Revelation 3
To the Church in Sardis
1 "And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: 'The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.
"'I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.2 Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.3 Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.4 Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.5 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'
To the Church in Philadelphia
7 "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: '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.
8 "'I know your works. Behold, I have set before you 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.9 Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet and they will learn that I have loved you.10 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 those who dwell on the earth.11 I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.12 The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'
To the Church in Laodicea
14 "And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: 'The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation.
15 "'I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot!16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'"
Revelation 3
The letter to Sardis
The risen Lord said:
1 This is what you must write to the angel of the church in Sardis:
I have the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. Listen to what I say.
I know what you are doing. Everyone may think you are alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! You have only a little strength left, and it is almost gone. So try to become stronger. I have found that you are not completely obeying God.
3 Remember the teaching that you were given and that you heard. Hold firmly to it and turn from your sins. If you don't wake up, I will come when you least expect it, just as a thief does.t
4 A few of you in Sardis have not dirtied your clothes with sin. You will walk with me in white clothes, because you are worthy.
5 Everyone who wins the victory will wear white clothes. Their names will not be erased from the book of life,t and I will tell my Father and his angels that they are my followers.t
6 If you have ears, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.The letter to Philadelphia
The risen Lord continued:
7 This is what you must write to the angel of the church in Philadelphia:t
I am the one who is holy and true, and I have the keys that belonged to David.t When I open a door, no one can close it. And when I close a door, no one can open it. Listen to what I say.
8 I know everything you have done. And I have placed before you an open door that no one can close. You were not very strong, but you obeyed my message and did not deny that you are my followers.t
9 Now you will see what I will do with those people who belong to Satan's group. They claim to be Jews, but they are liars. I will make them come and kneel down at your feet. Then they will know that I love you.t
10 You obeyed my message and endured. So I will protect you from the time of testing that everyone in all the world must go through.
11 I am coming soon. So hold firmly to what you have, and no one will take away the crown that you will be given as your reward.
12 Everyone who wins the victory will be made into a pillar in the temple of my God, and they will stay there for ever. I will write on each of them the name of my God and the name of his city. It is the new Jerusalem that my God will send down from heaven. I will also write on them my own new name.t
13 If you have ears, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.The letter to Laodicea
The risen Lord continued:
14 This is what you must write to the angel of the church in Laodicea:t
I am the one called Amen!t I am the faithful and true witness and the sourcet of God's creation. Listen to what I say.
15 I know everything you have done, and you are not cold or hot. I wish you were either one or the other. 16 But since you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spit you out of my mouth.
17 You claim to be rich and successful and to have everything you need. But you don't know how badly off you are. You are pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.
18 Buy your gold from me. It has been refined in a fire, and it will make you rich. Buy white clothes from me. Wear them and you can cover-up your shameful nakedness. Buy medicine for your eyes, so that you will be able to see.
19 I correct and punish everyone I love. So make up your minds to turn away from your sins.t 20 Listen! I am standing and knocking at your door. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and we will eat together.
21 Everyone who wins the victory will sit with me on my throne, just as I won the victory and sat with my Father on his throne.
22 If you have ears, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.