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The Message to the Church in Philadelphia

“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Philadelphia.

This is the message from the one who is holy and true,
    the one who has the key of David.
What he opens, no one can close;
    and what he closes, no one can open:[a]

“I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me. Look, I will force those who belong to Satan’s synagogue—those liars who say they are Jews but are not—to come and bow down at your feet. They will acknowledge that you are the ones I love.

10 “Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world. 11 I am coming soon.[b] Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown. 12 All who are victorious will become pillars in the Temple of my God, and they will never have to leave it. And I will write on them the name of my God, and they will be citizens in the city of my God—the new Jerusalem that comes down from heaven from my God. And I will also write on them my new name.

13 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.

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Footnotes

  1. 3:7 Isa 22:22.
  2. 3:11 Or suddenly, or quickly.

To the Church in Philadelphia

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of (A)the holy one, (B)the true one, (C)who has the key of David, (D)who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.

“‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you (E)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. Behold, I will make those of (F)the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, (G)I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that (H)I have loved you. 10 (I)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 (J)those who dwell on the earth. 11 (K)I am coming soon. (L)Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize (M)your crown. 12 (N)The one who conquers, I will make him (O)a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him (P)the name of my God, and (Q)the name of the city of my God, (R)the new Jerusalem, (S)which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own (T)new name. 13 (U)He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

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