1 The first Epistle sent to the Pastors of the Church of Sardis, 7 of Philadelphia, 14 And of the Laodiceans, 16 that they be not lukewarm, 20 but endeavor to further God’s glory.

[a]And write unto the Angel of the Church which is at [b]Sardis, These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars, [c]I know thy works: for thou hast a [d]name that thou livest, but thou art dead.

Be awake, and strengthen the things which remain, that are [e]ready to die: for I have not found thy work perfect before God.

Remember therefore, how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast and repent. (A)If therefore thou wilt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

Notwithstanding thou hast a few names yet in Sardis, [f]which have not defiled their garments: and they shall walk with me in [g]white: for they are [h]worthy.

He [i]that overcometh, shall be clothed in white array, and I will not put out his Name out of the (B)book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his Angels.

Let him that hath an ear, hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches.

[j]And write unto the Angel of the Church which is of Philadelphia, These things saith he that is Holy, and True, which hath the [k]key of David, which openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth.

[l]I know thy works: behold I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my Name.

Behold, I will make them [m]of the Synagogue of Satan, which call themselves Jews, and are not, but do lie: behold, I say, I will make them that they shall come [n]and worship before thy feet, and shall know that I have loved thee.

10 Because thou hast [o]kept the word of my patience, therefore I will deliver thee from the hour of tentation, which will come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

11 Behold, I come shortly: hold that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

12 [p]Him that overcometh, will I make a pillar in the Temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: [q]and I will write upon him the Name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is the new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God, and I will write upon him my new Name.

13 Let him that hath an ear, hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches.

14 [r]And unto the Angel of the Church of the Laodiceans write, These things saith [s]Amen, the faithful and true witness, that [t]beginning of the creatures of God.

15 [u]I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou werest cold or hot.

16 Therefore because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, it will come to pass, that I shall spew thee out of my mouth.

17 For thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing, and knowest not how thou art wretched and miserable, [v]and poor, and blind, and naked.

18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried by the fire, that thou mayest be made rich: and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that thy filthy nakedness do not appear: and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see.

19 As many as I love, (C)I rebuke and chasten: be [w]zealous therefore and amend.

20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock, [x]If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in unto him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

21 [y]To him that overcometh, will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I overcame, and sit with my Father in his throne.

22 Let him that hath an ear, hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 3:1 The fifth place is unto the Pastors of Sardis. The exordium is taken out of verses 4 and 16 of the first Chap.
  2. Revelation 3:1 Sardis is the name of a most flourishing and famous City, where the Kings of Lydia kept their courts.
  3. Revelation 3:1 The proposition of reproof is in this verse: of exhortation joined with a threatening in the two verses that follow, and of qualification by way of correction unto the comfort of the good which yet remained there, verse 4.
  4. Revelation 3:1 Thou art said to live, but art dead indeed.
  5. Revelation 3:2 Other things, whose state is such, that they are now going, and unless they be confirmed, will perish forthwith.
  6. Revelation 3:4 That is, who have with all religion guarded themselves from sin and moral contagion, even from the very show of evil, as S. Jude exhorteth, verse 23.
  7. Revelation 3:4 Pure from all spot and shining with glory. So it is to be understood always hereafter as in the next verse.
  8. Revelation 3:4 They are meet and fit, to wit, because they are justified in Christ, as they have truly showed it: for he is righteous that worketh righteousness: but so, as the tree bringeth forth fruit. See Rom. 8:18.
  9. Revelation 3:5 The conclusion standing upon a promise and a commandment as before.
  10. Revelation 3:7 The sixth place is unto the Pastors of Philadelphia. The exordium is taken out of verse 18 of the first chapter.
  11. Revelation 3:7 All power of rule in commanding and forbidding, delivering and punishing. And the house of David is the Church, and the continual promise of David’s Kingdom belongeth to Christ.
  12. Revelation 3:8 The proposition of praise is in this verse, of promises, to bring home again them that wander, verse 9, and to preserve the godly, verse 10, and of exhortation, verse 11.
  13. Revelation 3:9 I will bring them to that case.
  14. Revelation 3:9 That is, fall down and worship either thee civilly, or Christ religiously at thy feet (and thus I had rather take it) whether here in the Church (which seemeth more proper to the argument of this place) or there in the world to come. For Christ verily shall fulfill his word.
  15. Revelation 3:10 Because thou hast been patient and constant, as I would my servants should be.
  16. Revelation 3:12 The conclusion, which containeth a promise and a commandment.
  17. Revelation 3:12 That is, the new man shall be turned after his Father, Mother, and head Christ.
  18. Revelation 3:14 The seventh place is unto the pastors of the Church of Laodicea. The exordium is taken out of verse 15 of the first chapter.
  19. Revelation 3:14 Amen soundeth as much in the Hebrew tongue, as Truly, or Truth itself.
  20. Revelation 3:14 Of whom all things that are made, have their beginning.
  21. Revelation 3:15 The proposition of reproof is in this verse, whereunto is adjoined a threatening, verse 16, with a confirmation declaring the same, verse 17, and of exhortation unto faith and repentance, verses 18, 19, whereunto is added a conditional promise, verse 20.
  22. Revelation 3:17 The spiritual misery of men is metaphorically expressed in three points: unto which are matched as correspondent those remedies which are offered, verse 18.
  23. Revelation 3:19 Zeal is set against them which are neither hot nor cold.
  24. Revelation 3:20 This must be taken after the manner of an allegory, as John 14:23.
  25. Revelation 3:21 The conclusion, consisting of a promise, as Rev. 2:26, and of an exhortation. Hitherto hath been the first part of the book of the Apocalypse.

To the Church in Sardis

“To the angel[a] of the church in Sardis(A) write:

These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits[b](B) of God and the seven stars.(C) I know your deeds;(D) you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.(E) Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent.(F) But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief,(G) and you will not know at what time(H) I will come to you.

Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes.(I) They will walk with me, dressed in white,(J) for they are worthy. The one who is victorious(K) will, like them, be dressed in white.(L) I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life,(M) but will acknowledge that name before my Father(N) and his angels. Whoever has ears, let them hear(O) what the Spirit says to the churches.

To the Church in Philadelphia

“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia(P) write:

These are the words of him who is holy(Q) and true,(R) who holds the key of David.(S) What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds.(T) See, I have placed before you an open door(U) that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.(V) I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan,(W) who claim to be Jews though they are not,(X) but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet(Y) and acknowledge that I have loved you.(Z) 10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you(AA) from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world(AB) to test(AC) the inhabitants of the earth.(AD)

11 I am coming soon.(AE) Hold on to what you have,(AF) so that no one will take your crown.(AG) 12 The one who is victorious(AH) I will make a pillar(AI) in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God(AJ) and the name of the city of my God,(AK) the new Jerusalem,(AL) which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. 13 Whoever has ears, let them hear(AM) what the Spirit says to the churches.

To the Church in Laodicea

14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea(AN) write:

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness,(AO) the ruler of God’s creation.(AP) 15 I know your deeds,(AQ) that you are neither cold nor hot.(AR) I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’(AS) But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.(AT) 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire,(AU) so you can become rich; and white clothes(AV) to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness;(AW) and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.(AX) So be earnest and repent.(AY) 20 Here I am! I stand at the door(AZ) and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,(BA) I will come in(BB) and eat with that person, and they with me.

21 To the one who is victorious,(BC) I will give the right to sit with me on my throne,(BD) just as I was victorious(BE) and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear(BF) what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 3:1 Or messenger; also in verses 7 and 14
  2. Revelation 3:1 That is, the sevenfold Spirit