Directions what to write to Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.
3:1. And to the angel of the church of Sardis write: These things saith
he that hath the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: I know thy
works, that thou hast the name of being alive. And thou art dead.
3:2. Be watchful and strengthen the things that remain, which are ready
to die. For I find not thy works full before my God.
3:3. Have in mind therefore in what manner thou hast received and
heard: and observe and do penance: If then thou shalt not watch, I will
come to thee as a thief: and thou shalt not know at what hour I will
come to thee.
3:4. But thou hast a few names in Sardis which have not defiled their
garments: and they shall walk with me in white, because they are
worthy.
3:5. He that shall overcome shall thus be clothed in white garments:
and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life. And I will
confess his name before my Father and before his angels.
3:6. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the
churches.
3:7. And to the angel of the church of Philadelphia write: These things
saith the Holy One and the true one, he that hath the key of David, he
that openeth and no man shutteth, shutteth and no man openeth:
3:8. I know thy works. Behold, I have given before thee a door opened,
which no man can shut: because thou hast a little strength and hast
kept my word and hast not denied my name.
3:9. Behold, I will bring of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are
Jews and are not, but do lie. Behold, I will make them to come and
adore before thy feet. And they shall know that I have loved thee.
3:10. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I will also keep
thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon the whole world
to try them that dwell upon the earth.
3:11. Behold, I come quickly: hold fast that which thou hast, that no
man take thy crown.
3:12. He that shall overcome, I will make him a pillar in the temple of
my God: and he shall go out no more. And I will write upon him the name
of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which
cometh down out of heaven from my God, and my new name.
3:13. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the
churches.
3:14. And to the angel of the church of Laodicea write: These things
saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, who is the beginning of
the creation of God:
The Amen, ... that is, the true one, the Truth itself; the Word and Son
of God. The beginning ... that is, the principle, the source, and the
efficient cause of the whole creation.
3:15. I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. I would
thou wert cold or hot.
3:16. But because thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will
begin to vomit thee out of my mouth.
3:17. Because thou sayest: I am rich and made wealthy and have need of
nothing: and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor
and blind and naked.
3:18. I counsel thee to buy of me gold, fire tried, that thou mayest be
made rich and mayest be clothed in white garments: and that the shame
of thy nakedness may not appear. And anoint thy eyes with eyesalve,
that thou mayest see.
3:19. Such as I love, I rebuke and chastise. Be zealous therefore and
do penance.
3:20. Behold, I stand at the gate and knock. If any man shall hear my
voice and open to me the door, I will come in to him and will sup with
him: and he with me.
3:21. To him that shall overcome, I will give to sit with me in my
throne: as I also have overcome and am set down with my Father in his
throne.
3:22. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the
churches.