| 1 | And to the angel (messenger) of the assembly (church) in Sardis write: These are the words of Him Who has the seven Spirits of God [
[a]the sevenfold Holy Spirit] and the seven stars: I know your record
and
what you are doing; you are supposed to be alive, but [in reality] you are dead. |
| 2 | Rouse yourselves
and
keep awake, and strengthen
and
invigorate what remains and is on the point of dying; for I have not found a thing that you have done [any work of yours] meeting the requirements of My God
or
perfect in His sight. |
| 3 | So call to mind the lessons you received and heard; continually lay them to heart
and
obey them, and repent. In case you will not rouse yourselves
and
keep awake
and watch
, I will come upon you like a thief, and you will not know
or
suspect at what hour I will come. |
| 4 | Yet you still have a few [persons’] names in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes, and they shall walk with Me in white, because they are worthy
and
deserving. |
| 5 | Thus shall he who conquers (is victorious) be clad in white garments, and I will not erase
or
blot out his name from the Book of Life; I will acknowledge him [as Mine]
and
I will confess his name openly before My Father and before His angels. |
| 6 | He who is able to hear, let him listen to
and
heed what the [Holy] Spirit says to the assemblies (churches). |
| 7 | And to the angel (messenger) of the assembly (church) in Philadelphia write: These are the words of the Holy One, the True One, He Who has the key of David, Who opens and no one shall shut, Who shuts and no one shall open: |
| 8 | I know your [record of] works
and
what you are doing. See! I have set before you a door wide open which no one is able to shut; I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept My Word
and
guarded My message and have not renounced
or
denied My name. |
| 9 | Take note! I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet and learn
and
acknowledge that I have loved you. |
| 10 | Because you have guarded
and
kept My word of patient endurance [have held fast the
[b]lesson of My patience with the
[c]expectant endurance that I give you], I also will keep you [safe] from the hour of trial (testing) which is coming on the whole world to try those who dwell upon the earth. |
| 11 | I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one may rob you
and
deprive you of your crown. |
| 12 | He who overcomes (is victorious), I will make him a pillar in the sanctuary of My God; he shall never be put out of it
or
go out of it, and I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which descends from My God out of heaven, and My own new name. |
| 13 | He who can hear, let him listen to
and
heed what the Spirit says to the assemblies (churches). |
| 14 | And to the angel (messenger) of the assembly (church) in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the trusty
and
faithful and true Witness, the Origin
and
Beginning
and
Author of God’s creation: |
| 15 | I know your [record of] works
and
what you are doing; you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot! |
| 16 | So, because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth! |
| 17 | For you say, I am rich; I have prospered
and
grown wealthy, and I am in need of nothing; and you do not realize
and
understand that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. |
| 18 | Therefore I counsel you to purchase from Me gold refined
and
tested by fire, that you may be [truly] wealthy, and white clothes to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nudity from being seen, and salve to put on your eyes, that you may see. |
| 19 | Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I tell their faults and convict
and
convince
and
reprove and chasten [I discipline and instruct them]. So be enthusiastic
and
in earnest
and
burning with zeal and repent [changing your mind and attitude]. |
| 20 | Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears
and
listens to
and
heeds My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will eat with him, and he [will eat] with Me. |
| 21 | He who overcomes (is victorious), I will grant him to sit beside Me on My throne, as I Myself overcame (was victorious) and sat down beside My Father on His throne. |
| 22 | He who is able to hear, let him listen to
and
heed what the [Holy] Spirit says to the assemblies (churches). |
Cross references:
-
Revelation 3:5 : Ps. 69:28; Dan. 12:1.
-
Revelation 3:7 : Isa. 22:22.
-
Revelation 3:9 : Isa. 43:4; 49:23; 60:14.
-
Revelation 3:12 : Isa. 62:2; Ezek. 48:35.
-
Revelation 3:14 : Isa. 55:4; Prov. 8:22.
-
Revelation 3:17 : Hos. 12:8.
-
Revelation 3:19 : Prov. 3:12.
|