Book of Common Prayer

He instructs and informs the angels of the three remaining congregations, declaring again the reward of the person who overcomes.

3 And write to the messenger of the congregation of Sardis: This says he who has the Spirit of God and the seven stars: I know your works. You have a name that you live, and you are dead. ² Be awake, and strengthen the things that remain, which are ready to die. For I have not found your works perfect before God. ³ Remember therefore how you have received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If you will not watch, I will come on you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.

⁴ You have a few names in Sardis that have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy. ⁵ He who overcomes will be clothed in white array, and I will not put his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. ⁶ Let him who has ears hear what the Spirit says to the congregations.

Christ reveals to his disciples the destruction of the temple, the end of the world, and the signs of the latter days. He warns them to awake, for the world will suddenly perish.

24 And Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and his disciples came to him to show him the buildings of the temple. ² Jesus said to them, Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, there shall not be left here one stone upon another that will not be cast down.

³ And as he sat on the Mount of Olives, his disciples came to him privately, saying, Tell us when these things will be, and what sign will be of your coming, and of the end of the world.

⁴ And Jesus answered and said to them, Take heed that no one deceives you. ⁵ For many will come in my name saying, I am Christ! and will deceive many. ⁶ You will hear of wars and of the infamy of wars. But see that you be not troubled. For all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. ⁷ For nation will rise against nation, and realm against realm. And there will be pestilence, hunger, and earthquakes in all quarters. ⁸ All these are the beginning of sorrows.

⁹ Then they will put you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. ¹⁰ And then shall many fall into offence, and will betray one another, and will hate one another. ¹¹ And many false prophets will arise, and will deceive many. ¹² And because iniquity will have the upper hand, the love of many will abate.

¹³ But he who endures to the end, the same will be saved. ¹⁴ And this glad tidings of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness to all nations; and then shall the end come.