Revelation 3
What Happens in This Chapter
This chapter holds three messages for three churches: Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. Each message begins by naming the speaker, says what he knows about that church, and tells it what to do. Sardis is told it has a name for being alive but is dead. Philadelphia is told it kept his word and is given an open door, and Laodicea is told it is lukewarm and thinks it is rich when it is not. Every message ends with a promise to whoever overcomes and a call to hear what the Spirit says.
Plain reading written for kids. Short sentences, everyday words, one idea at a time.
And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
1Write this to the angel of the church in Sardis. A church is a group of people who follow Jesus. This message comes from the one who holds the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars. He says: I know what you do. People say you are alive, but you are dead.
"Angel" means messenger. Each of these messages is addressed to the messenger of that church.
2Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
2Wake up. Make strong the parts of you that are left, because they are almost dead. I have not found your work finished in God's sight.
3Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
3So remember what you were given and what you heard. Hold on to it. Turn away from your wrong. If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief. You will not know what hour I am coming to you.
4Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
4Still, a few people in Sardis have kept their clothes clean. They will walk with me in white clothes. They are worthy of it.
5He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
5Whoever keeps going and wins will be dressed in white clothes. I will never rub his name out of the book of life. I will say his name out loud in front of my Father and his angels.
6He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
6If you have ears, then listen. Hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
7And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
7Write this to the angel of the church in Philadelphia. This message comes from the one who is holy and true. He holds the key of David. When he opens a door, no one can shut it. When he shuts a door, no one can open it.
8I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
8I know what you do. Look, I have put an open door in front of you. No one can shut it. You have only a little strength. But you have kept my word. You never said that you did not know me.
9Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.
9Look at the people who say they are Jews but are not. They are lying. They belong to the synagogue of Satan, and a synagogue is a place where people meet to worship. I will make them come and bow down at your feet. Then they will know that I have loved you.
10Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
10You obeyed my word and kept waiting patiently. So I will keep you safe from the hour of testing. That testing is coming on the whole world. It will test everyone who lives on the earth.
The KJV says "temptation" here, but the word means a time of hard testing, not being tempted to do wrong.
11Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
11Look, I am coming soon. Hold on tightly to what you have. Then no one can take your crown.
12Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
12Whoever keeps going and wins, I will make into a pillar in the temple of my God. A pillar is a strong post that holds up a building. He will never have to leave it again. I will write on him the name of my God. I will also write the name of my God's city, the new Jerusalem. That city comes down out of heaven from my God. And I will write my own new name on him.
13He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
13If you have ears, then listen. Hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
14And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
14Write this to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This message comes from the Amen, which means the one who says yes and it is true. He is the faithful and true witness. He is the beginning of everything God made.
15I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
15I know what you do. You are not cold, and you are not hot. I wish you were one or the other.
16So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
16You are only warm, not cold and not hot. So I am going to spit you out of my mouth.
17Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
17You say, I am rich. I have lots of things. I do not need anything. But you do not know how bad off you are. You are in a sad state, and poor, and blind, and with no clothes on.
18I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
18So here is my advice. Buy gold from me, gold made pure in fire, so you can be truly rich. Buy white clothes from me to wear. Then your bare body will not be seen and shame you. And rub my eye cream on your eyes so you can see.
19As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
19I tell the truth to everyone I love, and I correct them. So try hard, and turn away from your wrong.
The KJV says "rebuke and chasten." This means to tell someone plainly what is wrong and to train them, not to hurt them.
20Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
20Look, I am standing at the door and knocking. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in. I will eat with him, and he will eat with me.
21To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
21Whoever keeps going and wins may sit with me on my throne. A throne is the special chair a king sits on. I won too, and I sat down with my Father on his throne.
22He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
22If you have ears, then listen. Hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
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