Revelation 3

Chapter 3

Jesus' message to the Christians in Sardis

1‘Write this to the angel of the church at Sardis:

“This is the message to you from the one who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.

I know everything that you do. I know that people praise you. They think that you are alive. But that is not true, because really you are dead in your spirits. 2Wake up! You must become strong again. Do not let the little bit of life that you have completely disappear! I know that there are still more things for you to do to please my Father God. 3So remember God's message that you have heard. Obey what God has said. Turn away from the wrong things that you do. Change the way that you live. If you do not wake up, I will come to punish you. I will come secretly, like someone who robs people. So you will not know what time I will come to you.

4But you have a few people among you in Sardis who have not done these bad things. They are like people who have kept their clothes clean. They will walk with me and they will wear white clothes. They are good people and it is right for them to wear these white clothes. 5Everyone who wins against Satan will wear white clothes like they do. I will never remove their names from God's book of life. #3:5 ‘God's book of life’ has the names of people who will live with God for ever. I will say clearly to my Father and his angels that those people belong to me. 6God's Spirit is speaking to you in the churches. You should understand what the Spirit is saying to you. You have ears, so listen carefully!” ’

Jesus' message to the Christians in Philadelphia

7‘Write this to the angel of the church at Philadelphia:

“This is my message to you. I am the one who is completely good, the true God. I have King David's key in my hand. #3:7 David was a great king of God's people, the Israelites. Jesus was a descendant of King David. When I open a door, nobody can shut it. And when I shut a door, nobody can open it.

8I know everything that you do. Look! I have opened a door that is in front of you. Nobody can shut that door. I know that you are not very strong. But you have obeyed what I told you. You have continued to believe in me. 9Some people there say that they are Jews. But that is not true. They are telling lies. Instead, they belong to a group of Satan's people. I will cause those people to bend down low in front of you to give you honour. Then they will understand that I love you. 10I have told you to be patient in this difficult time. You have obeyed what I told you. Because of that, I will keep you safe from the time of great trouble that will come. This trouble will come to everyone who lives in the world. It will show me what each person is really like.

11I will come soon. #3:11 ‘soon’ or ‘quickly’. Continue to obey my message that you already know. Then nobody can take away your crown which is God's gift to you. #3:11 See Revelation 2:10.

12Everyone who wins against Satan will be safe in God's house. I will make them like a strong pillar in the temple of my God. They will never leave that place again. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of his city. The name of that city is the new Jerusalem. #3:12 Jerusalem was the capital city of Israel. God's temple was in Jerusalem. Revelation 21–22 describes the new Jerusalem. It will come down from heaven. My God will send it down to the earth. I will also write my new name on those people. 13God's Spirit is speaking to you in the churches. You should understand what the Spirit is saying to you. You have ears, so listen carefully!” ’

Jesus' message to the Christians in Laodicea

14‘Write this to the angel of the church at Laodicea:

“This is my message to you. I am the one whose name is ‘Amen’. #3:14 The name ‘Amen’ means that God will do everything that he has promised. Jesus is the one who makes God's promises happen. I faithfully tell people God's true message. Everything that God has created starts with me.

15I know everything that you do. I know that you are neither cold nor hot. It would be better if you were either cold or hot. 16But you are only warm. Because you are neither cold nor hot, I am ready to throw you away completely. #3:16 If water was neither cold nor hot it was thought to be useless. Jesus is saying that the Christians at Laodicea were like warm water that is not good for anything.

17You say, ‘I am rich. God has helped me to have many things. I do not need anything more.’ But you do not know how very poor you are really! You are like people who cannot see. You are like people who are without clothes. Really, other people should feel very sorry for you. 18So I tell you that you should buy gold from me. With my gold, you would be really rich. My gold is the best, because fire has made it pure. You should also buy white clothes from me to dress yourselves. Then you will not be ashamed because you have no clothes. You should also buy medicine from me to put on your eyes. Then you will be able to see. #3:18 Jesus is talking about what the people need to make their spirits well. They must receive what only he can give them. People with ‘white clothes’ are a picture of people who are completely clean.

19I help everyone that I love. When they have done wrong things, I tell them, ‘You have done a wrong thing.’ I show them the right thing that they should do. So be serious about how you live. Stop doing wrong things and turn to me. 20Look! I am standing at the door of your house. I am knocking on your door. When you hear my voice, you should open the door. Then I will come in. We will eat a meal together as friends.

21Everyone who wins against Satan will come to sit with me on my throne where I rule. I won against my enemies. Then I sat down with my Father on his throne. I will give you the same authority. 22God's Spirit is speaking to you in the churches. You should understand what the Spirit is saying to you. You have ears, so listen carefully!” ’

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Revelation 3: EASY

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