Lokphong 3

1 Sardi ah kaom van kami kricaabu khaeah hae tiah tarik ah; Sithaw Muithla sarihto hoi cakaeh sarihto katawn Anih mah hae loknawk hae thuih; na sak ih toknawk to ka panoek; nang loe ahmin amthanghaih hoiah na hing, toe na duek.

“Write [this message] to the leader [MET] of the congregation in Sardis [city]: ‘I am saying these things [to you. I am] the one who can give [to people] all the power of God’s Spirit (OR, in whom is the Spirit of God who has all kinds of power; OR, [who has God’s Spirit, who is symbolized as] seven spirits), and [I am the one] who has the seven stars. I know everything that you have done. You [(pl)] appear to be alive [spiritually], but [you are so weak spiritually it is as though] you are dead [MET].

2 Angthawk ah loe kadueh tom, kanghmat hmuennawk to thacaksak ah, Sithaw hmaa ah kakoep tok na sakhaih to ka hnu ai.

[Become aware of your spiritual need as though you were] awaking [from sleep] [MET], and strengthen [yourself spiritually, because you are so useless that you are like someone who is] about to die [MET]. [You must do this] because I know that my God considers that nothing that you do is satisfactory.

3 To pongah na talawk moe, na thaih ih hmuen to pahnet hmah; kacakah patawnh loe, dawnpakhuem ah. Nang lawt ai nahaeloe, kamqu baktiah nang khaeah kang zoh han, natuek naah maw kang zoh han, tito na panoek mak ai.

So then, keep remembering [God’s message, what] you accepted when you heard it. Obey it continually, and turn away from your sinful behavior. If [you do not become aware of your spiritual need and turn away from your] [MET] [sinful behavior], I will come to you [when you are not expecting me], as a thief [comes] [SIM]. You will never know at what time I will come to [judge] you.

4 Nangcae Sardis kricaabu thungah angmacae ih kahni amhnongsak ai kami zetta oh o vop; nihcae loe kahni kanglung angkhuk han krak pongah, kai hoi nawnto caeh o tih.

Nevertheless, [there] in Sardis you have a few members who [have not been doing what is wrong. It is as though they] have not soiled their garments [MET]. As a result, because they are worthy [to live with me], they will live with me [and will be pure in every way] [MET], [like people who are dressed] in [pure] white [clothing].

5 Pazawk kami loe kahni kanglung to angkhuk tih; hinghaih cabu thung hoiah anih ih ahmin to ka phrae mak ai; toe kam Pa hoi Angmah ih vankaminawk hmaa ah anih ih ahmin to ka taphong pae han.

Everyone who conquers [Satan] I will dress in these same white garments [MET] (OR, will be [pure in every way as though they are] dressed in these white garments), and I will never erase their names from the book [that contains the names of the people who have eternal] life. Instead, as my Father and his angels are listening, I will acknowledge that they [MTY] [belong to me].

6 Naa tawn kami loe, Muithla mah kricaabunawk khaeah thuih ih lok to tahngai nasoe.

Everyone who wants to understand [MTY] must listen carefully to the message that [God’s] Spirit speaks to the congregations.’”

7 Philadelphia ah kaom vankami kricaabu khaeah hae tiah tarik ah; Kaciim kami, katoeng kami, David ih cabi sin kami, Anih mah paongh naah, mi mah doeh khaa thai ai; Anih mah khah naah, mi mah doeh paong thai ai kami mah, hae loknawk hae thuih;

“Write [this message] to the leader [MET] of the congregation in Philadelphia [city]: ‘I am saying these things [to you. I am] God’s Holy One, the True One. [Just like King] David had authority [MTY] [to allow people to enter the ancient city of Jerusalem, so I have the authority to allow people to enter] my kingdom. [I am] the one who opens [doors] so that no one can close them, and who closes doors so that no one can open them.

8 na sak ih toknawk to ka panoek: khenah, mi mah doeh khah thaih han ai ah, na hmaa ah kamong khongkha to kang suek pae: tha na cak ai, toe Ka lok hae na pakuem moe, Ka hmin hae na pahnawt sut ai.

I know everything you have done. Be aware that I have opened a door before you, a door that no one can close. [I know that although] there are not [many believers] (OR, much [spiritual] strength) [MTY] [in your congregation], you have obeyed what I say, and you have not denied [that you believe in] me [MTY].

9 Khenah, Judah kami ai to mah Judah kami ah angsahcop, lok amlai kaminawk to Seneko ah kaom Setan ah ka sak han. Khenah, nihcae to nangcae khaeah kang zohsak moe, nangcae khokkung ah cangkrawn hoiah ka boksak han; to naah ni nangcae kang palung, tito nihcae mah panoek o tih.

[I am aware that] some of your people meet together with those who [follow/worship] Satan. They claim to be Jews, but I know that they are not true Jews. They are lying. I will cause them to come to you and to bow down [humbly] at your feet and to acknowledge that I love you.

10 Ka paek ih lok to palungsawkhaih hoiah na pakuem pongah, long ah kaom kaminawk to tanoek hanah, long pum ah kaom hankoi patangkhanghaih atue thungah nang to kang pakaa toeng han.

Because you have paid attention to the message to endure patiently [when you suffered], I will keep you [safe from those who will try to harm you spiritually] during the period/time that is about to come. At that time [God will cause rebellious people] on the earth to suffer, in order that I can determine [whether they will turn away from their sins or not].

11 Khenah, kang zoh palang han: mi mah doeh na angraeng lumuek lomh thai han ai ah, na tawn ih hmuen to kacakah patawn ah.

I am coming soon. [So] continue believe firmly the [message] that you have received, in order that no one may cause you to lose the reward [that God has reserved for] you.

12 Pazawk kami loe ka Sithaw ih tempul homh ah ka sak han, anih loe tasa bang tacawt mak ai boeh: a nuiah Ka Sithaw ih ahmin, Ka Sithaw khae hoi van hoiah angzo tathuk, Jerusalem kangtha, Ka Sithaw ih vangpui ahmin to Ka tarik han: kangtha kaimah ih ahmin to anih nuiah Ka tarik han.

I will make everyone who conquers [Satan secure]. They will stand in the temple of my God, [they will stand firm like] [MET] pillars, and they will remain there forever. I will mark them with the name of my God, [showing that they belong to him. I will also mark them] with the name of the city of my God, [showing that they will live there. That city is] the New Jerusalem, the city that my God will cause to descend down from heaven. [I will also mark them] with my new name, [showing that they belong to me].

13 Naa tawn kami loe, Muithla mah kricaabunawk khaeah thuih ih lok to tahngai nasoe.

Everyone who wants to understand [MTY] must listen carefully to the message that [God’s] Spirit speaks to the congregations.’”

14 Laodicia ah kaom van kami kricaabu khaeah hae tiah tarik ah; oep kathok, Loktang hnukung, Sithaw hmuen sak Amtonghaih, Amen, tiah kaom Anih mah hae loknawk hae thuih;

“Write [this message] to the leader [MET] of the congregation in Laodicea [city: ‘I] am saying these things [to you. I am] the one who (guarantees [everything that God’s promises/] that [he] will do [all that he has promised]) [MET]. I am the one who testifies [about God] reliably and accurately. I am the one who God used to create [everything].

15 na sak ih toknawk to ka panoek, nang loe kangqai doeh na ai, kabae doeh na ai: kangqai ah maw, to tih ai boeh loe kabae ah maw na oh han ka koehhaih oh.

I know everything that you have done: You [neither deny that you trust in me nor love/obey me zealously/wholeheartedly. You are like water that is] neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot!

16 Nang loe kangqai doeh na ai, kabae doeh na ai, kabae um ah na oh pongah, ka pakha thung hoi kang pathak ving han.

Because you are neither enthusiastic about me nor concerned about your lack of spiritual growth [MET], I am about to [reject] you [MET], [as if] I were spitting [lukewarm water] out of my mouth.

17 Kai loe angraeng moe, hmuenmae ka tawnh mang boeh pongah, tidoeh ka ngai ai boeh, tiah na thuih: nang loe khosak bing kami, tahmen thok kami, amtang kami, mikmaeng, bangkrai ah kaom kami ah ni na oh, tito na panoek ai:

You are saying, “[Because we have all that we need spiritually], we are [like] rich [people who] have acquired a lot of wealth. We lack nothing!” But you do not realize that you are [lacking in so many ways spiritually that you are like] [MET] people who are very wretched and pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.

18 nang raeng thai hanah, kai khae ih hmai hoi atui pacii tangcae sui kaciim to qan ah; azat kaom bangkrai ah na ohhaih to padap hanah, kahni kanglung to qan ah; na mik amtueng hanah mik tasi to angnok ah, tiah poekhaih kang paek.

I advise you [to obtain from me all that you need spiritually, as though you were] buying from me gold that has been refined by fire {that fire has refined}, in order that you may be [truly] rich [MET] [spiritually. Let me make you righteous, as though you were] [MET] buying from me white garments in order that you might wear clothes instead of being naked and ashamed. [Let me help you to perceive spiritual things, as though] [MET] you were buying from me eye salve to put in your eyes in order that you might see.

19 Palung ih kaminawk to ka zoeh moe, ka thuitaek: to pongah poek het ah loe, dawnpakhuem ah.

[Since] I rebuke and correct all those whom I affectionately love, earnestly stop your sinful behavior.

20 Khenah, thok taengah kang doet moe, ka takhuek: mi kawbaktih doeh ka lok to thaih moe, thok to paong nahaeloe, anih ohhaih thungah ka kun moe, anih hoi nawnto buh ka caak han, anih doeh kai hoi nawnto caa toeng tih.

Be aware that [I invite each one of you to respond to me] as though [MET] I [was] standing [waiting] at [your] door and knocking. I will come to all those who hear my voice and respond to me, and I [will fellowship] with them [as friends do when they] eat together [MET].

21 Kai loe pazawkkung ah ka oh boeh, Angmah ih angraeng tangkhang nuiah Kam Pa hoi nawnto kang hnut hoi baktih toengah, pazawk kami loe Kaimah ih angraeng tangkhang pongah Kai hoi nawnto anghnut thaihaih ka paek han.

I will permit everyone who conquers [Satan] to sit [and rule] with me on my throne, just like I conquered [Satan] and now sit [and rule] beside my Father on his throne.

22 Naa tawn kami loe Muithla mah kricaabunawk khaeah thuih ih lok to tahngai nasoe.

Everyone who wants to understand [MTY] must listen carefully to the message that [God’s] Spirit speaks to the congregations.’”