Text -- Revelation 3:1-4 (NET)

To the Church in Sardis

3:1 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write the following: “This is the solemn pronouncement of the one who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a reputation that you are alive, but in reality you are dead. 3:2 Wake up then, and strengthen what remains that was about to die, because I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. 3:3 Therefore, remember what you received and heard, and obey it, and repent. If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will never know at what hour I will come against you. 3:4 But you have a few individuals in Sardis who have not stained their clothes, and they will walk with me dressed in white, because they are worthy.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Rev 3:1

¹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.

² tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.

³ tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.

sn The expression This is the solemn pronouncement of reflects an OT idiom. See the note on this phrase in 2:1.

⁴ tn Grk “who has” (cf. 1:16).

⁵ tn Grk “a name.”

⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

⁷ tn The prepositional phrase “in reality” is supplied in the translation to make explicit the idea that their being alive was only an illusion.

NET Notes: Rev 3:2

¹ tn The verb ἔμελλον (emellon) is in the imperfect tense.

² tn The perfect passive participle has been translated as an intensive (resultative) perfect here.

³ tn Or “in the judgment.” BDAG 342 s.v. ἐνώπιον 3 states, “in the opinion/judgment of…As a rule…of θεός or κύριος; so after…πεπληρωμένος Rv 3:2.”

NET Notes: Rev 3:3

¹ tn The expression πῶς εἴληφας καὶ ἤκουσας (pw" eilhfa" kai hkousa") probably refers to the initial instruction in the Christian life they had received and been taught; this included doctrine and ethical teaching.

² tn Grk “keep it,” in the sense of obeying what they had initially been taught.

³ tn The negation here is with οὐ μή (ou mh, the strongest possible form of negation in Koine Greek).

⁴ tn Or “come on.”

NET Notes: Rev 3:4

¹ tn Grk “a few names”; here ὄνομα (onoma) is used by figurative extension to mean “person” or “people”; according to L&N 9.19 there is “the possible implication of existence or relevance as individuals.”

² tn Or “soiled” (so NAB, NRSV, NIV); NCV “have kept their clothes unstained”; CEV “have not dirtied your clothes with sin.”

³ tn The word “dressed” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.