Revelation · Free Bible Version
Revelation 3 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 “Write this to the angel of the Sardis church: This is what the one who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars says: I know what you have accomplished, and that you give the appearance of being alive—but in reality you are dead.
1 “And to the angel of the assembly in Sardis write: “He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars says these things: “I know your works, that you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.
2 Wake up, and try to revive what is left that's about to die! For I have discovered that from the perspective of my God, nothing you've done has been finished.
2 Wake up and strengthen the things that remain, which you were about to throw away, for I have found no works of yours perfected before my God.
3 So remind yourselves of how this message came to you, and what you heard. Observe what you were told to do, and repent. If you don't watch out, I'll come unexpectedly like a thief, and you won't know at what time I'll come to you!
3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard. Keep it and repent. If therefore you won’t watch, I will come as a thief, and you won’t know what hour I will come upon you.
4 But there are some among you in Sardis who have not ruined their clothes, and they will walk with me dressed in white, for they deserve to do so.
4 Nevertheless you have a few names in Sardis that didn’t defile their garments. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.
5 Those who are victorious will be dressed in white like this. Their names will not be removed from the book of life, and I will speak for them in the presence of my Father and his angels.
5 He who overcomes will be arrayed in white garments, and I will in no way blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
6 If you have ears, listen to what the Spirit is telling the churches.
6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.
7 Write this to the angel of the Philadelphia church: This is what the one says, the one who is holy and true, who has the key of David. He can open and nobody is able to shut, he can shut, and nobody is able to open:
7 “To the angel of the assembly in Philadelphia write: “He who is holy, he who is true, he who has the key of David, he who opens and no one can shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says these things:
8 I know what you have accomplished—look, I've opened a door for you that no one can shut. I know that you only have a little strength, but you did what I told you, and you did not deny me.
8 “I know your works (behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one can shut), that you have a little power, and kept my word, and didn’t deny my name.
9 From Satan's synagogue I will bring those who say they are Jews (but are not, they are liars), making them come and worship at your feet, so that they will acknowledge that I love you.
9 Behold, I make some of the synagogue of Satan, of those who say they are Jews, and they are not, but lie—behold, I will make them to come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.
10 Because you have persevered as I told you to, I will take care of you during the testing time that is coming on the whole world when those who live on the earth will be on trial.
10 Because you kept my command to endure, I also will keep you from the hour of testing which is to come on the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
11 I am coming soon! Keep a tight grasp on what you have, so that no one takes your crown.
11 I am coming quickly! Hold firmly that which you have, so that no one takes your crown.
12 Those who are victorious I will make into pillars in the Temple of my God. They won't ever have to leave. I will write on them the name of my God, the name of the city of my God called New Jerusalem which descends from heaven from my God, and my own new name.
12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will go out from there no more. 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 own new name.
13 If you have ears, listen to what the Spirit is telling the churches.
13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.
14 Write this to the angel of the Laodicea church: This is what the Amen says, who is the faithful, true witness, highest ruler of God's creation:
14 “To the angel of the assembly in Laodicea write: “The Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of God’s creation, says these things:
15 I know what you have accomplished—you're neither hot nor cold. I wish you were hot or cold!
15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot.
16 But because you're lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I'm going to spit you out of my mouth.
16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth.
17 You say to yourselves, ‘I'm rich, I have wealth, and don't need anything.’ But you don't know that you are miserable and pitiful and poor and blind and naked.
17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing,’ and don’t know that you are the wretched one, miserable, poor, blind, and naked;
18 I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so you may be rich; and have white clothes so you can be properly dressed and you won't reveal your nakedness and shame; and ointment to put on your eyes so you can see.
18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich; and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see.
19 Those I love I correct and discipline. So be really sincere, and repent.
19 As many as I love, I reprove and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent.
20 Look, I'm standing at the door, knocking. If anyone hears me calling and opens the door, I will come in and eat with them, and they with me.
20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with me.
21 I will have those who are victorious sit down with me beside my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down beside my Father on his throne.
21 He who overcomes, I will give to him to sit down with me on my throne, as I also overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.
22 If you have ears, listen to what the Spirit is telling the churches.”
22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.”
Cross references (22)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 1 Timothy 5:6; James 2:26; Revelation 1:4; Colossians 2:13; Jude 12
- 2 Revelation 16:15; 1 Peter 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8; 2 Timothy 4:1–4; Isaiah 35:3
- 3 Revelation 2:5; 2 Peter 3:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:2; Matthew 24:42–43; Revelation 16:15
- 4 Revelation 3:5; Revelation 7:9; Ecclesiastes 9:8; Revelation 6:11; Revelation 7:13–14
- 5 Matthew 10:32; Revelation 21:27; Luke 12:8; Revelation 20:15; Revelation 20:12
- 6 Revelation 2:7
- 7 Isaiah 22:22; Matthew 16:19; Revelation 1:18; Job 12:14; John 14:6
- 8 1 Corinthians 16:9; Colossians 4:3; Revelation 3:7; Philippians 4:13; 2 Corinthians 2:12
- 9 Isaiah 60:14; Revelation 2:9; Isaiah 49:23; Isaiah 45:14; Isaiah 43:4
- 10 2 Peter 2:9; Revelation 14:12; Zechariah 13:9; Daniel 12:10; Revelation 2:10
- 11 James 1:12; Revelation 22:12; Revelation 2:10; Revelation 2:25; 2 Timothy 4:8
- 12 Revelation 22:4; Revelation 21:2; Revelation 14:1; Jeremiah 1:18; Galatians 2:9
- 13 Revelation 2:7
- 14 Colossians 1:15; Revelation 1:5; 2 Corinthians 1:20; Colossians 1:18; Revelation 3:7
- 15 Romans 12:11; Matthew 6:24; 1 Kings 18:21; James 1:8; Revelation 2:4
- 16 Revelation 2:5; Zechariah 11:8–9; Jeremiah 14:19; Jeremiah 15:1–4
- 17 Proverbs 13:7; Romans 7:24; Hosea 12:8; Revelation 2:9; Revelation 16:15
- 18 Revelation 16:15; 1 Peter 1:7; Isaiah 55:1; Revelation 19:8; Malachi 3:3
- 19 Proverbs 3:11–12; 1 Corinthians 11:32; Hebrews 12:5–11; Job 5:17; Revelation 2:5
- 20 Luke 12:36–37; Revelation 19:9; John 14:21–23; Matthew 24:33; Song of Songs 5:2–4
- 21 2 Timothy 2:12; Matthew 19:28; Revelation 2:26–27; John 16:33; Revelation 2:7
- 22 Revelation 2:7; Revelation 2:11; Revelation 2:17; Revelation 3:13; Revelation 3:6
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
… that not only what is equal and consubstantial with God is said to proceed out of His mouth, let them hear or read what God says: "So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth." There is no ground, then, for our objecting, when the apostle so expressly distinguishes the …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
… given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor." And taste may be included, in accordance with which God hateth the bitter in temper, and spueth out of His mouth those who are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot: and Christ our God saith, "My meat is to do the will of Him that …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 7 (1888)
When I spare, thou singest and praisest: when I chasten, thou murmurest: as though, when I spare, I am thy God: and, when I chasten, I am not thy God. "I rebuke and chasten those whom I love." "But thou hatest instruction: and hast thrown My sayings behind thee." The words that are said through thee, thou throwest behind thee.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)