“To the angel of the church in 1aSardis write:Sardis (modern Sart, Turkey), in Roman times, was a wealthy city known for the manufacture and dyeing of woolen fabric and carpets. Originally, it was the capital of the ancient Lydian Empire and was the first city to mint coinage (600 B.C.). A stream that flowed through its market place carried gold dust from a nearby mountain. King Croesus of Lydia (560-546 B.C.) financed the building of the great Temple of Artemis in Ephesus (550 B.C.). The city was conquered twice, under Cyrus the Great and under Antiochus, due to lack of adequate watchfulness.See note 1:4.Rev 1:11Rev 1:4Rev 1:16Rev 2:2; 3:8, 151 Tim 5:6
These are the words of Him who has 2bthe seven Spirits of God and cthe seven stars: ‘dI know your deeds; you have a name that you are alive, but in reality you are edead. 2 Wake up, and strengthen and reaffirm what remains of your faithful commitment to Me, which is about to die; for I have not found any of your deeds completed in the sight of My God or meeting His requirements. 3 So aremember and take to heart the lessons you have received and heard. Keep and obey them, and brepent change your sinful way of thinking, and demonstrate your repentance with new behavior that proves a conscious decision to turn away from sin. So then, if you do not wake up, cI will come dlike a thief, and you will not know at ewhat hour I will come to you.Rev 2:51 Thess 5:2; 2 Pet 3:10; Rev 16:15Matt 24:43; Luke 12:39f 4 But you still have a few apeople in bSardis who have not csoiled their clothes that is, contaminated their character and personal integrity with sin; and they will walk with Me dressed din white, because they are worthy .Rev 11:13Rev 1:11Jude 23Eccl 9:8; Rev 3:5, 18; 4:4; 6:11; 7:9, 13f; 19:8, 14 5 aHe who overcomes the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God will accordingly be dressed in bwhite clothing; and I will never cblot out his name from the Book of Life, and dI will confess and openly acknowledge his name before My Father and before His angels saying that he is one of Mine. Ps 69:28; Dan 12:1; Matt 10:32; 1+@John 5:5Rev 2:7Rev 3:4Ex 32:32f; Ps 69:28; Luke 10:20; Rev 13:8; 17:8; 20:12, 15; 21:27Matt 10:32; Luke 12:8 6 aHe who has an ear, let him hear and heed what the Spirit says to the churches.’Rev 2:7
7 “And to the angel of the church in 1aPhiladelphia write:Philadelphia (modern Alashehir, Turkey) was a commercial center located on elevated ground overlooking the fertile plain of the Hermus (Gediz) River. In 189 B.C. the king of Pergamum established Philadelphia and named the city to honor his brother.Rev 1:11Rev 6:101 John 5:20; Rev 3:14; 19:11Job 12:14; Is 22:22; Matt 16:19; Rev 1:18
These are the words of bthe Holy One, cthe True One, He who has dthe key to the house of David, He who opens and no one will be able to shut, and He who shuts and no one opens: Is 22:22
8 ‘aI know your deeds. See, I have set before you ban open door which no one is able to shut, for you have a little power, and have kept My word, and chave not renounced or denied My name. 1+@Cor 16:9; Col 4:3, 4Rev 3:1Acts 14:27Rev 2:13 9 Take note, I will make those of athe synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—I will make them bcome and bow down at your feet and make them know without any doubt that cI have loved you. Is 45:14; 49:23; 60:14Rev 2:9Is 45:14; 49:23; 60:14Is 43:4; John 17:23 10 Because you have akept the word of bMy endurance My command to persevere, cI will keep you safe from the hour of dtrial, that hour which is about to come on the whole inhabited eworld, to test fthose who live on the earth. Mark 13:9; 2+@Thess 2:1-12John 17:6; Rev 3:8Rev 1:92 Tim 2:12; 2 Pet 2:9Rev 2:10Matt 24:14; Rev 16:14Rev 6:10; 8:13; 11:10; 13:8, 14; 17:8 11 aI am coming quickly. bHold tight what you have, so that no one will take your ccrown by leading you to renounce the faith.Rev 1:3; 22:7, 12, 20Rev 2:25Rev 2:10 12 aHe who overcomes the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God, I will make him a 1bpillar in the temple of My God; he will most certainly never be put out of it, and I will write on him the cname of My God, and dthe name of the city of My God, ethe new Jerusalem, which descends out of heaven from My God, and My own fnew name. Is 62:2; Ezek 48:35; 1+@John 5:5Like the common phrase “pillar of the community,” this is a metaphor of great honor, but far more so. The statement that the one who overcomes will never leave the temple is assurance that he will never lose the privilege of being in the presence of God and serving Him.Rev 3:51 Kin 7:21; Jer 1:18; Gal 2:9Rev 14:1; 22:4Ezek 48:35; Rev 21:2Gal 4:26; Heb 13:14; Rev 21:2, 10Is 62:2; Rev 2:17 13 aHe who has an ear, let him hear and heed what the Spirit says to the churches.’Rev 3:6
14 “To the angel of the church in 1aLaodicea write:Laodicea, located beside the Lycus River, was a prosperous city about forty miles south of Philadelphia. It had a well-respected financial center, thriving textile production industry (specializing in black wool), and a leading medical school that produced a famous eye salve. Two other cities were in this general area: Colossae, known for its mountain spring of cold, fresh water; and Hierapolis, a site famous for its hot, therapeutic mineral springs.I.e. Origin of Source.Rev 1:112 Cor 1:20Rev 1:5; 3:7Gen 49:3; Deut 21:17; Prov 8:22; John 1:3; Col 1:18; Rev 21:6; 22:13
These are the words of bthe Amen, cthe trusted and faithful and true Witness, dthe 2Beginning and Origin of God’s creation:
15 ‘aI know your deeds, that you are 1neither cold nor hot ; bI wish that you were 2cold or hot.This phrase and the word lukewarm in v 16 form a metaphor that is probably based on the quality of the water supply of Laodicea, which was delivered by aqueduct from the hot mineral springs about five miles away. During its journey, the water cooled to a warm or lukewarm temperature.I.e. alive, productive—beneficial in one way or the other.Rev 3:1Rom 12:11 16 So because you are lukewarm , and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth rejecting you with disgust. 17 Because you say, “aI am rich, and have prospered and grown wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked without hope and in great need, Hos 12:8Hos 12:8; Zech 11:5; Matt 5:3; 1 Cor 4:8 18 I counsel you to abuy from Me bgold that has been heated red hot and refined by fire so that you may become truly rich; and cwhite clothes representing righteousness to clothe yourself so that dthe shame of your nakedness will not be seen; and healing salve to put on your eyes so that you may see.Is 55:1; Matt 13:441 Pet 1:7Rev 3:4Rev 16:15 19 aThose whom I dearly and tenderly love, I rebuke and discipline showing them their faults and instructing them; so be enthusiastic and brepent change your inner self—your old way of thinking, your sinful behavior—seek God’s will. Prov 3:11, 12; Heb 5:8; 12:5-7Prov 3:12; 1 Cor 11:32; Heb 12:6Rev 2:5 20 Behold, I stand aat the door of the church and continually bknock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, cI will come in and eat with him , and he with Me.Matt 24:33; James 5:9Luke 12:36; John 10:3John 14:23 21 aHe who overcomes the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God, I will grant to him the privilege bto sit beside Me on My throne, as cI also overcame and sat down beside My Father on His throne. 1+@John 5:5Rev 2:7Matt 19:28; 2 Tim 2:12; Rev 2:26; 20:4John 16:33; Rev 5:5; 6:2; 17:14 22 aHe who has an ear, let him hear and heed what the Spirit says to the churches.’”Rev 2:7