To the Church in Sardis 1 DRA 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. BSB BSB: “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of the One who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation for being alive, yet you are dead.
2 DRA Be watchful and strengthen the things that remain, which are ready to die. For I find not thy works full before my God. BSB BSB: Wake up and strengthen what remains, which is about to die; for I have found your deeds incomplete in the sight of My God.
3 DRA 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. BSB BSB: Remember, then, what you have received and heard. Keep it and repent. If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know the hour when I will come upon you.
4 DRA 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. BSB BSB: But you do have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments, and because they are worthy, they will walk with Me in white.
5 DRA 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. BSB BSB: Like them, he who overcomes will be dressed in white. And I will never blot out his name from the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father and His angels.
6 DRA He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. BSB BSB: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
To the Church in Philadelphia 7 DRA 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: BSB BSB: To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of the One who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What He opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open.
8 DRA 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. BSB BSB: I know your deeds. Behold, I have placed before you an open door, which no one can shut. I know that you have only a little strength, yet you have kept My word and have not denied My name.
9 DRA 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. BSB BSB: As for those who belong to the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews but are liars instead, I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and they will know that I love you.
10 DRA Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I will also keep thee from the hour of the temptation, which shall come upon the whole world to try them that dwell upon the earth. BSB BSB: Because you have kept My command to persevere, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
11 DRA Behold, I come quickly: hold fast that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. BSB BSB: I am coming soon. Hold fast to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.
12 DRA 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. BSB BSB: The one who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will never again leave it. Upon him I will write the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God (the new Jerusalem that comes down out of heaven from My God), and My new name.
13 DRA He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. BSB BSB: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
To the Church in Laodicea (Colossians 2:1–5)
14 DRA 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: BSB BSB: To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator of God’s creation.
15 DRA I know thy works, that thou art neither cold, nor hot. I would thou wert cold, or hot. BSB BSB: I know your deeds; you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were one or the other!
16 DRA But because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold, not hot, I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth. BSB BSB: So because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to vomit you out of My mouth!
17 DRA 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. BSB BSB: You say, ‘I am rich; I have grown wealthy and need nothing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.
18 DRA 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. BSB BSB: I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, white garments so that you may be clothed and your shameful nakedness not exposed, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.
19 DRA Such as I love, I rebuke and chastise. Be zealous therefore, and do penance. BSB BSB: Those I love I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent.
20 DRA 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. BSB BSB: Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me.
22 DRA He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. BSB BSB: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.