from a primary (but obsolete) ergo (to work); toil (as an effort or occupation); by implication an act :- deed, doing, labor, work. Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary.

from <G2875> (kopto); a cut, i.e. (by analogy) toil (as reducing the strength), literal or figurative; by implication pains :- + trouble, weariness. Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary.

from <G5278> (hupomeno); cheerful (or hopeful) endurance, constancy :- enduring, patience, patient continuance (waiting). Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary.

definition: pleasure in hurting others

Galatians 6:9-10 (reconsidered)

So, let us not be weak and weary in this beautiful and valuable work because in His own timing, He will reap the harvest. God-forbid, we faint! While we have no doubt the occasion will come in due time, right now, let us be engaged in good toward all people, but particularly toward the household of believers.

Psalm 18:21-22 (reconsidered)
I kept the way of the LORD. I have not condemned (declared wrong) God’s judgments. I did not put away (depart, rebel from) his statutes (appointed times or enactments; customs; commandments). Upright before him, I kept myself from iniquity (perversity; sin; evil).

Who is “the first love” Jesus warned the Ephesians about putting away, forgetting or replacing? “The first love” is the Father God. Jesus makes this clear in Mark 12, by quoting Deuteronomy 13.

Jesus was asked, “Which is the first (most important: foremost) commandment of all?” He answered, ^“You shall love the Lord your God (the Father) with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength: this is the first (most important: foremost) commandment.”  (Mk. 12:28-31)

Jesus’ answer was a quote from the Old Testament. (the Torah). ^“You shall not obey the words of a prophet of Baal: for the Lord your God tests to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and you shall serve him, and cleave to him”. (Deut. 13:3-4)

So, if the Ephesians were not laboring for their “first love” (or the foremost commandment to love the Father), which they had forsaken (put-away), then what “love” (or commandment) were the Ephesians laboring for?  

“And the second (most important: foremost) commandment is similar to this, ” Thou shalt love thy neighbor (fellow countryman or brethren) as thy own self”. (Mk 12:31) The Ephesians were laboring for their “second love”, or the second most important commandment, which says to love your neighbors.

Jesus praised the Ephesians for loving their neighbors but in doing so, they had forsaken (put-away) or forgotten their love for the Father.

Forsake (or Put-away) is a term used in the Bible for divorce; it is a marriage related term (1 Cor. 7:11-2).  Jesus using the words “put-away” paints a picture of the Ephesians divorcing their first love, the Father God and then, remarrying their second love, their neighbors. This would be adultery (unfaithfulness) and idolatry.  Loving or serving others (neighbors), in place of loving and serving the Father God, results in eternal separation from the Lord and his kingdom. (A stirring away from His presence as this letter states) Repentance and return to the Father God is the only remedy.

Jesus finishes his teaching in Mark 12:31 by saying, “There is no other commandment greater than these” (stated as if they are 1 commandment). The first and second most important commandments together are greater (and older) than any of the other commandments.

The Lord your God is Jehovah your Elohim in Hebrew, the source of your salvation and the Father God, according to Jesus.

Psalm 64:7-10 (reconsidered)
God teaches by wounding (shooting arrows). Suddenly wounded (with plagues, beatings, sickness, loss, etc), they speak evil; failing to perceive the reason (for the wounds), they flee (or wander or fall) away. Watch them flee! Adam (mankind) reveres standing in opposition to the work of God; questioning God’s actions. The righteous rejoice in the LORD, and trust in him.

Luke 8:13-14 (reconsidered)
The word of God that falls upon the rock represents those who hear and receive the word of God with joy but have no root; they will for a time believe, but in a time of adversity, they will fall away (revolt; depart; flee).

Psalm 119:158 (KJV)
I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word. See how I love thy commandments: quicken me (bring me back to life) Oh, Jehovah Hesed (God of loving-kindness).

Job 42:6 (reconsidered)
I despise myself, so I repent in dust and ashes.

Ezekiel 18:30-31 (reconsidered)
Repent, and turn yourselves from all your sin, so sin will not be your ruin.
Cast away from yourselves all your sin that you have sinned and I will make you a new heart and a new spirit. For why (what reason) will you die, O house of Israel?

Matthew 3:2 (KJV)
Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Luke 13:3 (reconsidered)
I explained to you, “There is no other way unless you repent. Everything is perishing, likewise you will perish.

Mark 1:15 (KJV)
The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent, and believe the gospel.

Acts 2:38-40 (reconsidered)
Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and baptized, each of you upon being called unto Jesus, the Messiah, for pardon (forgiveness) from sin, and receive the gift of a sacred (Holy) spirit. For this profession of faith belongs to you, and your children and everyone of one mind a great way off, as many as the Lord our God wishes to call unto himself.”

John 14:15 (KJV)
“If you love me, keep my commandments.”

Leviticus 22:31 (reconsidered)
Keep my commandments, and keep busy doing them: I Am (exist as) LORD.

Daniel 9:4-5 (reconsidered)
I interceed for my people, Jehovah Elohim (God), praising with hands held high, giving thanks saying, “Oh, LORD; the magnificent, fearful Almighty; who keeps the covenant and shows kindness to those that love him and keep his commandments. We repent of iniquity, and condemn the rebellion of putting away (departing from) your commandments and judgments.

John 15:10 (KJV)
Whomever keeps my commandments stays in my love; just as I keep my Father’s commandments and stay in his love.

Psalm 119:113-116 (reconsidered)
I hate skepticism. Torah, I have affection for, it is my covering shield. I wait patiently in your words and put away evil. I keep the commandments (mitzvahs) of Elohim (God). I lean on your word, that I may live (be made alive again).  Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live unashamed of my hope (expectation).

John 14:20-24 (reconsidered)
In that one (selfsame) day, you will know how that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.

Take hold of my injunctions (commandments), and keep them. The selfsame I AM that loves me does that. And to love me is to covertly love my Father. Likewise, I love him and manifest myself to him.

Judas asked him (not Iscariot), “Lord, what is happening that will manifest these things (and yourself) to us, and not to the world? Jesus responded and said to him, “If you (anyone) loves me, keep your eyes upon my words: and my Father will love you, and come toward you, and keep staying near (beside) you. Those who love me not, do not keep their eyes on my words (doctrine; preaching) even though, the words (doctrine; preaching) which you hear are not mine, but the Father’s. He has sent me.

Isaiah 42:13-17 reconsidered
¹³  Jehovah shall go forth powerfully, stirring (waking) up jealous men of war. He shall valiantly blow the alarm loud and clear; hating his adversary.

Jehovah says,
“From ancient times I’ve held my peace. I have kept silent and contained myself. Now, I will cry out like a woman giving birth. I will blow away, astonish and swallow up all at once”.

“Drought will parch the mountains and hills, withering all their grass and herbs; making rivers into dry land, and drying up the ponds and marshlands.”

“Walking blind men, on a road to understanding; treading the beaten paths already known; I will illuminate the darkness before them, making the distorted things straightforward and plain.”

“My word I will do and not forsake them.” 

“Retreat behind your confusion; ashamed for quickly and confidently trusting in engraved idols; speaking libations (worship; grain and drink offerings) to other gods (or angels).“

The doctrine of the Nicolaitans appears to have been a form of antinomianism (www.britannica.com), which makes the fatal mistake of teaching Christians they are freed, by grace, from obeying the Law given by God to Moses. (freed from obeying the Father whom Jesus obeyed fully?)  The Nicolaitans rejected the notion, of obedience to the Law of God, as legalistic. To them, sanctification comes only from the Holy Spirit working internally, not from obeying the Law of God.

Attempts to rationalize and excuse immorality (sin) by citing the “freedom” we have in Christ is abhorrent to Jesus (and Paul Gal. 3:21). True Christian love is never expressed by tolerating sinfulness or evil, whether it be a matter of what one believes or how one behaves.  We have been set free from the Law of Sin and Death, by grace, through the Lord Jesus Christ.  We have not been set free, by grace, to freely sin again and again against God, our Heavenly Father!

Genesis 1:28 (reconsidered)
God blessed (praised). Then God said, “Bear fruit, and increase, and fill the earth, and subdue (conquer; subjugate). Take control over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that creeps upon the earth.

Micah 7:19 (reconsidered) Turn back again and God will have compassion; he will subdue (conquer; subjugate and then disregard) our past perversity; and will cast our sins into the depths of the sea.

Psalm 47:2-3 (reconsidered)
The fearsome Lord Jehovah most high is a great King over the earth.
He shall subdue (arrange and give words to speak) people into nations under His feet.

Philippians 3:20-21 (reconsidered)
Indeed, our community (citizenship) came into existence in heaven; from whence (where: heaven) we expectantly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, to return. He shall transform our lowly bodies, into risen bodies conformed to his glorious body, through powerful works (powerful energy). He is likewise able to subdue (bring under his control) everything himself.

1 John 5:1-5 (reconsidered)
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Messiah, is reborn of God. Everyone beloved and reborn also loves the begotten of God. By this we can be sure, in that we love the children of God; when we love God and keep his commandments because this is loving God; to keep watch and hold fast to his commandments even if his commandments are never burdensome. For whosoever is reborn of God subdues the world. This is the means to success in subduing the world, our faith (conviction). What is subduing the world, if not (except) believing that Jesus is the Son of God?

Psalm 46:10 (KJV)
Be still (idle; cease) and know I am God. I will be exalted among the Gentiles. I will be exalted on the earth. The Lord of God’s army, the God of Jacob, is our defender.