To the Church in Sardis 1 UDB "Write this message to the angel of the group of believers assembled in the city of Sardis: 'I am saying these things to you. I am the one who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know everything that you have done. You appear to be alive, but you are 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 UDB Be alert! Do more work for me, or what you have already done will become worthless. You must do this because my God knows that you have not done enough. 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 UDB So then, keep remembering God's message and the truth that you accepted when you heard it. Always obey it and turn away from your sinful behavior. If you do not do this, I will come to you when you are not expecting me, as a thief comes. You will never know at what time I will come to judge you. 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 UDB Nevertheless, you have a few believers there in the city of Sardis who have not been doing what is wrong. It is as though they have not dirtied their garments. As a result, because they are worthy to live with me, they will live with me and will be pure in every way, like people who are dressed in pure white clothing. 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 UDB I will dress those who conquer Satan in these same white garments. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life that contains the names of the people who have eternal life. Instead, I will acknowledge in the presence of my Father and his angels that they belong to me. 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 UDB Everyone who wants to understand must listen carefully to the message that God's Spirit is saying to the groups of believers assembled together.' BSB BSB: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
To the Church in Philadelphia 7 UDB "Write this message to the angel of the group of believers assembled in the city of Philadelphia: 'I am saying these things to you. I am the One who is holy, the True One. Just as King David had authority to allow people to enter the ancient city of Jerusalem, so I have the authority to allow people to enter my kingdom. I am the one who opens doors so that no one can close them and the one who closes doors so that no one can open them. 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 UDB I know everything you have done. Be aware that I have opened a door for you that no one can close. I know that although you have little power, you have obeyed what I say, and you have not denied that you believe in me. 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 UDB Be careful! I am aware that some of your people meet together with those who follow Satan. They claim to be Jews, but I know that they are not true Jews. They are lying. I will cause them to come to you and to bow down humbly at your feet and to acknowledge that I love you. 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 UDB Because you have obeyed me when I commanded you to endure suffering patiently, I will keep you safe from those who will try to make you disobey me. They will soon do this to everyone in the entire world. 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 UDB I am coming soon. So continue to do what I have told you so that no one may cause you to lose your reward that God has reserved for you. BSB BSB: I am coming soon. Hold fast to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.
12 UDB I will make those who conquer Satan secure. They will be firm like the pillars in the temple of my God, and they will remain there forever. I will mark them with the name of my God, showing that they belong to him. I will also mark them with the name of the city of my God, the New Jerusalem, the city that will descend out of heaven from my God. I will also mark them with my new name, showing that they belong to me. 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 UDB Everyone who wants to understand must listen carefully to the message that God's Spirit is saying to the groups of believers assembled together.' 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 UDB "Write this message to the angel of the group of believers assembled in the city of Laodicea: 'I am saying these things to you. I am the one who guarantees all of God's promises. I am the one who testifies about God reliably and accurately. I am the ruler over all of God's creation. 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 UDB I know everything that you have done: You do not deny that you trust in me, but you do not love me much. You are like water that is neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either 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 UDB Because you are not hot and also you are not cold, I am about to reject you, as if I were spitting lukewarm water 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 UDB You are saying, 'I am rich and have acquired a lot of wealth. I lack nothing!' But you do not realize that you are lacking in many ways. You are like people who are very wretched and pitiful, poor, 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 UDB I advise you to obtain from me all that you need, as though you were buying from me pure gold so that you may be truly rich. Let me make you righteous, as though you were buying from me white garments so that you might wear clothes instead of being naked and ashamed. Let me help you to understand the truth, as though you were buying from me eye salve to put on sick eyes. 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 UDB Since I rebuke and correct all those whom I love, turn away with all your heart from your sinful behavior. BSB BSB: Those I love I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent.
20 UDB I am here! I am calling each one, and I am standing and waiting at your door and knocking on the door. If you hear my voice and you open the door, I will come in and we will eat together as friends. 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 UDB Everyone who wants to understand must listen carefully to the message that God's Spirit is saying to the groups of believers assembled together.'" 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.