Revelation 3 : Easy-to-Read Version
Jesus' Letter to the Church in Sardis
3 1"Write this to the angel of the church in Sardis: "The One who has the seven spirits and the seven stars is saying these things [to you]. I know the things you do. People say that you are alive. But really you are dead. 2Wake up! Make yourselves stronger while you still have something left. Make yourselves stronger before it dies completely. I find that the things you do are not good enough for my God. 3So don't forget what you have received and heard. Obey it. Change your hearts and lives! You must wake up, or I will come to you [and surprise you] like a thief. You will not know when I will come. 4But you have a few people [in your group] there in Sardis who have kept themselves clean. Those people will walk with me. They will wear white clothes, because they are worthy. 5Every person that wins the victory will be dressed in white clothes like these people. I will not take away that person's name from the book of life. I will say that he belongs to me. I will say this before my Father and before his angels. 6Every person that hears these things should listen to what the Spirit* says to the churches.
Jesus' Letter to the Church in Philadelphia
7"Write this to the angel of the church in Philadelphia: "The One who is holy and true is saying these words to you. He holds the key of David.* When he opens something, it cannot be closed. And when he closes something, it cannot be opened. 8I know the things you do. I have put an open door before you. No person can close it. I know that you are weak. But you have followed my teaching. You were not afraid to speak my name. 9Listen! There is a synagogue (group) that belongs to Satan (the devil). Those people say they are Jews, but they are liars. Those people are not [true] Jews. I will make those people come before you and bow at your feet. They will know that you are the people I have loved. 10You followed my command to endure patiently. So I will keep you from the time of trouble that will come to the whole world. This trouble will test the people who live on the earth. 11"I am coming soon. Continue the way you are now. Then no person will take away your crown (reward). 12The person that wins the victory will be a pillar* in the temple* of my God. I will do that for the person that wins the victory. That person will never again have to leave God's temple. I will write the name of my God on that person. And I will write the name of the city of my God on that person. That city is the new Jerusalem.* That city is coming down out of heaven from my God. I will also write my new name on that person. 13Every person that hears these things should listen to what the Spirit* says to the churches.
Jesus' Letter to the Church in Laodicea
14"Write this to the angel of the church in Laodicea: "The Amen* is the One saying these things [to you]. He is the faithful and true witness. He is the ruler of all that God has made. This is what he says: 15I know what you do. You are not hot or cold. I wish that you were hot or cold! 16But you are only warm--not hot, not cold. So I am ready to spit you out of my mouth. 17You say you are rich. You think you have become wealthy and don't need a thing. But you don't know that you are really terrible, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. 18I advise you to buy gold from me--gold made pure in fire. Then you can be truly rich. I tell you this: Buy clothes that are white. Then you can cover your shameful nakedness. I also tell you to buy medicine to put on your eyes. Then you can truly see. 19"I correct and punish those people that I love. So start trying hard! Change your hearts and lives! 20Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If a person hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person. And that person will eat with me. 21"I will let every person that wins the victory sit with me on my throne. It was the same with me. I won the victory and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22Every person that hears these things should listen to what the Spirit* says to the churches."
Spirit The Holy Spirit. He brings God's message (truth) to God's people. David King of Israel about 1000 years before Christ. pillar One of the tall, carved stones used to hold up the roof of a building. temple God's house--the place where God's people worship and serve him. Jerusalem The spiritual city God built for his people. Amen Used here as a name for Jesus, it means to agree strongly that something is true.