Revelation 3
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 3
To Sardis.[a] 1 “To the angel of the Church in Sardis,[b] write:
“ ‘These are the words of the one who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars:
“ ‘ “I know your deeds. You have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead. 2 Be on guard and strengthen what remains and is at the point of death. For I have not found any of your deeds perfect in the sight of my God. 3 Therefore, remember the teaching that you have received and heard. Hold on to it and repent. If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will never know at what hour I will come upon you.
4 “ ‘ “However, there are still a few in Sardis who have not soiled their robes, and they will walk with me dressed in white, for they are worthy. 5 Anyone who is victorious will be dressed like these in white robes, and I shall not blot his name from the book of life.[c] Rather, I shall acknowledge it in the presence of my Father and his angels.
6 “ ‘ “Whoever has ears should listen to what the Spirit says to the Churches.” ’
To Philadelphia.[d] 7 “To the angel of the Church in Philadelphia,[e] write:
“ ‘These are the words of the holy one,
the true one,
who has the key of David,
who opens the door,
and no one can shut it;
who closes the door,
and no one can open it:
8 “ ‘ “I know your deeds. I have set before you an open door[f] that no one will be able to close. I know that your strength is limited, yet you have kept my word and have not disowned my name. 9 Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who claim to be Jews but are not, for they are lying—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and recognize that I have loved you.
10 “ ‘ “Because you have kept my word to endure patiently, I will keep you safe during the time of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to put the inhabitants of the earth to the test. 11 I am coming soon. Hold fast to what you already have so that no one may rob you of your crown.
12 “ ‘ “Anyone who is victorious I will make into a pillar in the temple of my God, and never again will he depart from it. I will inscribe on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God, as well as my own new name.[g]
13 “ ‘ “Whoever has ears should listen to what the Spirit says to the Churches.” ’
14 To Laodicea.[h]“To the angel of the Church in Laodicea,[i] write:
“ ‘These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the source of God’s creation:
15 “ ‘ “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either hot or cold. 16 As it is, since you are lukewarm, neither cold nor hot,[j] I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, ‘I am rich; I have prospered; I have everything I want,’ never realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.[k]
18 “ ‘ “I advise you to buy from me gold that has been refined by fire so that you will be truly rich, and white robes to clothe you so that you may keep the shame of your nakedness from being seen, and ointment to smear on your eyes so that you may see. 19 I reprove and discipline all those whom I love.[l] Therefore, be sincere in your desire to repent.
20 “ ‘ “Behold, I am standing at the door, knocking. If one of you hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with that person and that person with me. 21 To anyone who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, as I myself overcame and sat with my Father on his throne.
22 “ ‘ “Whoever has ears should listen to what the Spirit says to the Churches.” ’ ”
Footnotes
- Revelation 3:1 This community seems to be dead! Hence, it is urged to change and become spiritually alive. From now on people must align themselves with Christ (see Mt 10:32). Those who truly follow Jesus will one day be clad in a white garment, which recalls the white garment worn by Jesus at the Transfiguration and Resurrection. It was the garment already being given at Baptism.
- Revelation 3:1 Sardis: capital of the ancient kingdom of Lydia, it was a wealthy and famous city.
- Revelation 3:5 Those who are victorious are promised three things: (1) they will receive white garments like those Christ will give to the faithful Sardinians; (2) their names will never be blotted out of the book of life; and (3) their names will be acknowledged by Christ in the presence of the Father and his angels.
White garments symbolize God’s righteousness, victory, and glory (see Rev 3:18; 6:11; 7:9, 13f; 19:14). The book of life is a reference to the divine register in which the names of the redeemed are written (see Rev 13:8; 17:8; 20:12, 15; 21:27; Dan 12:1; Phil 4:3). Christians who were loyal to Christ were continually threatened with being stripped of their citizenship in cities they inhabited, i.e., having their names blotted out of the city’s register. Christ’s acknowledgment of them in heaven offers an eternal, safe citizenship in his eternal Kingdom (see Mt 10:32; Lk 12:8). - Revelation 3:7 The Messiah, Son of David—who holds all power over the lot of the People of God, according to the image of Isa 22:22—addresses himself to the community of Philadelphia. Like the Church of Smyrna, it was suffering persecution, but it remained faithful. The reward of those who are faithful is evoked in symbolic terms: they will live in God’s dwelling and meet God; they will be members of Christ’s Body, bearing his name and sharing his lot.
- Revelation 3:7 Philadelphia: the gateway to the central plateau in the province of Asia. The holy one, the true one: see Rev 6:10 and Isa 40:25; Hab 3:2-3; Mk 1:24. Key of David: Christ is the Davidic Messiah empowered to control entrance into the Kingdom (see Isa 22:22; Mt 16:19).
- Revelation 3:8 The open door may refer to the missionary apostolate.
- Revelation 3:12 Inscribe on him . . . my own new name: this may be a name that characterizes his redemptive work and will not be known until the Second Coming or the name “the Word” (see Rev 19:13).
- Revelation 3:14 Christ cannot bear lukewarmness, since he is the “Amen,” the one who commits himself completely (see 2 Cor 1:19-20). By his love he urges people to change their lives. He stands at the door and knocks, i.e., his coming is imminent (see Mk 13:29; Lk 12:35; 22:16). This may seem to be a threat, but it is above all a wonderful invitation—the invitation to share the most lovable intimacy with Christ, of which the Eucharistic Banquet is the inauguration. He invites us to be at his side when the Judgment and the destiny of the world are fulfilled.
- Revelation 3:14 Laodicea: a very wealthy city known for its banks, medical school, and textile industry as well as its lack of sufficient water, to each of which the letter alludes. Amen: a divine title (see Isa 65:16) applied to Christ (see 2 Cor 1:20). Source of God’s creation: a concept that is found in Jn 1:3; Col 1:16f; Heb 1:2; see also Prov 8:22-31; Wis 9:1f.
- Revelation 3:16 Lukewarm, neither cold nor hot: i.e., complacent, self-satisfied, and indifferent to the real issues of faith in Christ—hence, lacking in zeal and useless.
- Revelation 3:17 Never realizing that you are . . . naked: the spiritual wretchedness of the community of Laodicea in contrast to its material prosperity. The Laodiceans may have interpreted their material wealth as a blessing from God and were thus deceived into thinking that their spiritual state was better than it truly was.
- Revelation 3:19 I . . . discipline all those whom I love: see Job 5:17; Ps 94:12; Prov 3:11f; 1 Cor 11:32; Heb 12:5-11.
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.
Revelation 3
English Standard Version
To the Church in Sardis
3 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him (A)who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.
“‘I know your works. You have the reputation (B)of being alive, (C)but you are dead. 2 Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works (D)complete in the sight of my God. 3 (E)Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, (F)I will come (G)like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. 4 Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not (H)soiled their garments, and they will walk with me (I)in white, for they are (J)worthy. 5 (K)The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never (L)blot his name out of (M)the book of life. (N)I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. 6 (O)He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
To the Church in Philadelphia
7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of (P)the holy one, (Q)the true one, (R)who has the key of David, (S)who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.
8 “‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you (T)an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 Behold, I will make those of (U)the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, (V)I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that (W)I have loved you. 10 (X)Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try (Y)those who dwell on the earth. 11 (Z)I am coming soon. (AA)Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize (AB)your crown. 12 (AC)The one who conquers, I will make him (AD)a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him (AE)the name of my God, and (AF)the name of the city of my God, (AG)the new Jerusalem, (AH)which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own (AI)new name. 13 (AJ)He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
To the Church in Laodicea
14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the (AK)Amen, (AL)the faithful and true witness, (AM)the beginning of God's creation.
15 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. (AN)Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 (AO)For you say, “I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing,” not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, (AP)blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you (AQ)to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and (AR)white garments so that you may clothe yourself and (AS)the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, (AT)so that you may see. 19 (AU)Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and (AV)knock. (AW)If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, (AX)I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 21 (AY)The one who conquers, (AZ)I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as (BA)I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 (BB)He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
