Revelation 3

1 “And to the angel of the assembly in Sardis write: “He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars says these things: “I know your works, that you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.

2 Wake up and strengthen the things that remain, which you were about to throw away, for I have found no works of yours perfected before my God.

3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard. Keep it and repent. If therefore you won’t watch, I will come as a thief, and you won’t know what hour I will come upon you.

4 Nevertheless you have a few names in Sardis that didn’t defile their garments. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.

5 He who overcomes will be arrayed in white garments, and I will in no way blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.

7 “To the angel of the assembly in Philadelphia write: “He who is holy, he who is true, he who has the key of David, he who opens and no one can shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says these things:

8 “I know your works (behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one can shut), that you have a little power, and kept my word, and didn’t deny my name.

9 Behold, I make some of the synagogue of Satan, of those who say they are Jews, and they are not, but lie—behold, I will make them to come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.

10 Because you kept my command to endure, I also will keep you from the hour of testing which is to come on the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.

11 I am coming quickly! Hold firmly that which you have, so that no one takes your crown.

12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will go out from there no more. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God, and my own new name.

13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.

14 “To the angel of the assembly in Laodicea write: “The Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of God’s creation, says these things:

15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot.

16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth.

17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing,’ and don’t know that you are the wretched one, miserable, poor, blind, and naked;

18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich; and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see.

19 As many as I love, I reprove and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent.

20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with me.

21 He who overcomes, I will give to him to sit down with me on my throne, as I also overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.

22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.”

Around Revelation 3

Context

Context for this book is being written. A note appears here only once it names its sources.

AI explanation

Revelation 3 · Written by an AI model · Not reviewed by a theological reader

This explanation was written by an AI model to help you get started. It names no sources and can contain mistakes. Scripture comes first, and context with sources is shown separately on this page.

What this chapter says

The letters go on. To Sardis: you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up and strengthen what remains. A few there have not defiled their garments, and they will walk with Christ in white.

To Philadelphia, a small and faithful assembly: I have set before you an open door, which no one can shut. You have a little power, but you kept my word and did not deny my name. Because you kept my command to endure, I will keep you in the hour of testing.

Then the last, to Laodicea, and it is the sharpest. He says they are “neither cold nor hot”, and that he will spit them out of my mouth. You say you are rich and need nothing, yet you are wretched, poor, blind and naked. Those I love, I reprove and chasten.

And then the door. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.” If anyone hears and opens, I will come in and dine with him, and he with me. The one who overcomes will sit with him on his throne.

Background

These are the last three of the seven letters. The phrase synagogue of Satan returns in verse 9, and the note under chapter 2 applies here too: it belongs to a first century conflict and must not be turned against Jewish people today. Christians read the knock at the door in two ways, as a call to a whole assembly that has grown comfortable, and as an invitation to any individual, and both readings are held widely.

About this explanation

Written by Claude Sonnet 5.5, an AI model, on 19 October 2026. It draws on the WEB text and general knowledge and was not checked against sources by a person. Every quotation from Scripture is checked automatically against the WEB text.

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Context check

World English Bible. Public-domain source and edition notes