Focused Passage

Revelation 3:1-6

Christ Speaks to Three Churches: Wakefulness, Faithfulness, and Lukewarm Self-Deception

The chapter moves from Christ’s exposure of dead reputation, to his encouragement of weak faithfulness, to his rebuke of wealthy self-deception, summoning each church to hear, repent, hold fast, and overcome.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 “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 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 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 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 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 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

- Καὶ G2532 Conjunction To the τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular angel ἀγγέλῳ G32 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular of the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular church ἐκκλησίας G1577 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular in ἐν G1722 Preposition Sardis Σάρδεσιν G4554 Noun - Dative Feminine Plural write γράψον G1125 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular These [are] Τάδε G3592 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural the words λέγει G3004 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular of the [One who] G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular holds ἔχων G2192 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular the τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural seven ἑπτὰ G2033 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural spirits Πνεύματα G4151 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular of God Θεοῦ G2316 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction the τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural seven ἑπτὰ G2033 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural stars ἀστέρας G792 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural I know Οἶδά G1492 Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular your σου G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular - τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural deeds ἔργα G2041 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural - ὅτι G3754 Conjunction you have ἔχεις G2192 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular [a] reputation ὄνομα G3686 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular for ὅτι G3754 Conjunction being alive ζῇς G2198 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular yet καὶ G2532 Conjunction you are εἶ G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular dead νεκρὸς G3498 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular

BSB notes

  • Or the sevenfold Spirit
Verse 2

Original words

vvv γίνου G1096 Verb - Present Imperative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Singular Wake up γρηγορῶν G1127 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction strengthen στήρισον G4741 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular what τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural remains λοιπὰ G3062 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural which G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Plural is about ἔμελλον G3195 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural to die ἀποθανεῖν G599 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active for γὰρ G1063 Conjunction I have found εὕρηκά G2147 Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular your σου G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular - τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural deeds ἔργα G2041 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural vvv οὐ G3756 Adverb incomplete πεπληρωμένα G4137 Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Neuter Plural in the sight of ἐνώπιον G1799 Preposition My μου G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular God Θεοῦ G2316 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Verse 3

Original words

Remember μνημόνευε G3421 Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular then οὖν G3767 Conjunction what πῶς G4459 Adverb you have received εἴληφας G2983 Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction heard ἤκουσας G191 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular - καὶ G2532 Conjunction Keep [it] τήρει G5083 Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction repent μετανόησον G3340 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular - οὖν G3767 Conjunction If ἐὰν G1437 Conjunction vvv μὴ G3361 Adverb you do not wake up γρηγορήσῃς G1127 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Singular I will come ἥξω G2240 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular like ὡς G5613 Adverb a thief κλέπτης G2812 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction vvv οὐ G3756 Adverb vvv μὴ G3361 Adverb you will not know γνῷς G1097 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Singular the hour ὥραν G5610 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular when ποίαν G4169 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Feminine Singular I will come ἥξω G2240 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular upon ἐπὶ G1909 Preposition you σέ G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Singular
Verse 4

Original words

But Ἀλλὰ G235 Conjunction you do have ἔχεις G2192 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular a few ὀλίγα G3641 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural people ὀνόματα G3686 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural in ἐν G1722 Preposition Sardis Σάρδεσιν G4554 Noun - Dative Feminine Plural who G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Plural vvv οὐκ G3756 Adverb have not soiled ἐμόλυναν G3435 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural their αὐτῶν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural - τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural garments ἱμάτια G2440 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction because ὅτι G3754 Conjunction they are εἰσιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural worthy ἄξιοί G514 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural they will walk περιπατήσουσιν G4043 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural with μετ’ G3326 Preposition Me ἐμοῦ G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular in ἐν G1722 Preposition white λευκοῖς G3022 Adjective - Dative Neuter Plural
Verse 5

Original words

Like [them] οὕτως G3779 Adverb he who G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular overcomes νικῶν G3528 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular will be dressed περιβαλεῖται G4016 Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular in ἐν G1722 Preposition white λευκοῖς G3022 Adjective - Dative Neuter Plural - ἱματίοις G2440 Noun - Dative Neuter Plural And καὶ G2532 Conjunction vvv οὐ G3756 Adverb vvv μὴ G3361 Adverb I will never blot out ἐξαλείψω G1813 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular his αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular - τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular name ὄνομα G3686 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular from ἐκ G1537 Preposition the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular Book βίβλου G976 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular - τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular of Life ζωῆς G2222 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular [but] καὶ G2532 Conjunction I will confess ὁμολογήσω G3670 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular his αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular - τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular name ὄνομα G3686 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular before ἐνώπιον G1799 Preposition My μου G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular Father Πατρός G3962 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction - ἐνώπιον G1799 Preposition His αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular - τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural angels ἀγγέλων G32 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural

BSB notes

  • Or scrape off
Verse 6

Original words

He who G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular has ἔχων G2192 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular an ear οὖς G3775 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular let him hear ἀκουσάτω G191 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 3rd Person Singular what τί G5101 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular the τὸ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Singular Spirit Πνεῦμα G4151 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular says λέγει G3004 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular to the ταῖς G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Plural churches ἐκκλησίαις G1577 Noun - Dative Feminine Plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.