Revelation 3:1-7

To the Church in Sardis

3:1 “To ¹  the angel of the church in Sardis write the following: ² 

“This is the solemn pronouncement of ³  the one who holds ⁴  the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a reputation ⁵  that you are alive, but ⁶  in reality ⁷  you are dead. 3:2 Wake up then, and strengthen what remains that was about ⁸  to die, because I have not found your deeds complete ⁹  in the sight ¹⁰  of my God. 3:3 Therefore, remember what you received and heard, ¹¹  and obey it, ¹²  and repent. If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will never ¹³  know at what hour I will come against ¹⁴  you. 3:4 But you have a few individuals ¹⁵  in Sardis who have not stained ¹⁶  their clothes, and they will walk with me dressed ¹⁷  in white, because they are worthy. 3:5 The one who conquers ¹⁸  will be dressed like them ¹⁹  in white clothing, ²⁰  and I will never ²¹  erase ²²  his name from the book of life, but ²³  will declare ²⁴  his name before my Father and before his angels. 3:6 The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

To the Church in Philadelphia

3:7 “To ²⁵  the angel of the church in Philadelphia write the following: ²⁶ 

“This is the solemn pronouncement of ²⁷  the Holy One, the True One, who holds the key of David, who opens doors ²⁸  no one can shut, and shuts doors ²⁹  no one can open:

[3:1]  ¹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.

[3:1]  ² tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.

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

[3:1]  ⁴ tn Grk “who has” (cf. 1:16).

[3:1]  ⁵ tn Grk “a name.”

[3:1]  ⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[3:1]  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.

[3:2]  ⁸ tn The verb ἔμελλον (emellon) is in the imperfect tense.

[3:2]  ⁹ tn The perfect passive participle has been translated as an intensive (resultative) perfect here.

[3:2]  ¹⁰ 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.”

[3:3]  ¹¹ 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.

[3:3]  ¹² tn Grk “keep it,” in the sense of obeying what they had initially been taught.

[3:3]  ¹³ tn The negation here is with οὐ μή (ou mh, the strongest possible form of negation in Koine Greek).

[3:3]  ¹⁴ tn Or “come on.”

[3:4]  ¹⁵ 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.”

[3:4]  ¹⁶ tn Or “soiled” (so NAB, NRSV, NIV); NCV “have kept their clothes unstained”; CEV “have not dirtied your clothes with sin.”

[3:4]  ¹⁷ tn The word “dressed” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[3:5]  ¹⁸ tn Or “who overcomes.”

[3:5]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “thus.”

[3:5]  ²⁰ tn Or “white robes.”

[3:5]  ²¹ tn The negation here is with οὐ μή (ou mh), the strongest possible form of negation in Koine Greek.

[3:5]  ²² tn Or “will never wipe out.”

[3:5]  ²³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[3:5]  ²⁴ tn Grk “will confess.”

[3:7]  ²⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.

[3:7]  ²⁶ tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.

[3:7]  ²⁷ tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.

[3:7]  ²⁸ tn The word “door” is not in the Greek text but has been supplied in the translation. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context. Since the following verse does contain the word “door” (θύραν, quran), that word has been supplied as the direct object here.

[3:7]  ²⁹ tn See the note on the word “door” earlier in this verse.