Revelation 3
Christian Standard Bible
The Letter to Sardis
3 “Write to the angel[a] of the church in Sardis: Thus says the one who has the seven spirits of God(A) and the seven stars:(B) I know your works; (C) you have a reputation[b] for being alive, but you are dead.(D) 2 Be alert(E) and strengthen[c] what remains, which is about to die,[d] for I have not found your works complete before my God. 3 Remember, then, what you have received and heard; keep it, and repent. If you are not alert, I will come[e] like a thief, and you have no idea at what hour I will come upon you.(F) 4 But you have a few people[f] in Sardis who have not defiled[g] their clothes,(G) and they will walk with me in white, because they are worthy.
5 “In the same way, the one who conquers(H) will be dressed in white clothes,(I) and I will never erase his name from the book of life(J) but will acknowledge his name before my Father and before his angels.(K)
6 “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen(L) to what the Spirit says(M) to the churches.
The Letter to Philadelphia
7 “Write to the angel of the church in Philadelphia: Thus says the Holy One, the true one,(N) the one who has the key of David, who opens and no one will close, and who closes and no one opens: (O) 8 I know your works. Look, I have placed before you an open door that no one can close because you have but little power; yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.(P) 9 Note this: I will make those from the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews and are not, but are lying—I will make them come and bow down at your feet,(Q) and they will know that I have loved you.(R) 10 Because you have kept my command to endure, I will also keep you from the hour of testing(S) that is going to come on the whole world to test those who live on the earth.(T) 11 I am coming soon.(U) Hold on to what you have,(V) so that no one takes your crown.(W)
12 “The one who conquers I will make a pillar(X) in the temple of my God, and he will never go out again. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God—the new Jerusalem,(Y) which comes down out of heaven from my God—and my new name.(Z)
13 “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.
The Letter to Laodicea
14 “Write to the angel of the church in Laodicea: Thus says the Amen, (AA) the faithful and true witness, the originator[h](AB) of God’s creation: 15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit[i] you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,’(AC) and you don’t realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I advise you to buy from me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich,(AD) white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed,(AE) and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline.(AF) So be zealous and repent. 20 See! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.(AG)
21 “To the one who conquers I will give the right to sit with me on my throne,(AH) just as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.
22 “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Revelation 3
New American Standard Bible
Message to Sardis
3 “To the angel of the church in (A)Sardis write:
He who has [a](B)the seven spirits of God and (C)the seven stars, says this: ‘(D)I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, and yet you are (E)dead. 2 Be constantly alert, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. 3 So (F)remember [b]what you have received and heard; and [c]keep it, and (G)repent. Then if you are not alert, (H)I will come (I)like a thief, and you will not know at (J)what hour I will come to you. 4 But you have a few [d](K)people in (L)Sardis who have not (M)soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me (N)in white, for they are worthy. 5 (O)The one who overcomes will be clothed the same way, in (P)white garments; and I will not (Q)erase his name from the book of life, and (R)I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. 6 (S)The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
Message to Philadelphia
7 “And to the angel of the church in (T)Philadelphia write:
(U)He who is holy, (V)who is true, who has (W)the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this:
8 ‘(X)I know your [e]deeds. Behold, I have put before you (Y)an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have followed My word, and (Z)have not denied My name. 9 Behold, I [f]will make those of (AA)the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—I will make them (AB)come and bow down before your feet, and make them know that (AC)I have loved you. 10 Because you have (AD)kept (AE)My [g]word of perseverance, (AF)I also will keep you from the hour of the [h](AG)testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole [i](AH)world, to [j]test (AI)those who live on the earth. 11 (AJ)I am coming quickly; (AK)hold firmly to what you have, so that no one will take your (AL)crown. 12 (AM)The one who overcomes, I will make him a (AN)pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the (AO)name of My God, and (AP)the name of the city of My God, (AQ)the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My (AR)new name. 13 (AS)The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
Message to Laodicea
14 “To the angel of the church in (AT)Laodicea write:
(AU)The Amen, (AV)the faithful and true Witness, (AW)the [k]Origin of the creation of God, says this:
15 ‘(AX)I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; (AY)I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, “(AZ)I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have no need of anything,” and you do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked, 18 I advise you to (BA)buy from Me (BB)gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and (BC)white garments so that you may clothe yourself and (BD)the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to apply to your eyes so that you may see. 19 (BE)Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline; therefore be zealous and (BF)repent. 20 Behold, I stand (BG)at the door and (BH)knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, (BI)I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. 21 (BJ)The one who overcomes, I will grant to him (BK)to sit with Me on My throne, as (BL)I also overcame and sat with My Father on His throne. 22 (BM)The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
Footnotes
- Revelation 3:1 Possibly a symbolic reference to the Holy Spirit in His fullness, or to seven key angels
- Revelation 3:3 Lit how
- Revelation 3:3 Or follow
- Revelation 3:4 Lit names
- Revelation 3:8 Or deeds (behold...shut), that you have
- Revelation 3:9 Lit give
- Revelation 3:10 Or instruction
- Revelation 3:10 Or temptation
- Revelation 3:10 Lit inhabited earth
- Revelation 3:10 Or tempt
- Revelation 3:14 Or Beginning; i.e., Originator
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