Revelation 3
EasyEnglish Bible
Jesus' message to the believers at Sardis
3 ‘Write this to the angel of the church at Sardis:
“This is the message to you from the one who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.
I know everything that you do. I know that people praise you. They think that you are alive. But that is not true, because really you are dead in your spirits. 2 Wake up! You must become strong again. Do not let the little bit of life that you have completely disappear! I know that there are still more things for you to do to please my Father God. 3 So remember God's message that you have heard. Obey what God has said. Turn away from the wrong things that you do. Change the way that you live. If you do not wake up, I will come to punish you. I will come secretly, like someone who robs people. So you will not know what time I will come to you.
4 But you have a few people among you in Sardis who have not done these bad things. They are like people who have kept their clothes clean. They will walk with me and they will wear white clothes. They are good people and it is right for them to wear these white clothes. 5 Everyone who wins against Satan will wear white clothes like they do. I will never remove their names from God's book of life.[a] I will say clearly to my Father and his angels that those people belong to me. 6 God's Spirit is speaking to you in the churches. You should understand what the Spirit is saying to you. You have ears, so listen carefully!” ’
Jesus' message to the believers at Philadelphia
7 ‘Write this to the angel of the church at Philadelphia:
“This is my message to you. I am the one who is completely good, the true God. I have King David's key in my hand.[b] When I open a door, nobody can shut it. And when I shut a door, nobody can open it.
8 I know everything that you do. Look! I have opened a door that is in front of you. Nobody can shut that door. I know that you are not very strong. But you have obeyed what I told you. You have continued to believe in me. 9 Some people there say that they are Jews. But that is not true. They are telling lies. Instead, they belong to a group of Satan's people. I will cause those people to bend down low in front of you to give you honour. Then they will understand that I love you. 10 I have told you to be patient in this difficult time. You have obeyed what I told you. Because of that, I will keep you safe from the time of great trouble that will come. This trouble will come to everyone who lives in the world. It will show me what each person is really like.
11 I will come soon.[c] Continue to obey my message that you already know. Then nobody can take away your crown which is God's gift to you.[d]
12 Everyone who wins against Satan will be safe in God's house. I will make them like a strong pillar in the temple of my God. They will never leave that place again. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of his city. The name of that city is the new Jerusalem.[e] It will come down from heaven. My God will send it down to the earth. I will also write my new name on those people. 13 God's Spirit is speaking to you in the churches. You should understand what the Spirit is saying to you. You have ears, so listen carefully!” ’
Jesus' message to the believers at Laodicea
14 ‘Write this to the angel of the church at Laodicea:
“This is my message to you. I am the one whose name is ‘Amen’.[f] I faithfully tell people God's true message. Everything that God has created starts with me.
15 I know everything that you do. I know that you are neither cold nor hot. It would be better if you were either cold or hot. 16 But you are only warm. Because you are neither cold nor hot, I am ready to throw you away completely.[g]
17 You say, ‘I am rich. God has helped me to have many things. I do not need anything more.’ But you do not know how very poor you are really! You are like people who cannot see. You are like people who are without clothes. Really, other people should feel very sorry for you. 18 So I tell you that you should buy gold from me. With my gold, you would be really rich. My gold is the best, because it has been through fire. You should also buy white clothes from me to dress yourselves. Then you will not be ashamed because you have no clothes. You should also buy medicine from me to put on your eyes. Then you will be able to see well.[h]
19 I help everyone that I love. When they have done wrong things, I tell them, ‘You have done a wrong thing.’ I show them the right thing that they should do. So be serious about how you live. Stop doing wrong things and turn to me. 20 Look! I am standing at the door of your house. I am knocking on your door. When you hear my voice, you should open the door. Then I will come in. We will eat a meal together as friends.
21 Everyone who wins against Satan will come to sit with me on my throne where I rule. I won against my enemies. Then I sat down with my Father on his throne. I will give you the same authority. 22 God's Spirit is speaking to you in the churches. You should understand what the Spirit is saying to you. You have ears, so listen carefully!” ’
Footnotes
- 3:5 ‘God's book of life’ has the names of people who will live with God for ever.
- 3:7 David was a great king of God's people, Israel. He lived on the earth a long time before Jesus lived here as a man. Both men belonged to the same family.
- 3:11 ‘soon’ or ‘quickly’.
- 3:11 The crown is Jesus' gift. It shows that the person has won against Satan. That person will live with God for ever. See Revelation 2:10.
- 3:12 Jerusalem was the capital city of Israel. Israel was the country on this earth where God's people lived. New Jerusalem will be the place where God's people will live for ever. Revelation 21—22 describes this New Jerusalem.
- 3:14 That name means: ‘God's promises will happen because of him’.
- 3:16 In a place near to Laodicea, hot water came up out of the ground. People used the hot water like a medicine. But by the time this water reached Laodicea city, it was not hot. It was only warm. Also, at another city near Laodicea, cold water came up out of the ground. This cold water was good to drink. But by the time it reached Laodicea through a pipe, it too became warm. So then people did not like to drink it. So people could use both the hot water and the cold water where they came out of the ground. But they did not like the warm water at Laodicea. In these verses, Jesus is saying that he will not use the Christians at Laodicea. They are like the warm water that is not good for anything.
- 3:18 Jesus is not talking about gold or clothes or medicine that we can see or touch. He is telling these people what they need inside themselves. He is talking about what they need in their spirits. These Christians must receive what only he can give them. They must stop thinking that they are all right. They thought this because they had lots of money. People with ‘white clothes’ are like a picture of people who are completely good and clean.
Revelation 3
New Life Version
Words to the Church in Sardis
3 “Write this to the angel of the church in the city of Sardis: ‘The One Who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: I know what you are doing. I know people think you are alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Make stronger what you have before it dies. I have not found your work complete in God’s sight. 3 So remember what you have received and heard. Keep it. Be sorry for your sins and turn from them. If you will not wake up, I will come as a robber. You will not know at what time I will come. 4 But there are a few people in the church in the city of Sardis whose clothes are not dirty with sins. They will walk with Me wearing white clothes. They have done what they should. 5 Everyone who has power and wins will wear white clothes. I will not take his name from the book of life. I will speak of his name before My Father and His angels. 6 You have ears! Then listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.’
Words to the Church in Philadelphia
7 “Write this to the angel of the church in the city of Philadelphia: ‘He Who is holy and true, Who holds the key of David, Who opens and no man can shut, Who shuts and no man can open, says this: 8 I know what you are doing. See! You do not have much power, but you have obeyed My Word. You have not turned against Me. So I have given you an open door that no man can shut. 9 See! There are some who belong to Satan. They say they are Jews, but they are not. They are liars. See! I will make them come to you and get down at your feet. Then they will know that I love you. 10 I will keep you from the time of trouble. The time to test everyone is about to come to the whole world. I will do this because you have listened to Me and have waited long and have not given up. 11 I am coming very soon. Hold on to what you have so no one can take your crown. 12 I will make the one who has power and wins an important part that holds up the house of God. He will never leave it again. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God. It is the new Jerusalem. The new Jerusalem will come down from My God out of heaven. I will write My new name on him. 13 You have ears! Then listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.’
Words to the Church in Laodicea
14 “Write this to the angel of the church in the city of Laodicea: ‘The One Who says, Let it be so, the One Who is faithful, the One Who tells what is true, the One Who made everything in God’s world, says this: 15 I know what you are doing. You are not cold or hot. I wish you were one or the other. 16 But because you are warm, and not hot or cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. 17 You say that you are rich and that you need nothing, but you do not know that you are so troubled in mind and heart. You are poor and blind and without clothes. 18 You should buy gold from Me that has been tested by fire that you may be rich. Buy white clothes to dress yourself so the shame of not wearing clothes will be taken away. Buy medicine to put on your eyes so you can see. 19 I speak strong words to those I love and I punish them. Have a strong desire to please the Lord. Be sorry for your sins and turn from them. 20 See! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and we will eat together. 21 I will allow the one who has power and wins to sit with Me on My throne, as I also had power and won and sat down with My Father on His throne. 22 You have ears! Then listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
Revelation 3
New King James Version
The Dead Church
3 “And to the [a]angel of the church in Sardis write,
‘These things says He who (A)has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before [b]God. 3 (B)Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and (C)repent. (D)Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you (E)as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. 4 [c]You have (F)a few names [d]even in Sardis who have not (G)defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me (H)in white, for they are worthy. 5 He who overcomes (I)shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not (J)blot out his name from the (K)Book of Life; but (L)I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
6 (M)“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’
The Faithful Church
7 “And to the [e]angel of the church in Philadelphia write,
‘These things says (N)He who is holy, (O)He who is true, (P)“He who has the key of David, (Q)He who opens and no one shuts, and (R)shuts and no one opens”: 8 (S)“I know your works. See, I have set before you (T)an open door, [f]and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Indeed I will make (U)those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed (V)I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept [g]My command to persevere, (W)I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon (X)the whole world, to test those who dwell (Y)on the earth. 11 [h]Behold, (Z)I am coming quickly! (AA)Hold fast what you have, that no one may take (AB)your crown. 12 He who overcomes, I will make him (AC)a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall (AD)go out no more. (AE)I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the (AF)New Jerusalem, which (AG)comes down out of heaven from My God. (AH)And I will write on him My new name.
13 (AI)“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’
The Lukewarm Church
14 “And to the [i]angel of the church [j]of the Laodiceans write,
(AJ)‘These things says the Amen, (AK)the Faithful and True Witness, (AL)the Beginning of the creation of God: 15 (AM)“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither [k]cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, (AN)‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— 18 I counsel you (AO)to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and (AP)white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 (AQ)As many as I love, I rebuke and (AR)chasten.[l] Therefore be [m]zealous and repent. 20 Behold, (AS)I stand at the door and knock. (AT)If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, (AU)I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes (AV)I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
22 (AW)“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’ ”
Footnotes
- Revelation 3:1 Or messenger
- Revelation 3:2 NU, M My God
- Revelation 3:4 NU, M Nevertheless you
- Revelation 3:4 NU, M omit even
- Revelation 3:7 Or messenger
- Revelation 3:8 NU, M which no one can shut
- Revelation 3:10 Lit. the word of My patience
- Revelation 3:11 NU, M omit Behold
- Revelation 3:14 Or messenger
- Revelation 3:14 NU, M in Laodicea
- Revelation 3:16 NU, M hot nor cold
- Revelation 3:19 discipline
- Revelation 3:19 eager
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
