Revelation 3

1 “Write [this message] to the leader [MET] of the congregation in Sardis [city]: ‘I am saying these things [to you. I am] the one who can give [to people] all the power of God’s Spirit (OR, in whom is the Spirit of God who has all kinds of power; OR, [who has God’s Spirit, who is symbolized as] seven spirits), and [I am the one] who has the seven stars. I know everything that you have done. You [(pl)] appear to be alive [spiritually], but [you are so weak spiritually it is as though] you are dead [MET].

Καὶ τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς ἐν Σάρδεσιν ἐκκλησίας γράψον· τάδε λέγει ὁ ἔχων τὰ ἑπτὰ πνεύματα τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τοὺς ἑπτὰ ἀστέρας· οἶδά σου τὰ ἔργα, ὅτι ὄνομα ἔχεις ὅτι ζῇς, καὶ νεκρὸς εἶ.

2 [Become aware of your spiritual need as though you were] awaking [from sleep] [MET], and strengthen [yourself spiritually, because you are so useless that you are like someone who is] about to die [MET]. [You must do this] because I know that my God considers that nothing that you do is satisfactory.

γίνου γρηγορῶν, καὶ στήρισον τὰ λοιπὰ ἃ ἔμελλον ἀποθνήσκειν· οὐ γὰρ εὕρηκά σου τὰ ἔργα πεπληρωμένα ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ μου.

3 So then, keep remembering [God’s message, what] you accepted when you heard it. Obey it continually, and turn away from your sinful behavior. If [you do not become aware of your spiritual need and turn away from your] [MET] [sinful behavior], I will come to you [when you are not expecting me], as a thief [comes] [SIM]. You will never know at what time I will come to [judge] you.

μνημόνευε οὖν πῶς εἴληφας [καὶ ἤκουσας, καὶ τήρει] καὶ μετανόησον. ἐὰν οὖν μὴ γρηγορήσῃς, ἥξω [ἐπὶ σὲ] ὡς κλέπτης, καὶ οὐ μὴ γνώσῃ ποίαν ὥραν ἥξω ἐπὶ σέ.

4 Nevertheless, [there] in Sardis you have a few members who [have not been doing what is wrong. It is as though they] have not soiled their garments [MET]. As a result, because they are worthy [to live with me], they will live with me [and will be pure in every way] [MET], [like people who are dressed] in [pure] white [clothing].

ἀλλὰ ἔχεις ὀλίγα ὀνόματα ἐν Σάρδεσιν, ἃ οὐκ ἐμόλυναν τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν, καὶ περιπατήσουσι μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ ἐν λευκοῖς, ὅτι ἄξιοί εἰσιν.

5 Everyone who conquers [Satan] I will dress in these same white garments [MET] (OR, will be [pure in every way as though they are] dressed in these white garments), and I will never erase their names from the book [that contains the names of the people who have eternal] life. Instead, as my Father and his angels are listening, I will acknowledge that they [MTY] [belong to me].

Ὁ νικῶν οὕτως περιβαλεῖται ἐν ἱματίοις λευκοῖς, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐξαλείψω τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἐκ τῆς βίβλου τῆς ζωῆς, καὶ ὁμολογήσω τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἐνώπιον τοῦ πατρός μου καὶ ἐνώπιον τῶν ἀγγέλων αὐτοῦ.

6 Everyone who wants to understand [MTY] must listen carefully to the message that [God’s] Spirit speaks to the congregations.’”

Ὁ ἔχων οὖς ἀκουσάτω τί τὸ Πνεῦμα λέγει ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις.

7 “Write [this message] to the leader [MET] of the congregation in Philadelphia [city]: ‘I am saying these things [to you. I am] God’s Holy One, the True One. [Just like King] David had authority [MTY] [to allow people to enter the ancient city of Jerusalem, so I have the authority to allow people to enter] my kingdom. [I am] the one who opens [doors] so that no one can close them, and who closes doors so that no one can open them.

Καὶ τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς ἐν Φιλαδελφείᾳ ἐκκλησίας γράψον· τάδε λέγει ὁ ἅγιος, ὁ ἀληθινός, ὁ ἔχων τὴν κλεῖν τοῦ Δαυΐδ, ὁ ἀνοίγων καὶ οὐδεὶς κλείσει, καὶ κλείων καὶ οὐδεὶς ἀνοίξει·

8 I know everything you have done. Be aware that I have opened a door before you, a door that no one can close. [I know that although] there are not [many believers] (OR, much [spiritual] strength) [MTY] [in your congregation], you have obeyed what I say, and you have not denied [that you believe in] me [MTY].

οἶδά σου τὰ ἔργα· — ἰδοὺ δέδωκα ἐνώπιόν σου θύραν ἀνεῳγμένην, ἣν οὐδεὶς δύναται κλεῖσαι αὐτήν· — ὅτι μικρὰν ἔχεις δύναμιν, καὶ ἐτήρησάς μου τὸν λόγον καὶ οὐκ ἠρνήσω τὸ ὄνομά μου.

9 [I am aware that] some of your people meet together with those who [follow/worship] Satan. They claim to be Jews, but I know that they are not true Jews. They are lying. I will cause them to come to you and to bow down [humbly] at your feet and to acknowledge that I love you.

ἰδοὺ δίδωμι ἐκ τῆς συναγωγῆς τοῦ σατανᾶ τῶν λεγόντων ἑαυτοὺς Ἰουδαίους εἶναι, καὶ οὐκ εἰσίν, ἀλλὰ ψεύδονται· ἰδοὺ ποιήσω αὐτοὺς ἵνα ἥξουσι καὶ προσκυνήσουσιν ἐνώπιον τῶν ποδῶν σου, καὶ γνῶσιν ὅτι [ἐγὼ] ἠγάπησά σε.

10 Because you have paid attention to the message to endure patiently [when you suffered], I will keep you [safe from those who will try to harm you spiritually] during the period/time that is about to come. At that time [God will cause rebellious people] on the earth to suffer, in order that I can determine [whether they will turn away from their sins or not].

ὅτι ἐτήρησας τὸν λόγον τῆς ὑπομονῆς μου, κἀγώ σε τηρήσω ἐκ τῆς ὥρας τοῦ πειρασμοῦ τῆς μελλούσης ἔρχεσθαι ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκουμένης ὅλης, πειράσαι τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.

11 I am coming soon. [So] continue believe firmly the [message] that you have received, in order that no one may cause you to lose the reward [that God has reserved for] you.

ἔρχομαι ταχύ· κράτει ὃ ἔχεις, ἵνα μηδεὶς λάβῃ τὸν στέφανόν σου.

12 I will make everyone who conquers [Satan secure]. They will stand in the temple of my God, [they will stand firm like] [MET] pillars, and they will remain there forever. I will mark them with the name of my God, [showing that they belong to him. I will also mark them] with the name of the city of my God, [showing that they will live there. That city is] the New Jerusalem, the city that my God will cause to descend down from heaven. [I will also mark them] with my new name, [showing that they belong to me].

Ὁ νικῶν, ποιήσω αὐτὸν στῦλον ἐν τῷ ναῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ μου, καὶ ἔξω οὐ μὴ ἐξέλθῃ ἔτι, καὶ γράψω ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Θεοῦ μου καὶ τὸ ὄνομα τῆς πόλεως τοῦ Θεοῦ μου, τῆς καινῆς Ἱερουσαλήμ, ἣ καταβαίνει ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ μου, καὶ τὸ ὄνομά μου τὸ καινόν.

13 Everyone who wants to understand [MTY] must listen carefully to the message that [God’s] Spirit speaks to the congregations.’”

Ὁ ἔχων οὖς ἀκουσάτω τί τὸ Πνεῦμα λέγει ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις.

14 “Write [this message] to the leader [MET] of the congregation in Laodicea [city: ‘I] am saying these things [to you. I am] the one who (guarantees [everything that God’s promises/] that [he] will do [all that he has promised]) [MET]. I am the one who testifies [about God] reliably and accurately. I am the one who God used to create [everything].

Καὶ τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς ἐν Λαοδικείᾳ ἐκκλησίας γράψον· τάδε λέγει ὁ ἀμήν, ὁ μάρτυς ὁ πιστὸς καὶ ἀληθινός, ἡ ἀρχὴ τῆς κτίσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ·

15 I know everything that you have done: You [neither deny that you trust in me nor love/obey me zealously/wholeheartedly. You are like water that is] neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot!

οἶδά σου τὰ ἔργα, ὅτι οὔτε ψυχρὸς εἶ οὔτε ζεστός· ὄφελον ψυχρὸς ἦς ἢ ζεστός·

16 Because you are neither enthusiastic about me nor concerned about your lack of spiritual growth [MET], I am about to [reject] you [MET], [as if] I were spitting [lukewarm water] out of my mouth.

οὕτως ὅτι χλιαρὸς εἶ, καὶ οὔτε ζεστὸς οὔτε ψυχρός, μέλλω σε ἐμέσαι ἐκ τοῦ στόματός μου.

17 You are saying, “[Because we have all that we need spiritually], we are [like] rich [people who] have acquired a lot of wealth. We lack nothing!” But you do not realize that you are [lacking in so many ways spiritually that you are like] [MET] people who are very wretched and pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.

ὅτι λέγεις ὅτι πλούσιός εἰμι καὶ πεπλούτηκα καὶ οὐδενὸς χρείαν ἔχω, — καὶ οὐκ οἶδας ὅτι σὺ εἶ ὁ ταλαίπωρος καὶ [ὁ] ἐλεεινὸς καὶ πτωχὸς καὶ τυφλὸς καὶ γυμνός, —

18 I advise you [to obtain from me all that you need spiritually, as though you were] buying from me gold that has been refined by fire {that fire has refined}, in order that you may be [truly] rich [MET] [spiritually. Let me make you righteous, as though you were] [MET] buying from me white garments in order that you might wear clothes instead of being naked and ashamed. [Let me help you to perceive spiritual things, as though] [MET] you were buying from me eye salve to put in your eyes in order that you might see.

συμβουλεύω σοι ἀγοράσαι παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ χρυσίον πεπυρωμένον ἐκ πυρὸς ἵνα πλουτήσῃς, καὶ ἱμάτια λευκὰ ἵνα περιβάλῃ καὶ μὴ φανερωθῇ ἡ αἰσχύνη τῆς γυμνότητός σου, καὶ κολλύριον ἵνα ἐγχρίσῃ τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς σου ἵνα βλέπῃς.

19 [Since] I rebuke and correct all those whom I affectionately love, earnestly stop your sinful behavior.

ἐγὼ ὅσους ἐὰν φιλῶ, ἐλέγχω καὶ παιδεύω· ζήλευε οὖν καὶ μετανόησον.

20 Be aware that [I invite each one of you to respond to me] as though [MET] I [was] standing [waiting] at [your] door and knocking. I will come to all those who hear my voice and respond to me, and I [will fellowship] with them [as friends do when they] eat together [MET].

ἰδοὺ ἕστηκα ἐπὶ τὴν θύραν καὶ κρούω· ἐάν τις ἀκούσῃ τῆς φωνῆς μου καὶ ἀνοίξῃ τὴν θύραν, καὶ εἰσελεύσομαι πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ δειπνήσω μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ αὐτὸς μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ.

21 I will permit everyone who conquers [Satan] to sit [and rule] with me on my throne, just like I conquered [Satan] and now sit [and rule] beside my Father on his throne.

Ὁ νικῶν, δώσω αὐτῷ καθίσαι μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ ἐν τῷ θρόνῳ μου, ὡς κἀγὼ ἐνίκησα καὶ ἐκάθισα μετὰ τοῦ πατρός μου ἐν τῷ θρόνῳ αὐτοῦ.

22 Everyone who wants to understand [MTY] must listen carefully to the message that [God’s] Spirit speaks to the congregations.’”

Ὁ ἔχων οὖς ἀκουσάτω τί τὸ Πνεῦμα λέγει ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις.