The Dead Church

3 “And to the ^[a]angel of the church in Sardis write,

‘These things says He who ^(A)has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. ² Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before ^[b]God. ^3 (B)Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and ^(C)repent. ^(D)Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you ^(E)as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. ^4 [c]You have ^(F)a few names ^[d]even in Sardis who have not ^(G)defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me ^(H)in white, for they are worthy. ⁵ He who overcomes ^(I)shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not ^(J)blot out his name from the ^(K)Book of Life; but ^(L)I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

^6 (M)“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’

The Faithful Church

⁷ “And to the ^[e]angel of the church in Philadelphia write,

‘These things says ^(N)He who is holy, ^(O)He who is true, ^(P)“He who has the key of David, ^(Q)He who opens and no one shuts, and ^(R)shuts and no one opens”: ^8 (S)“I know your works. See, I have set before you ^(T)an open door, ^[f]and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. ⁹ Indeed I will make ^(U)those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed ^(V)I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. ¹⁰ Because you have kept ^[g]My command to persevere, ^(W)I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon ^(X)the whole world, to test those who dwell ^(Y)on the earth. ^11 [h]Behold, ^(Z)I am coming quickly! ^(AA)Hold fast what you have, that no one may take ^(AB)your crown. ¹² He who overcomes, I will make him ^(AC)a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall ^(AD)go out no more. ^(AE)I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the ^(AF)New Jerusalem, which ^(AG)comes down out of heaven from My God. ^(AH)And I will write on him My new name.

^13 (AI)“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’

The Lukewarm Church

¹⁴ “And to the ^[i]angel of the church ^[j]of the Laodiceans write,

^(AJ)‘These things says the Amen, ^(AK)the Faithful and True Witness, ^(AL)the Beginning of the creation of God: ^15 (AM)“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. ¹⁶ So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither ^[k]cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. ¹⁷ Because you say, ^(AN)‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— ¹⁸ I counsel you ^(AO)to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and ^(AP)white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. ^19 (AQ)As many as I love, I rebuke and ^(AR)chasten.^[l] Therefore be ^[m]zealous and repent. ²⁰ Behold, ^(AS)I stand at the door and knock. ^(AT)If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, ^(AU)I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. ²¹ To him who overcomes ^(AV)I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

^22 (AW)“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’ ”

The Throne Room of Heaven^(AX)

4 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing ^(AY)open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a ^(AZ)trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”

² Immediately ^(BA)I was in the Spirit; and behold, ^(BB)a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. ^3 [n]And He who sat there was ^(BC)like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; ^(BD)and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. ^4 (BE)Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, ^(BF)clothed in white ^[o]robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. ⁵ And from the throne proceeded ^(BG)lightnings, ^[p]thunderings, and voices. ^(BH)Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are ^(BI)the^[q] seven Spirits of God.

⁶ Before the throne there ^[r]was ^(BJ)a sea of glass, like crystal. ^(BK)And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. ^7 (BL)The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. ⁸ The four living creatures, each having ^(BM)six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:

⁹ Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, ^(BQ)who lives forever and ever, ^10 (BR)the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: