The Letter to the Church in Sardis

3 “Here is what I command you to write to the church in Sardis.

Here are the words of the One who holds the seven spirits of God. He has the seven stars in his hand. He says, ‘I know what you are doing. People think you are alive, but you are dead. 2Wake up! Strengthen what is left, or it will die. You have not done all that my God wants you to do.

3‘So remember what you have been taught and have heard. Obey it. Turn away from your sins. If you don’t wake up, I will come like a thief. You won’t know when I will come to you.

4‘But you have a few people in Sardis who have kept their clothes clean. They will walk with me, dressed in white, because they are worthy. 5Those who overcome will also be dressed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life. I will speak of them by name to my Father and his angels.

6‘Those who have ears should listen to what the Holy Spirit says to the churches.’

The Letter to the Church in Philadelphia

7“Here is what I command you to write to the church in Philadelphia.

Here are the words of the One who is holy and true. He holds the key of David. No one can shut what he opens. And no one can open what he shuts. He says, 8‘I know what you are doing. Look! I have put an open door in front of you. No one can shut it. I know that you don’t have much strength. But you have obeyed my word. You have not said no to me.

9‘Some people claim they are Jews but are not. They are liars. Their worship is from Satan. I will make them come and fall down at your feet. I will make them say in public that I love you.

10‘You have kept my command to put up with anything that happens. So I will keep you from the time of suffering that is going to come to the whole world. It will test those who live on the earth.

11‘I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have. Then no one will take away your crown.

12‘I’ll see to it that those who overcome will be pillars in the temple of my God. They will never leave it again. I will write the name of my God on them. I will write the name of the city of my God on them. This is the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God. I will also write my new name on them.

13‘Those who have ears should listen to what the Holy Spirit says to the churches.’

The Letter to the Church in Laodicea

14“Here is what I command you to write to the church in Laodicea.

Here are the words of the One who is the Amen. What he gives witness to is faithful and true. He rules over what God has created. He says, 15‘I know what you are doing. I know you aren’t cold or hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16But you are lukewarm. You aren’t hot or cold. So I am going to spit you out of my mouth.

17‘You say, “I am rich. I’ve become wealthy and don’t need anything.” But you don’t realize how pitiful and miserable you have become. You are poor, blind and naked.

18‘So here’s my advice. Buy from me gold made pure by fire. Then you will become rich. Buy from me white clothes to wear. Then you will be able to cover your shameful nakedness. And buy from me healing lotion to put on your eyes. Then you will be able to see.

19‘I correct and train those I love. So be sincere, and turn away from your sins.

20‘Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If any of you hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with you. And you will eat with me.

21‘I’ll give those who overcome the right to sit with me on my throne. In the same way, I overcame. Then I sat down with my Father on his throne.

22‘Those who have ears should listen to what the Holy Spirit says to the churches.’ ”

The Throne in Heaven

4 After this I looked, and there in front of me was a door standing open in heaven. I heard the voice I had heard before. It sounded like a trumpet. The voice said, “Come up here. I will show you what must happen after this.”

2At once the Holy Spirit took complete control of me. There in front of me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3The One who sat there shone like jewels. Around the throne was a rainbow that looked like an emerald.

4Twenty-four other thrones surrounded that throne. Twenty-four elders were sitting on them. The elders were dressed in white. They had gold crowns on their heads.

5From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and thunder. Seven lamps were blazing in front of the throne. These stand for the seven spirits of God. 6There was something that looked like a sea of glass in front of the throne. It was as clear as crystal.

In the inner circle, around the throne, were four living creatures. They were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7The first creature looked like a lion. The second looked like an ox. The third had a man’s face. The fourth looked like a flying eagle. 8Each of the four living creatures had six wings. Each creature was covered all over with eyes, even under the wings. Day and night, they never stop saying,

“Holy, holy, holy

is the Lord God who rules over all.

He was, and he is, and he will come.”

9The living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to the One who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever. 10At the same time, the 24 elders fall down and worship the One who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns in front of the throne. They say,

11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God!

You are worthy to receive glory and honor and power.

You are worthy because you created all things.

They were created and they exist.

That is the way you planned it.”

The Scroll and the Lamb

5 Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the One sitting on the throne. The scroll had writing on both sides. It was sealed with seven seals.

2I saw a mighty angel calling out in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll. No one could even look inside it.

4I cried and cried because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside.

5Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not cry! The Lion of the tribe of Judah has won the battle. He is the Root of David. He is able to break the seven seals and open the scroll.”

6Then I saw a Lamb that looked as if he had been put to death. He stood in the center of the area around the throne. The Lamb was surrounded by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes. The eyes stand for the seven spirits of God, which are sent out into all the earth.

7The Lamb came and took the scroll from the right hand of the One sitting on the throne. 8Then the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down in front of the Lamb. Each one had a harp. They were holding golden bowls full of incense, which stand for the prayers of God’s people.

9Here is the new song they sang.

“You are worthy to take the scroll

and break open its seals.

You are worthy because you were put to death.

With your blood you bought people for God.

They come from every tribe, language, people and nation.

10 You have made them members of a royal family.

You have made them priests to serve our God.

They will rule on the earth.”

11Then I looked and heard the voice of millions and millions of angels. They surrounded the throne. They surrounded the living creatures and the elders. 12In a loud voice they sang,

“The Lamb, who was put to death, is worthy!

He is worthy to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength!

He is worthy to receive honor and glory and praise!”

13All creatures in heaven, on earth, under the earth, and on the sea, and all that is in them, were singing. I heard them say,

“May praise and honor for ever and ever

be given to the One who sits on the throne and to the Lamb!

Give them glory and power

for ever and ever!”

14The four living creatures said, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped.

The Seals

6 I watched as the Lamb broke open the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice that sounded like thunder, “Come!” 2I looked, and there in front of me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow in his hands. He was given a crown. He rode out like a hero on his way to victory.

3The Lamb broke open the second seal. Then I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4Another horse came out. It was flaming red. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. He was given a large sword.

5The Lamb broke open the third seal. Then I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there in front of me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. 6Next, I heard what sounded like a voice coming from among the four living creatures. It said, “A quart of wheat for a day’s pay. And three quarts of barley for a day’s pay. But don’t spoil the olive oil and the wine!”

7The Lamb broke open the fourth seal. Then I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” 8I looked, and there in front of me was a pale horse! Its rider’s name was Death. Following close behind him was Hell. They were given power over a fourth of the earth. They were given power to kill people with the sword, hunger and sickness. They could also use the earth’s wild animals to kill.

9He broke open the fifth seal. I saw souls under the altar. They were the souls of people who were killed because of God’s word and their faithful witness. 10They called out in a loud voice. “How long, Lord and King, holy and true?” they asked. “How long will you wait to judge those who live on the earth? How long will it be until you pay them back for killing us?”

11Then each of them was given a white robe. “Wait a little longer,” they were told. “There are still more of your believing brothers and sisters who must be killed.”

12I watched as he broke open the sixth seal. There was a powerful earthquake. The sun turned black like black clothes that were made from the hair of a goat. The whole moon turned as red as blood. 13The stars in the sky fell to earth. They dropped like ripe figs from a tree shaken by a strong wind. 14The sky rolled back like a scroll. Every mountain and island was moved out of its place.

15Everyone hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. This included the kings of the earth, the princes and the generals, rich people and powerful people. It also included every slave and everyone who was free. 16They called out to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us! Hide us from the face of the One who sits on the throne! Hide us from the anger of the Lamb! 17The great day of their anger has come. Who can live through it?”