| Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1"Write to the angel of the church in Sardis: Thus says the one who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: I know your works; you have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead. | 1"To the messenger of the church in Sardis, write: 'The one who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars says this: 'I know what you've been doing. You are known for being alive, but you are dead. |
| 2Be alert and strengthen what remains, which is about to die, for I have not found your works complete before my God. | 2Be alert, and strengthen the things that are left, which are about to die. I note that your actions are incomplete before my God. |
| 3Remember, then, what you have received and heard; keep it, and repent. If you are not alert, I will come like a thief, and you have no idea at what hour I will come upon you. | 3So remember what you received and heard. Obey it, and repent. If you are not alert, I will come like a thief, and you won't know the time when I will come to you. |
| 4But you have a few people in Sardis who have not defiled their clothes, and they will walk with me in white, because they are worthy. | 4But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me in white clothes because they are worthy. |
| 5"In the same way, the one who conquers will be dressed in white clothes, and I will never erase his name from the book of life but will acknowledge his name before my Father and before his angels. | 5The person who conquers in this way will wear white clothes, and I will never erase his name from the Book of Life. I will acknowledge his name in the presence of my Father and his angels. |
| 6"Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. | 6Let everyone listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.'" |
| 7"Write to the angel of the church in Philadelphia: Thus says the Holy One, the true one, the one who has the key of David, who opens and no one will close, and who closes and no one opens: | 7"To the messenger of the church in Philadelphia, write: 'The one who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens a door that no one can shut, and who shuts a door that no one can open, 'says this: |
| 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. | 8I know what you've been doing. Look! I have put in front of you an open door that no one can shut. You have only a little strength, but you have obeyed my word and have not denied my name. |
| 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, and they will know that I have loved you. | 9I will make those who belong to the synagogue of Satan—those who claim to be Jews and aren't, but are lying—come and bow down at your feet. Then they will realize that I have loved you. |
| 10Because you have kept my command to endure, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is going to come on the whole world to test those who live on the earth. | 10Because you have obeyed my command to endure, I will keep you from the hour of testing that is coming to the whole world to test those living on the earth. |
| 11I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one takes your crown. | 11I am coming soon! Hold on to what you have so that no one takes your victor's crown. |
| 12"The one who conquers I will make a pillar 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, which comes down out of heaven from my God--and my new name. | 12I will make the one who conquers to become a pillar in the sanctuary of my God, and he will never go out of it again. I will write on him the name of my God, the name of the city of my God (the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God), and my own new name. |
| 13"Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. | 13Let everyone listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.'" |
| 14"Write to the angel of the church in Laodicea: Thus says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the originator of God's creation: | 14"To the messenger of the church in Laodicea, write: 'The Amen, the witness who is faithful and true, the originator of God's creation, says this: |
| 15I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. | 15I know your actions, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. |
| 16So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of my mouth. | 16Since you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I am going to spit you out of my mouth. |
| 17For you say, 'I'm rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,' and you don't realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. | 17You say, "I am rich. I have become wealthy. I don't need anything." Yet you don't realize that you are miserable, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. |
| 18I advise you to buy from me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich, white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see. | 18Therefore, I advise you to buy from me gold purified in fire so you may be rich, white clothes to wear so your shameful nakedness won't show, and ointment to put on your eyes so you may see. |
| 19As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be zealous and repent. | 19I correct and discipline those whom I love, so be serious 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. | 20Look! I am standing at the door and knocking. If anyone listens to my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he will eat with me. |
| 21"To the one who conquers I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. | 21To the one who conquers I will give a place to sit with me on my throne, just as I have conquered and have 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." | 22Let everyone listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.'" |
| The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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