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Revelation 3:5-7
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Revelation 3:5-7
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
5 “‘“The victor will thus be dressed in white,[a] and I will never erase his name from the book of life but will acknowledge his name in the presence of my Father and of his angels.(A)
6 “‘“Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’
To Philadelphia.[b] 7 “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia,[c] write this:
“‘The holy one, the true,
who holds the key of David,
who opens and no one shall close,
who closes and no one shall open,(B)
says this:
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 3:5 In white: white is a sign of victory and joy as well as resurrection; see note on Rev 2:17. The book of life: the roll in which the names of the redeemed are kept; cf. Rev 13:8; 17:8; 20:12, 15; 21:27; Phil 4:3; Dn 12:1. They will be acknowledged by Christ in heaven; cf. Mt 10:32.
- 3:7–13 The letter to Philadelphia praises the Christians there for remaining faithful even with their limited strength (Rev 3:8). Members of the assembly of Satan are again singled out (Rev 3:9; see Rev 2:9). There is no admonition; rather, the letter promises that they will be kept safe at the great trial (Rev 3:10–11) and that the victors will become pillars of the heavenly temple, upon which three names will be inscribed: God, Jerusalem, and Christ (Rev 3:12).
- 3:7 Philadelphia: modern Alasehir, ca. thirty miles southeast of Sardis, founded by Attalus II Philadelphus of Pergamum to be an “open door” (Rev 3:8) for Greek culture; it was destroyed by an earthquake in A.D. 17. Rebuilt by money from the Emperor Tiberius, the city was renamed Neo-Caesarea; this may explain the allusions to “name” in Rev 3:12. Key of David: to the heavenly city of David (cf. Is 22:22), “the new Jerusalem” (Rev 3:12), over which Christ has supreme authority.
Revelation 3:5-7
New International Version
Revelation 3:5-7
New International Version
5 The one who is victorious(A) will, like them, be dressed in white.(B) I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life,(C) but will acknowledge that name before my Father(D) and his angels. 6 Whoever has ears, let them hear(E) what the Spirit says to the churches.
To the Church in Philadelphia
7 “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia(F) write:
New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
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