<t /><p class="bodytext">&#8220;To<n id="1" /> the angel of the church in Philadelphia write the following:<n id="2" />p> <p class="bodytext">&#8220;This is the solemn pronouncement of<n id="3" /> the Holy One, the True One, who holds the key of David, who opens doors<n id="4" /> no one can shut, and shuts doors<n id="5" /> no one can open:

Its gates will never be closed during the day<n id="1" /> (and<n id="2" /> there will be no night there).<n id="3" />

But while they had gone to buy it, the bridegroom arrived, and those who were ready went inside with him to the wedding banquet. Then<n id="1" /> the door was shut.

&#8220;We found the jail locked securely and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them,<n id="1" /> we found no one inside.&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;But woe to you, experts in the law<n id="1" /> and you Pharisees, hypocrites!<n id="2" /> You keep locking people out of the kingdom of heaven!<n id="3" /> For you neither enter nor permit those trying to enter to go in.p>

But in truth I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in Elijah&#8217;s days,<n id="1" /> when the sky<n id="2" /> was shut up three and a half years, and<n id="3" /> there was a great famine over all the land.

Then<n id="1" /> he will reply<n id="2" /> from inside, &#8216;Do not bother me. The door is already shut, and my children and I are in bed.<n id="3" /> I cannot get up and give you anything.&#8217;<n id="4" />

<p class="bodytext">Eight days later the disciples were again together in the house,<n id="1" /> and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked,<n id="2" /> Jesus came and stood among them and said, &#8220;Peace be with you!&#8221;

The whole city was stirred up,<n id="1" /> and the people rushed together.<n id="2" /> They seized<n id="3" /> Paul and dragged him out of the temple courts,<n id="4" /> and immediately the doors were shut.

But whoever has the world&#8217;s possessions<n id="1" /> and sees his fellow Christian<n id="2" /> in need and shuts off his compassion against him, how can the love of God<n id="3" /> reside<n id="4" /> in such a person?<n id="5" />p>

The angel<n id="1" /> then<n id="2" /> threw him into the abyss and locked<n id="3" /> and sealed it so that he could not deceive the nations until the one thousand years were finished. (After these things he must be released for a brief period of time.)p>

But whenever you pray, go into your room,<n id="1" /> close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.<n id="2" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the disciples had gathered together<n id="1" /> and locked the doors<n id="2" /> of the place<n id="3" /> because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders.<n id="4" /> Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, &#8220;Peace be with you.&#8221;

&#8216;I know your deeds. (Look! I have put<n id="1" /> in front of you an open door that no one can shut.)<n id="2" /> I know<n id="3" /> that you have little strength,<n id="4" /> but<n id="5" /> you have obeyed<n id="6" /> my word and have not denied my name.

These two have the power<n id="1" /> to close up the sky so that it does not rain during the time<n id="2" /> they are prophesying. They<n id="3" /> have power<n id="4" /> to turn the waters to blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague whenever they want.