Asia is not the continent. Smyrna, Pergamos, Sardis and Philadelphia are named only in Revelation; the other three appear elsewhere in the New Testament.
| Church | Times named (KJV) | Outside Revelation | Site today |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ephesus | 17 | Acts 9, 1 Corinthians 2, Ephesians 1, 1 Timothy 1, 2 Timothy 2 | Selçuk, İzmir Province, Turkeyruins at present-day Selçuk |
| Smyrna | 2 | none | İzmir, Turkeythe city's official name since 1930 |
| Pergamos | 2 | none | Bergama, Turkeynorthwest of the modern city of Bergama |
| Thyatira | 4 | Acts 1 | Akhisar, Manisa Province, Turkeynow the city of Akhisar |
| Sardis | 3 | none | Sart, Manisa Province, Turkeyan archaeological site near the town of Sart |
| Philadelphia | 2 | none | Alaşehir, Manisa Province, Turkeycalled Philadelphia until 1390 |
| Laodicea | 7 | Colossians 5 | near Denizli, Turkeyruins at Eskihisar, near Denizli |
Ephesus is the best known: Paul "came to Ephesus" (Acts 19:1) and taught there for two years, "so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 19:10). Later he called "the elders of the church" of Ephesus to meet him at Miletus (Acts 20:17), and his letter to the Ephesians is addressed "to the saints which are at Ephesus" (Ephesians 1:1). The city is named 17 times in the King James Version, 9 of them in Acts.
Thyatira appears once outside Revelation: Lydia, "a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira", whom Paul met at Philippi (Acts 16:12-14). Laodicea appears 5 times in Colossians. Paul says Epaphras (Colossians 4:12) has "a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis" (Colossians 4:13). He greets "the brethren which are in Laodicea" (4:15) and asks for his letter to be "read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea" (4:16). No book of the Bible carries that name.
Laodicea's count includes "Laodiceans" (Revelation 3:14, Colossians 4:16). The modern sites come from Wikipedia's articles on each city and on the seven churches of Asia, read 2026-10-25. The Bible itself gives no locations beyond "Asia".
Questions about the seven churches
What are the seven churches of Revelation?
Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. Revelation 1:11 lists them in that order, and John is told to "send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia". The letters to them fill Revelation 2:1 to 3:22.
Which churches had no rebuke?
Smyrna and Philadelphia. Neither letter has the words "against thee" or any call to repent. Smyrna is told "be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life" (Revelation 2:10), and Philadelphia "thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word" (Revelation 3:8).
Which church was lukewarm?
Laodicea: "because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth" (Revelation 3:16). It is the only church with no word of praise, and "lukewarm" appears once in the whole Bible, in that verse, in both the King James Version and the World English Bible.
What is the message to each of the seven churches?
Ephesus (2:1-7): has left its first love. Smyrna (2:8-11): no rebuke; "be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life". Pergamos (2:12-17): tolerates the doctrine of Balaam and of the Nicolaitanes. Thyatira (2:18-29): allows 'that woman Jezebel', a self-styled prophetess, to teach. Sardis (3:1-6): has a name for being alive but is dead; its works are not perfect. Philadelphia (3:7-13): no rebuke; "I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it". Laodicea (3:14-22): lukewarm, neither cold nor hot; says 'I am rich' but is 'wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked'. Every letter also holds a promise "to him that overcometh", from "the tree of life" for Ephesus to a seat on Jesus' throne for Laodicea.
Where were the seven churches located?
In "Asia" (Revelation 1:4). All seven cities stood in western Anatolia, in present-day Turkey. Today Ephesus lies at Selçuk, Smyrna is İzmir, Pergamos is by Bergama, Thyatira is Akhisar, Sardis is near Sart, Philadelphia is Alaşehir, and Laodicea's ruins are near Denizli, according to Wikipedia's articles on each city (read 2026-10-25).
Which letter is the longest?
Thyatira's, at 12 verses and 291 words in the King James Version. Smyrna's is the shortest, 4 verses and 128 words. The World English Bible gives the same longest and shortest.
Sources
- The King James Version (1769) and the World English Bible, both public domain: every verse quoted and every count on this page, from the text at github.com/seven1m/open-bibles, counted and checked by scripts/lists/seven-churches-of-revelation.mjs (read and counted 2026-10-25).
- Wikipedia, Seven churches of Asia: the cities lie in present-day Turkey (read 2026-10-25).
- Wikipedia city articles for the modern sites, each read 2026-10-25: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamon, Thyatira, Sardis, Alaşehir, Laodicea on the Lycus.
Read about the book of Revelation, Acts, Ephesians and Colossians, or see where Revelation sits on the New Testament books in order. Jesus' own teaching is on the parables of Jesus, and his titles, including several from these letters, on the names of Jesus. Word counts: seven, church, repent, crown and Satan. More counts are on the Bible by the numbers.
Counted by Bible Says About from the full public-domain text of the King James Version (1769 edition) and the World English Bible. Verse text only: headings and psalm titles are left out. A word is a run of letters: a hyphenated name like Beer-sheba counts as two, and an apostrophe stays inside its word (LORD'S is one). Matching ignores capital letters. Data compiled 2026-10-25.