The Letter to Sardis

1“Write to the angelA of the church in Sardis: Thus says the one who has the seven spirits of Goda and the seven stars:b I know your works;c you have a reputationB for being alive, but you are dead.d 2Be alerta and strengthenA what remains, which is about to die,B for I have not found your works complete before my God. 3Remember, then, what you have received and heard; keep it, and repent. If you are not alert, I will comeA like a thief, and you have no idea at what hour I will come upon you.a 4But you have a few peopleA in Sardis who have not defiledB their clothes,a and they will walk with me in white, because they are worthy.

5“In the same way, the one who conquersa will be dressed in white clothes,b and I will never erase his name from the book of lifec but will acknowledge his name before my Father and before his angels.d

6“Let anyone who has ears to hear listena to what the Spirit saysb to the churches.

The Letter to Philadelphia

7“Write to the angel of the church in Philadelphia: Thus says the Holy One, the true one,a the one who has the key of David, who opens and no one will close, and who closes and no one opens:b 8I know your works. Look, I have placed before you an open door that no one can close because you have but little power; yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.a 9Note this: I will make those from the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews and are not, but are lying — I will make them come and bow down at your feet,a and they will know that I have loved you.b 10Because you have kept my command to endure, I will also keep you from the hour of testinga that is going to come on the whole world to test those who live on the earth.b 11I am coming soon.a Hold on to what you have,b so that no one takes your crown.c

12“The one who conquers I will make a pillara in the temple of my God, and he will never go out again. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God — the new Jerusalem,b which comes down out of heaven from my God — and my new name.c

13“Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.

The Letter to Laodicea

14“Write to the angel of the church in Laodicea: Thus says the Amen,a the faithful and true witness, the originatora b of God’s creation: 15I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. 16So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomitA you out of my mouth. 17For you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,’a and you don’t realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. 18I advise you to buy from me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich,a white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed,b and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see. 19As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline.a So be zealous and repent. 20See! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.a

21“To the one who conquers I will give the right to sit with me on my throne,a just as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.

22“Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.”