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Write {this message} to the angel of the assembly of believers in the city of Sardis: “The one who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars says the following: ‘I am aware of everything that you have done. {I am aware of} your reputation that you possess. {I am aware of the fact that} you {appear to be} alive. {However}, you are {actually} dead. 2 Wake up! Become alert and aware {so that you understand that you must} renew your {spiritual} enthusiasm! {Understand that} there are some {believers in your assembly who} will die soon. {You must renew the enthusiasm of your assembly’s believers} because I have not noticed anything which you have done {to be something that} my God considers you to have finished completely. 3 Therefore, always remember {God’s instruction and} the way you accepted it {when} you heard it. Change your minds {so as to} stop your {wicked} actions. {Rather,} keep obeying {God’s instruction}. Therefore, if you do not do this {by remaining} alert and aware, {then} I will visit you {suddenly} like a thief {breaks into a house unexpectedly at night}. You will not even know at what time I will visit you {for your punishment}. 4 However, there are a few believers in the city of Sardis {who have not been doing what is wrong}. {It is as though} they have kept their clothes clean and pure. {As a result,} since {I think that} they deserve such a privilege, they will live with me {and wear pure} white clothing. 5 Thus, those who are victorious will clothe themselves with {pure} white clothing. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life. Instead, I will claim before my Father and before his angels {that I know these victorious people as my very own}. 6 You can hear, can you not? {Then} listen to what the Spirit {of God} says to the assemblies of believers.’” 7 “Write {this message} to the angel of the assembly of believers in the city of Philadelphia: “The one who is holy and true says the following: ’Just like 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. 8 I am aware of everything that 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. 9 Pay attention! 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.10 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. 11 I am coming soon. So continue to do what I have told you, in order that no one may cause you to lose your reward that God has reserved for you. 12 I will make secure those who are victorious. 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. 13 You can hear, can you not? {Then} listen to what the Spirit {of God} says to the assemblies of believers.’” 14 “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. 15 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! 16 Because you are neither enthusiastic about me nor concerned about your lack of spiritual growth, I am about to reject you, as if I were spitting lukewarm water out of my mouth. 17 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. 18 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. 19 Since I rebuke and correct all those whom I love, turn away with all your heart from your sinful behavior. 20 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. 21 I will permit everyone who conquers Satan to sit and rule with me on my throne, just as I conquered Satan and now sit and rule with my Father on his throne. 22 You can hear, can you not? {Then} listen to what the Spirit {of God} says to the assemblies of believers.’”