Christian Standard Bible | Berean Study Bible |
1"Write to the angel of the church in Sardis: Thus says the one who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: I know your works; you have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead. | 1“To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of the One who holds the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation for being alive, yet you are dead. |
2Be alert and strengthen what remains, which is about to die, for I have not found your works complete before my God. | 2Wake up and strengthen what remains, which was about to die; for I have found your deeds incomplete in the sight of My God. |
3Remember, then, what you have received and heard; keep it, and repent. If you are not alert, I will come like a thief, and you have no idea at what hour I will come upon you. | 3Remember, then, what you have received and heard. Keep it and repent. If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know the hour when I will come upon you. |
4But you have a few people in Sardis who have not defiled their clothes, and they will walk with me in white, because they are worthy. | 4But you do have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments, and because they are worthy, they will walk with Me in white. |
5"In the same way, the one who conquers will be dressed in white clothes, and I will never erase his name from the book of life but will acknowledge his name before my Father and before his angels. | 5Like them, he who overcomes will be dressed in white. And I will never blot out his name from the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father and His angels. |
6"Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. | 6He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. |
7"Write to the angel of the church in Philadelphia: Thus says the Holy One, the true one, the one who has the key of David, who opens and no one will close, and who closes and no one opens: | 7To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of the One who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What He opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open. |
8I know your works. Look, I have placed before you an open door that no one can close because you have but little power; yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. | 8I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door, which no one can shut. For you have only a little strength, yet you have kept My word and have not denied My name. |
9Note this: I will make those from the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews and are not, but are lying--I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and they will know that I have loved you. | 9Look at those who belong to the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews but are liars instead. I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and they will know that I love you. |
10Because you have kept my command to endure, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is going to come on the whole world to test those who live on the earth. | 10Because you have kept My command to persevere, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. |
11I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one takes your crown. | 11I am coming soon. Hold fast to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. |
12"The one who conquers I will make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will never go out again. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God--the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God--and my new name. | 12The one who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will never again leave it. Upon him I will write the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God (the new Jerusalem that comes down out of heaven from My God), and My new name. |
13"Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. | 13He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. |
14"Write to the angel of the church in Laodicea: Thus says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the originator of God's creation: | 14To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator of God’s creation. |
15I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. | 15I know your deeds; you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were one or the other! |
16So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of my mouth. | 16So because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to vomit you out of My mouth! |
17For you say, 'I'm rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,' and you don't realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. | 17You say, ‘I am rich; I have grown wealthy and need nothing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. |
18I advise you to buy from me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich, white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see. | 18I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, white garments so that you may be clothed and your shameful nakedness not exposed, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. |
19As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be zealous and repent. | 19Those I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent. |
20See! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. | 20Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me. |
21"To the one who conquers I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. | 21To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. |
22"Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches." | 22He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” |
|