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“To the Messenger to the Assembly in Sardis Write”
1 “To the messenger to the assembly in Sardis write: ‘Thus says he who has the sevenfold Spirit of God and the seven stars: I know ˢyour deeds, that you have a reputation for being alive, although dead is what you actually are.
2 Wake up and strengthen the things that still remain, which were about to die, for I have found your deeds to be lacking in the sight of my God.
3 Remember, therefore, the teaching you received and heard; obey it and repent. If, therefore, you don’t wake up, I will come unexpectedly like a thief, and you will certainly not know at what time I will come against you.
4 ‘Yet ˢyou do have a few people there in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; they will walk with me dressed in white, for they are worthy.
5 The victor, like them, will be clothed in white garments; I will never blot his name out of the Book of Life, but will openly acknowledge him as my own in the presence of my Father and in the presence of his angels.
6 If someone has an ear to hear, let him pay close attention to what the Spirit is saying to the assemblies.’
“To the Messenger to the Assembly in Philadelphia Write”
7 “To the messenger to the assembly in Philadelphia write: ‘Thus says the Holy One, the Faithful One, who holds the key of David, who opens doors that no one can shut and shuts doors that no one can open:
8 I know ˢyour deeds. Look! I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. For although you have such little strength, you have obeyed my teaching and have not disowned my name.
9 Listen carefully: I am going to cause a remnant to come forth from the synagogue of Satan—those who call themselves Jews, but are not true Israelites; on the contrary, they are full of deceit and unfaithfulness—listen, I will cause them to come and fall down at your feet and realize that I have chosen and shown love to ˢyou.
10 Because ˢyou have attentively obeyed my teaching about enduring patiently, I, for my part, will attentively protect ˢyou from harm during the appointed time of trial that is destined to come upon all mankind, to test the inhabitants of the earth.
11 ‘I am going to come suddenly.+ Keep holding fast to what ˢyou have, so that no one will rob you of your victor’s crown.
12 The victor: I will make him a pillar in the sanctuary of my God, and from it he will never again depart. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the New Jerusalem—that city which will come down out of heaven from my God—and my new name.
13 If someone has an ear to hear, let him pay close attention to what the Spirit is saying to the assemblies.’
“To the Messenger to the Assembly in Laodicea Write”
14 “To the messenger to the assembly in Laodicea write: ‘Thus says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the originator+ of God’s creation:
15 I know ˢyour deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. O that you were either indeed one or the other!
16 Thus, because you are so lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I am about to vomit you out of my mouth.
17 Because you say, “I am rich and prosperous and in need of nothing,” failing to realize that you are in fact wretched and pitiable and destitute and blind and naked,
18 I counsel you to buy from me gold made hot and purified by fire, so that you may be truly rich, and white garments to wear, lest this shameful nakedness of yours be exposed in front of everyone, and salve to put on your eyes, so that you may be able to see.
19 ‘As for me, it is to as many as I love that I bring correction and discipline. So be earnest and repent!
20 Listen! I am standing at the door and knocking. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into his home and share a meal with him, and he with me.
21 The victor: I will grant him the honor of sitting beside me on my throne, just as I myself prevailed victorious and sat down beside my Father on his throne.
22 If someone has an ear to hear, let him pay close attention to what the Spirit is saying to the assemblies.’ ”