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.” ’ ”

Seventh Seal: Prelude to the Seven Trumpets

8 When^(A) He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. ^2 (B)And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, ^(C)and to them were given seven trumpets. ³ Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with ^(D)the prayers of all the saints upon ^(E)the golden altar which was before the throne. ⁴ And ^(F)the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. ⁵ Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And ^(G)there were noises, thunderings, ^(H)lightnings, ^(I)and an earthquake.

⁶ So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

First Trumpet: Vegetation Struck

⁷ The first angel sounded: ^(J)And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown ^(K)to the ^[a]earth. And a third ^(L)of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.

Second Trumpet: The Seas Struck

⁸ Then the second angel sounded: ^(M)And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, ^(N)and a third of the sea ^(O)became blood. ^9 (P)And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

Third Trumpet: The Waters Struck

¹⁰ Then the third angel sounded: ^(Q)And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, ^(R)and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. ^11 (S)The name of the star is Wormwood. ^(T)A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter.

Fourth Trumpet: The Heavens Struck

^12 (U)Then the fourth angel sounded: And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day ^[b]did not shine, and likewise the night.

¹³ And I looked, ^(V)and I heard an ^[c]angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, ^(W)“Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”