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“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia,[a] write this:

“‘The holy one, the true,
    who holds the key of David,
    who opens and no one shall close,
    who closes and no one shall open,(A)

says this:

“‘“I know your works (behold, I have left an open door[b] before you, which no one can close). You have limited strength, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Behold, I will make those of the assembly of Satan who claim to be Jews and are not, but are lying, behold I will make them come and fall prostrate at your feet, and they will realize that I love you.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 3:7 Philadelphia: modern Alasehir, ca. thirty miles southeast of Sardis, founded by Attalus II Philadelphus of Pergamum to be an “open door” (Rev 3:8) for Greek culture; it was destroyed by an earthquake in A.D. 17. Rebuilt by money from the Emperor Tiberius, the city was renamed Neo-Caesarea; this may explain the allusions to “name” in Rev 3:12. Key of David: to the heavenly city of David (cf. Is 22:22), “the new Jerusalem” (Rev 3:12), over which Christ has supreme authority.
  2. 3:8 An open door: opportunities for sharing and proclaiming the faith; cf. Acts 14:27; 1 Cor 16:9; 2 Cor 2:12.

The Faithful Church

“And to the [a]angel of the church in Philadelphia write,

‘These things says (A)He who is holy, (B)He who is true, (C)“He who has the key of David, (D)He who opens and no one shuts, and (E)shuts and no one opens”: (F)“I know your works. See, I have set before you (G)an open door, [b]and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. Indeed I will make (H)those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed (I)I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 3:7 Or messenger
  2. Revelation 3:8 NU, M which no one can shut

To the Church in Philadelphia

“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia(A) write:

These are the words of him who is holy(B) and true,(C) who holds the key of David.(D) What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds.(E) See, I have placed before you an open door(F) that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.(G) I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan,(H) who claim to be Jews though they are not,(I) but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet(J) and acknowledge that I have loved you.(K)

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