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Revelation 3
Expanded Bible
Revelation 3
Expanded Bible
To the Church in Sardis
3 “Write this to the ·angel [messenger; see 1:20] of the church in ·Sardis [C the capital of the Roman province of Lydia in western Asia Minor]:
“The One [C the resurrected Jesus] who has the ·seven spirits [C referring either to angels or to the “sevenfold Spirit”—the Holy Spirit portrayed in his perfection; 1:4] and the seven stars [1:16] says ·this [L these things]: I know ·what you do [your works]. ·People say [L You have a name/reputation] that you are alive, but really you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what you have left ·before it dies completely [or which is about to die]. I have found that ·what you are doing is less than what my God wants [L your works are incompleted/unfulfilled before my God]. 3 So ·do not forget [L remember] what you have received and heard. Obey it, and ·change your hearts and lives [repent]. ·So you must wake up, or [L But if you do not wake up,] I will come like a thief, and you will not know ·when [L at what hour] I will come ·to [upon; against] you. 4 But you have a ·few [few people; L few names] there in Sardis who have kept their clothes ·unstained [unsoiled; undefiled], so they will walk with me ·and will wear white clothes [L in white], because they are worthy. 5 Those who ·win the victory [overcome; conquer] will be dressed in white clothes like them. And I will ·not [never; C an emphatic negation] erase [wipe out; blot out] their names from the ·book [scroll] of life [Ex. 32:32–33; Ps. 69:28; Dan. 12:1], but I will ·say they belong to me [L confess their names] before my Father and before his angels. 6 Everyone who has ears should ·listen to [hear; obey] what the Spirit says to the churches.
To the Church in Philadelphia
7 “Write this to the ·angel [messenger; see 1:20] of the church in ·Philadelphia [a city in the Roman province of Lydia in western Asia Minor]:
“This is what the One who is holy and true, who holds the key of David [C the resurrected Jesus; holding the key of David signifies access to the king; Is. 22:22], says. When he opens a door, no one can close it. And when he closes it, no one can open it [C Jesus controls access to God]. 8 I know ·what you do [your works]. I have put an open door before you, which no one can close. I know you have little ·strength [power], but you have ·obeyed my teaching [L kept my word] and ·were not afraid to speak [L have not denied] my name. 9 Those in the synagogue ·that belongs to Satan [L of Satan] say they are Jews, but they are not true Jews; they are liars. I will make them come before you and bow at your feet, and they will ·know [acknowledge; learn] that I have loved you. 10 You have ·obeyed my teaching [L kept my word] about ·not giving up your faith [endurance; perseverance]. So I will keep you from the ·time [hour] of ·trouble [trial; testing] that ·will come [or is about to come] to the whole world to test those who live on earth.
11 “I am coming ·soon [quickly]. ·Continue strong in your faith [L Hold on to what you have] so no one will take away your crown [C wreath indicating honor or victory; 2:10]. 12 I will make those who ·win the victory [overcome; conquer] pillars in the temple of my God [C an image of stability and security close to the glory of God], and they will never have to leave it [C frequent earthquakes often forced Philadelphians to live outdoors]. I will write on them 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 [C the believers’ eternal dwelling place; see chs. 21—22]. I will also write on them my new name. 13 Everyone who has ears should ·listen to [hear; obey] what the Spirit says to the churches.
To the Church in Laodicea
14 “Write this to the ·angel [or messenger; see 1:20] of the church in Laodicea [C a city in Phrygia, a mountainous province of western Asia]:
“The Amen [C Hebrew for “so be it”; here referring to Jesus], the faithful and true witness, ·the ruler of all God has made [1:5; Prov. 8:30–31; C the resurrected Jesus], says this [L these things]: 15 I know ·what you do [your works], that you are not hot or cold. I wish that you were hot or cold [C both positive images, alluding to cold refreshing mountain streams and healing hot springs near Laodicea]! 16 But because you are lukewarm—neither hot, nor cold—I am ready to ·spit [vomit] you out of my mouth. 17 [L For] You say, ‘I am rich, and I have become wealthy and do not need anything.’ But you do not know that you are really ·miserable [wretched], pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I advise you to buy from me gold ·made pure in [refined by] fire so you can be truly rich. Buy from me white clothes [C indicating purity] so you can be clothed and so you can cover your shameful nakedness. Buy from me ·medicine [salve; ointment] to put on your eyes so you can truly see.
19 “I ·correct [rebuke] and ·punish [discipline] those whom I love. So be ·eager to do right [zealous; earnest], and ·change your hearts and lives [repent]. 20 ·Here I am [L Look; T Behold]! I stand at the door and knock. If ·you [L anyone] hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and eat with you, and you will eat with me.
21 “Those who ·win the victory [overcome; conquer] will sit with me on my throne in the same way that I ·won the victory [overcame; conquered; C over death, by his resurrection] and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Everyone who has ears should ·listen to [hear; obey] what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Revelation 3
New International Version
Revelation 3
New International Version
To the Church in Sardis
3 “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) 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. 3 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.
4 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. 5 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. 6 Whoever has ears, let them hear(O) what the Spirit says to the churches.
To the Church in Philadelphia
7 “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. 8 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) 9 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
- Revelation 3:1 Or messenger; also in verses 7 and 14
- Revelation 3:1 That is, the sevenfold Spirit
Hisgalus 3
Orthodox Jewish Bible
Hisgalus 3
Orthodox Jewish Bible
3 And to the malach (angel) of the Kehillah in Sardis, write: These things says the One having the sheva ruchot of Hashem and the shevat hakokhavim (seven stars): I have da’as of your ma’asim, that nominally you are Chai (Alive) but you are [spiritually] niftar (deceased).
2 Be shomer and regarding the things remaining and the things on the point of mavet, be chazakim (strong ones). For, I have not found your ma’asim mitzvot having been shleimim (complete) before Elohai.
3 Therefore, let there be zikaron (remembrance) of what has been handed over to you and what you heard, and be shomer and make teshuva. Therefore, if you are not shomer, I will come as a ganav, and never would you have da’as at what sha’ah (hour, time) I will come upon you.
4 But you have a few shemot (names) in Sardis which did not soil their kaftans. It is they that will have their halakhah with me in lavan (white), wearing a kittel, because they are walking worthily.
5 The one who wins the nitzachon (victory), in similar manner, will be clothed in lavan (white), and never will I erase him, the [baal] shem [tov], from the Sefer Chayyim. And I will make hoda’ah (acknowledgement) of the shem of him before Elohim Avi and before the malachim (angels) of Him.
6 The one having an ear let him hear what the Ruach Hakodesh says to the Kehillot.
7 And to the malach of the Kehillah in Philadelphia, write: These things says HaKadosh, HaNe’eman, the One having the mafte’ach (key) of Dovid, the One opening and no one will shut, the one shutting and no one opens: [YESHAYAH 22:22]
8 I have da’as of your ma’asim. Hinei, I have placed in front of you a delet (door), having been opened, which no one is able to shut: because you have a little ko’ach (power) and have been shomer over my dvar (word),
9 And did not make hakhchashah (denial) of ha-Shem of me. Hinei, I may make some of the Shul [deluded by] Hasatan, the ones declaring themselves to be Bnei Brit, and are not [of the Brit Chadasha] but speak sheker; hinei, I will make them come and prostrate themselves before your feet and then they will have da’as that I have ahavah for you. [YESHAYAH 49:23; 43:4]
10 Because you were shomer over my dvar of savlanut (patient endurance), I will also be shomer over you, guarding you from the sha’at hanisayon (hour of trial) about to come upon the Olam Hazeh, to try all the ones of the inhabited world, all the ones dwelling upon the earth.
11 I am coming quickly; hold fast to what you have, that no one takes your atarah (diadem, crown).
12 The one who wins the nitzachon (victory) I will make an ammud (pillar) in the Beis Hamikdash of Elohai and never may he go out of it [TEHILLIM 23:6] and I will write upon him ha-Shem of Elohai and ha-Shem of the Ir Hakodesh of Elohai‖the Yerushalayim HaChadasha descending down out of Shomayim from Elohai‖and ha-Shem HeChadash of me (my New Name). [YECHEZKEL 48:35]
13 The one having an ear, let him hear what the Ruach Hakodesh says to the Kehillot.
14 And to the malach of the Kehillah in Laodicea, write: These things says the Omein, the Ed HaNe’eman (the Faithful Witness) who is also HaEmes, the Reshit of the Bri’at Hashem [i.e., Hashem’s eternal Chochmah, MISHLE 8:22; TEHILLIM 33:6; MISHLE 30:4],
15 I have da’as of your ma’asim, that you are neither kar (cold) nor kham (hot). Would that you were kar or kham!
16 But because you are posher (lukewarm) and neither kham nor kar, I am about to spew you out of my mouth.
17 Because you say, I am ashir (rich) and have become wealthy and in nothing am I nitzrach (needy), and you do not have da’as that you are the one wretched and pitiful and poor and blind and naked, [HOSHEA 12:8]
18 I counsel you to buy from me zahav (gold) having been purified by eish (fire)‖that you may be oisher (rich)‖and a kittel, that you may be clothed in lavan (white), and that the bushah (shame) of your nakedness not be made nikar (evident), and eye salve to rub on the eynayim (eyes) of you that you may see.
19 Those for whom I have ahavah I reprove and discipline. Be kham (hot), therefore, in kanous (zeal) for Hashem and make teshuva. [DEVARIM 8:5; MISHLE 3:12]
20 Hinei, I have stood at the delet (door) DOFEK (“knocking,” SHIR HASHIRIM 5:2); if anyone hears my kol and opens the delet, indeed I will come in to him and we, the two of us, will dine together at the BEIT HAYAYIN [“Banquet Hall,” SHIR HASHIRIM 2:4].
21 The one who wins the nitzachon (victory), I will give to him to sit with me on the Kes (Throne) of me, as I also won the nitzachon and sat with Elohim Avi on the Kes (throne) of him.
22 The one having an ear let him hear what the Ruach Hakodesh says to the Kehillot.
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Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB)
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