these teachers. “Tested” is a translation of the aorist active indicative of peirazō, suggesting a thorough examination. Since this is almost always an unpleasant pursuit, the Ephesian church appears all the more remarkable. Painting a picture of church life in Ephesus on the basis of v. 2, one can possibly affirm that the church at Ephesus was a diligent, hardworking church characterized by great patience in the apostolic endeavor, a love for moral purity, and an unquestioned orthodoxy, which made