New International Version | International Standard Version |
1"To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of 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. |
2Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of 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, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to 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. |
4Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for 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. |
5The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and 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. |
6Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. | 6Let everyone listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.'" |
7"To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. | 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 deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, 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. |
9I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars--I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge 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. |
10Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of 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 will take your crown. | 11I am coming soon! Hold on to what you have so that no one takes your victor's crown. |
12The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them 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. |
13Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. | 13Let everyone listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.'" |
14"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler 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 deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! | 15I know your actions, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. |
16So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth. | 16Since you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I am going to spit you out of my mouth. |
17You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not 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 counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can 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. |
19Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. | 19I correct and discipline those whom I love, so be serious and repent! |
20Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they 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. |
21To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious 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. |
22Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches." | 22Let everyone listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.'" |
New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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