Revelation 3
Worldwide English (New Testament)
3 Write this to the angel of the church people in Sardis: Here are the words of the one who has the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars. `He says, "I know what you do. People say that you are alive, but you are dead.
2 Wake up! You still have a little life left in you. Make it stronger before it dies altogether. I have not seen you do anything that looked right to God.
3 So remember the things you were told and the things you have heard. Obey them. Stop the things you have been doing. If you do not wake up, I will come to you like a thief. You will not know when I will come to you.
4 But you have a few people in Sardis who have not made their clothes dirty. They will walk with me in white clothes, because they are good enough.
5 He who wins will wear white clothes. I will not take his name out of the book of life. I will tell his name to my Father and to his angels."
6 `He who can hear should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.'
7 `Write this to the angel of the church people in Philadelphia: Here are the words of the one who is holy and true. He has David's key. No one will shut what he opens. And no one will open what he shuts.
8 `He says, "I know what you do. Look, I have opened a door in front of you. No one can shut it. I know that you do not have much power. But you have obeyed my word and you have never said you did not believe in me.
9 Look! I will bring some people who belong to Satan's group. They call themselves Jews, but they are not real Jews. They lie. Look, I will make them come and kneel down in front of you. They will know that I have loved you.
10 You have obeyed my word and been patient. So I will keep you safe in the time of trouble which will come all over the world. It will test the people who live on earth.
11 I am coming again soon! Hold on to the faith which you have, so that no one will stop you receiving your reward in heaven.
12 I will make the person who wins become a strong post in the temple of my God. I will keep him strong. He will never leave it again. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of my God's city. This city is the new Jerusalem. It comes down out of heaven from my God. And I will write my new name on him."
13 `He who can hear should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.'
14 `Write this to the angel of the church people in Laodicea: Here are the words of the one whose name is Truth. What he says can be trusted. He is the one who began all that God made.
15 `He says, "I know what you do. I know that you are neither cold nor hot. And I wish that you were cold or hot.
16 So I will spit you out of my mouth, because you are only warm and not hot or cold.
17 You say, `I am rich and have many things. I need nothing.' You do not know that you are in trouble and need help. You are poor. You are blind. And you have no clothes to wear.
18 I tell you what you should do. You should buy from me gold that has been made clean by fire. Then you will be rich. And you should buy from me white clothes to wear. Then people will not see that you have no clothes, and you will not be ashamed. You should buy from me healing oil to put on your eyes. Then you will be able to see.
19 I tell off and punish the people I love. So get busy and stop doing wrong.
20 Listen, I stand at the door and knock. If any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him. I will eat with him, and he will eat with me.
21 He who wins will sit with me on my throne in heaven. I won too, and I sat down with my Father on his throne."
22 `He who can hear should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.'
Revelation 3
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Message to Sardis
3 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars:
“I know your works; you have a name of being alive, but you are dead.(A) 2 Wake up and strengthen what remains and is on the point of death, for I have not found your works perfect in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, then, what you received and heard; obey it and repent. If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.(B) 4 Yet you have still a few persons in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes; they will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy.(C) 5 If you conquer, you will be clothed like them in white robes, and I will not erase your name from the book of life; I will confess your name before my Father and before his angels.(D) 6 Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.
The Message to Philadelphia
7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
These are the words of the Holy One, the True One,
who has the key of David,
who opens and no one will shut,
who shuts and no one opens:(E)
8 “I know your works. Look, I have set before you an open door that no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.(F) 9 I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not but are lying—I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you.(G) 10 Because you have kept my word of endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.(H) 11 I am coming soon; hold fast to what you have, so that no one takes away your crown. 12 If you conquer, I will make you a pillar in the temple of my God; you will never go out of it. I will write on you the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem that comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.(I) 13 Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.
The Message to Laodicea
14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the origin[a] of God’s creation:(J)
15 “I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. 16 So, because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, ‘I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing.’ You do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.(K) 18 Therefore I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich, and white robes to clothe yourself and to keep the shame of your nakedness from being seen, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.(L) 19 I reprove and discipline those whom I love. Be earnest, therefore, and repent.(M) 20 Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and eat with you, and you with me.(N) 21 To the one who conquers I will give a place with me on my throne, just as I myself conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.(O) 22 Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”
Footnotes
- 3.14 Or beginning
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New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.