The Letter to the Church in Sardis

3 “To the messenger^[a] of the church in Sardis, write:

‘The one who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars says this:

‘I know what you’ve been doing. You are known for being alive, but you are dead. ² Be alert, and strengthen the things that are left, which are about to die. I note that your actions are incomplete before my God. ³ So remember what you received and heard. Obey it, and repent. If you are not alert, I will come like a thief, and you won’t know the time when I will come to you. ⁴ But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me in white clothes because they are worthy. ⁵ The person who overcomes^[b] in this way will wear white clothes, and I will never erase his name from the Book of Life. I will acknowledge his name in the presence of my Father and his angels.

⁶ ‘Let everyone^[c] listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.’”