Rev 3 | ISV | STEP | The Letter to the Church in Sardis“To the messenger of the church in Sardis, write:‘The one who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars says this: ‘I know your works. You are known for being alive, but you are dead.

Revelation of John 3

1 The Letter to the Church in Sardis

“To the messenger ^{▼▼Or angel} of the church in Sardis, write:Eph 2:1, 5; 1Tim 5:6; Rev 1:4, 16, 5; 2:2; 4:5; 5:6

‘The one who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars says this:

‘I know your works. You are known for being alive, but you are dead. 2 Be alert, and strengthen the things that are left, which are about to die. I have not found your works to be completed in the sight of my God. 3 So remember what you received and heard. Obey it, and repent. If you are not alert, I will come like a thief, and you won't know the time when I will come to you.Matt 24:42-43; 25:13; Mark 13:33; Luke 12:39-40; 1Thes 5:2, 6; 1Tim 6:20; 2Tim 1:13; 2Pet 3:10; Rev 1:11, 19; 16:15 4 But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me in white clothes because they are worthy.Acts 1:15; Jude 1:23; Rev 4:4; 6:11 5 The person who conquers in this way will wear white clothes, and I will never erase his name from the Book of Life. I will acknowledge his name in the presence of my Father and his angels.Exod 32:32; Ps 69:28; Matt 10:32; Luke 12:8; Phil 4:3; Rev 13:8; 17:8; 19:8; 20:12; 21:27

6 ‘Let the person who has an ear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.’Rev 2:7

7 The Letter to the Church in Philadelphia“To the messenger ^{▼▼Or angel} of the church in Philadelphia, write:Job 12:14; Isa 22:22; Matt 16:19; Luke 1:32; Acts 3:14; 1John 5:20; Rev 1:5, 18; 5:14; 6:10; 19:11

‘The one who is holy, who is true,

who has the key of David,

who opens a door that ^{▼▼Lit. who opens and} no one can shut,

and who shuts a door that ^{▼▼Lit. who shuts and} no one can open,

says this:

8 ‘I know your works. Look! I have put in front of you an open door that no one can shut. You have only a little strength, but you have kept my word and have not denied my name.1Cor 16:9; 2Cor 2:12; Rev 3:1 9 I will make those who belong to the synagogue of Satan—those who claim to be Jews and aren't, but are lying—come and bow down at your feet. Then they will realize that I have loved you.Isa 49:23; 60:14; Rev 2:9 10 Because you have kept my command to endure, ^{▼▼Lit. my word of endurance} I will keep you from the hour of testing that is coming to the whole world to test those living on the earth.Isa 24:17; Luke 2:1; 2Pet 2:9 11 I am coming soon! Hold on to what you have so that no one takes your victor's crown.Phil 4:5; Rev 1:3 12 I will make the one who conquers a pillar in the sanctuary of my God, and he will never go out of it again. I will write on him the name of my God, the name of the city of my God (the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God), and my own new name.1Kings 7:21; Gal 2:9; 4:26; Heb 12:22; Rev 2:17; 14:1; 22:4

13 ‘Let the person who has an ear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.’Rev 2:7

14 The Letter to the Church in Laodicea“To the messenger ^{▼▼Or angel} of the church in Laodicea, write:Isa 65:16; Col 1:15; Rev 1:5; 19:11; 22:6-7

‘The Amen, the witness who is faithful and true, the beginning ^{▼▼Or source} of God's creation, says this:

15 ‘I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot.Rev 3:1 16 Since you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I am going to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, “I am rich. I have become wealthy. I don't need anything.” Yet you don't realize that you are miserable, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.Hos 12:8; 1Cor 4:8 18 Therefore, I advise you to buy from me gold purified in fire so that you may be rich, white clothes to wear so that you may keep the shame of your nakedness from showing, and ointment to put on your eyes so that you may see.Isa 55:1; Matt 13:44; 25:9; 2Cor 5:3; Rev 7:13; 16:15; 19:8 19 I correct and discipline those whom I love, so be serious and repent!Job 5:17; Prov 3:11-12; Heb 12:5-6; James 1:12 20 Look! I am standing at the door and knocking. If anyone listens to my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he will eat ^{▼▼The Gk. lacks will eat} with me.Song 5:2; Luke 12:37; John 14:23 21 To the one who conquers I will give a place to sit with me on my throne, just as I have conquered and have sat down with my Father on his throne.Matt 19:28; Luke 22:30; 1Cor 6:2; 2Tim 2:12; Rev 2:26-27

22 ‘Let the person who has an ear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.’”Rev 2:7