Revelation 3:4

3:4 But you have a few individuals ¹  in Sardis who have not stained ²  their clothes, and they will walk with me dressed ³  in white, because they are worthy.

Revelation 3:1

To the Church in Sardis

3:1 “To ⁴  the angel of the church in Sardis write the following: ⁵ 

“This is the solemn pronouncement of ⁶  the one who holds ⁷  the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a reputation ⁸  that you are alive, but ⁹  in reality ¹⁰  you are dead.

[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.”

[3:4]  ² tn Or “soiled” (so NAB, NRSV, NIV); NCV “have kept their clothes unstained”; CEV “have not dirtied your clothes with sin.”

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

[3:1]  ⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.

[3:1]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.

[3:1]  ⁷ tn Grk “who has” (cf. 1:16).

[3:1]  ⁸ tn Grk “a name.”

[3:1]  ⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[3:1]  ¹⁰ tn The prepositional phrase “in reality” is supplied in the translation to make explicit the idea that their being alive was only an illusion.