Revelation 3
International Standard Version
The Letter to the Church in Sardis
3 “To the messenger[a] of the church in Sardis, write:
‘The one who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars says this:
‘I know what you’ve been doing. You are known for being alive, but you are dead. 2 Be alert, and strengthen the things that are left, which are about to die. I note that your actions are incomplete before my God. 3 So remember what you received and heard. Obey it, and repent. If you are not alert, I will come like a thief, and you won’t know the time when I will come to you. 4 But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me in white clothes because they are worthy. 5 The person who overcomes[b] in this way will wear white clothes, and I will never erase his name from the Book of Life. I will acknowledge his name in the presence of my Father and his angels.
6 ‘Let everyone[c] listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
The Letter to the Church in Philadelphia
7 “To the messenger[d] of the church in Philadelphia, write:
‘The one who is holy, who is true,
who has the key of David,
who opens a door that[e] no one can shut,
and who shuts a door that[f] no one can open,
‘says this:
8 ‘I know what you’ve been doing. Look! I have put in front of you an open door that no one can shut. You have only a little strength, but you have obeyed my word and have not denied my name. 9 I will make those who belong to the synagogue of Satan—those who claim to be Jews and aren’t, but are lying—come and bow down at your feet. Then they will realize that I have loved you. 10 Because you have obeyed my command to endure,[g] I will keep you from the hour of testing that is coming to the whole world to test those living on the earth. 11 I am coming soon! Hold on to what you have so that no one takes your victor’s crown. 12 I will make the one who overcomes[h] to become a pillar in the sanctuary of my God, and he will never go out of it again. I will write on him the name of my God, the name of the city of my God (the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God), and my own new name.
13 ‘Let everyone[i] listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
The Letter to the Church in Laodicea
14 “To the messenger[j] of the church in Laodicea, write:
‘The Amen, the witness who is faithful and true, the originator of God’s creation, says this:
15 ‘I know your actions, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. 16 Since you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I am going to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, “I am rich. I have become wealthy. I don’t need anything.” Yet you don’t realize that you are miserable, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. 18 Therefore, I advise you to buy from me gold purified in fire so you may be rich, white clothes to wear so your shameful nakedness won’t show, and ointment to put on your eyes so you may see. 19 I correct and discipline those whom I love, so be serious and repent! 20 Look! I am standing at the door and knocking. If anyone listens to my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he will eat[k] with me. 21 I will give a place to sit with me on my throne to the one who overcomes,[l] just as I have overcome[m] and have sat down with my Father on his throne.
22 ‘Let everyone[n] listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
Footnotes
- Revelation 3:1 Or angel
- Revelation 3:5 Or conquers
- Revelation 3:6 Lit. Let the one who has an ear
- Revelation 3:7 Or angel
- Revelation 3:7 Lit. who opens and
- Revelation 3:7 Lit. who shuts and
- Revelation 3:10 Lit. my word of endurance
- Revelation 3:12 Or conquers
- Revelation 3:13 Lit. Let the one who has an ear
- Revelation 3:14 Or angel
- Revelation 3:20 The Gk. lacks will eat
- Revelation 3:21 Or conquers
- Revelation 3:21 Or conquered
- Revelation 3:22 Lit. Let the one who has an ear
Revelation 3
King James Version
3 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.
10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
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