Revelation 3

1 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars; – I know your life, and that people say of you that you are living, though you are dead.

"To the minister of the Church at Sardis write as follows: "'This is what He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars says. I know your doings--you are supposed to be alive, but in reality you are dead.

2 Be on the watch, and strengthen what still survives, though once it was all but dead; for I have not found your life perfect in the eyes of my God.

Rouse yourself and keep awake, and strengthen those things which remain but have well-nigh perished; for I have found no doings of yours free from imperfection in the sight of My God.

3 Therefore remember what you have received and heard, and lay it to heart and repent. Unless you are on the watch, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I am coming to you.

Be mindful, therefore, of the lessons you have received and heard. Continually lay them to heart, and repent. If, however, you fail to rouse yourself and keep awake, I shall come upon you suddenly like a thief, and you will certainly not know the hour at which I shall come to judge you.

4 Yet there are some few among you at Sardis who did not soil their robes; they will walk with me, robed in white, for they are worthy.

Yet you have in Sardis a few who have not soiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white; for they are worthy.

5 Those who conquer will be clothed in these white robes, and I will not strike their name out of the book of life; but I will own them before my Father, and before his angels.

"'In this way he who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments; and I will certainly not blot out his name from the Book of Life, but will acknowledge him in the presence of My Father and His angels.

6 Let those who have ears hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.

Let all who have ears give heed to what the Spirit is saying to the Churches.'

7 “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the Key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and shuts and no one opens:

"To the minister of the Church at Philadelphia write as follows: "'This is what the holy One and the true says--He who has the key of David--He who opens and no one shall shut, and shuts and no one shall open.

8 I know your life (see, I have set a door open before you which no one is able to shut), I know that, though you have but little strength, you kept my teaching in mind, and did not disown my name.

I know your doings. I have put an opened door in front of you, which no one can shut; because you have but a little power, and yet you have guarded My word and have not disowned Me.

9 Listen, I give some of the congregation of Satan, the people who declare that they are God’s people, though they are not, but are lying – I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and they will learn that I loved you.

I will cause some belonging to Satan's synagogue who say that they themselves are Jews, and are not, but are liars--I will make them come and fall at your feet and know for certain that I have loved you.

10 Because you kept in mind the story of my endurance, I will keep you in the hour of trial that is about to come on the whole world, the hour that will test all who are living on earth.

Because in spite of suffering you have guarded My word, I in turn will guard you from that hour of trial which is soon coming upon the whole world, to put to the test the inhabitants of the earth.

11 I will come quickly. Hold to what you have received so that no one may take your crown.

I am coming quickly: cling to that which you already possess, so that your wreath of victory be not taken away from you.

12 Those who conquer – I will make them a pillar in the Temple of my God; and never more will they leave it; and I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the New Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God, and I will write on them my new name.

"'He who overcomes--I will make him a pillar in the sanctuary of My God, and he shall never go out from it again. And I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which is to come down out of Heaven from My God, and My own new name.

13 Let those who have ears hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.

Let all who have ears give heed to what the Spirit is saying to the Churches.'

14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Unchanging One, the witness faithful and true, the beginning of the Creation of God:

"And to the minister of the Church at Laodicea write as follows: "'This is what the Amen says--the true and faithful witness, the Beginning and Lord of God's Creation.

15 I know your life; I know that you are neither cold nor hot. If only you were either cold or hot!

I know your doings--you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you were cold or hot!

16 But now, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

Accordingly, because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, before long I will vomit you out of My mouth.

17 You say ‘I am rich and have grown rich, and I want for nothing,’ and you do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, naked!

You say, I am rich, and have wealth stored up, and I stand in need of nothing; and you do not know that if there is a wretched creature it is you -- pitiable, poor, blind, naked.

18 Therefore I counsel you to buy from me gold which has been refined by fire so that you may grow rich; and white robes, so that you may be clothed and your shameful nakedness be hidden; and ointment to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.

Therefore I counsel you to buy of Me gold refined in the fire that you may become rich, and white robes to put on, so as to hide your shameful nakedness, and eye-salve to anoint your eyes with, so that you may be able to see.

19 All whom I love I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be in earnest and repent.

All whom I hold dear, I reprove and chastise; therefore be in earnest and repent.

20 I am standing at the door and knocking! If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will go in, and will feast with them, and they will feast with me.

I am now standing at the door and am knocking. If any one listens to My voice and opens the door, I will go in to be with him and will feast with him, and he shall feast with Me.

21 To those who conquer – to them I will give the right to sit beside me on my throne, as I, when I conquered, took my seat beside my Father on his throne.

"'To him who overcomes I will give the privilege of sitting down with Me on My throne, as I also have overcome and have sat down with My Father on His throne.

22 Let those who have ears hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”

Let all who have ears give heed to what the Spirit is saying to the Churches.'"