| King James Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. | 1"Write to the angel of the church in Sardis: "The One who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars says: I know your works; you have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead. |
| 2Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. | 2Be alert and strengthen what remains, which is about to die, for I have not found your works complete before My God. |
| 3Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. | 3Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; keep it, and repent. But if you are not alert, I will come like a thief, and you have no idea at what hour I will come against you. |
| 4Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. | 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. |
| 5He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. | 5In the same way, the victor 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. |
| 6He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. | 6"Anyone who has an ear should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. |
| 7And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; | 7"Write to the angel of the church in Philadelphia: "The Holy One, the True One, the One who has the key of David, who opens and no one will close, and closes and no one opens says: |
| 8I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. | 8I know your works. Because you have limited strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name, look, I have placed before you an open door that no one is able to close. |
| 9Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. | 9Take note! I will make those from the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews and are not, but are lying--note this--I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and they will know that I have loved you. |
| 10Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. | 10Because you have kept My command to endure, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is going to come over the whole world to test those who live on the earth. |
| 11Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. | 11I am coming quickly. Hold on to what you have, so that no one takes your crown. |
| 12Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. | 12The victor: I will make him a pillar in the sanctuary 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. |
| 13He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. | 13"Anyone who has an ear should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. |
| 14And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; | 14"Write to the angel of the church in Laodicea: "The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator of God's creation says: |
| 15I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. | 15I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. |
| 16So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. | 16So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of My mouth. |
| 17Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: | 17Because you say, I'm rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,' and you don't know that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked, |
| 18I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. | 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. |
| 19As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. | 19As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be committed and repent. |
| 20Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. | 20Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and have dinner with him, and he with Me. |
| 21To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. | 21The victor: I will give him the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I also won the victory and sat down with My Father on His throne. |
| 22He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. | 22"Anyone who has an ear should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches." |
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