Revelation 3:1

“To ¹  the angel of the church in Sardis write the following: ²  “This is the solemn pronouncement of ³  the one who holds ⁴  the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a reputation ⁵  that you are alive, but ⁶  in reality ⁷  you are dead.

Lu 15:24,32; Joh 1:16,33; Joh 3:34; Joh 7:37-39; Joh 15:26,27; Joh 20:22; Ac 2:33; Eph 2:1,5; Col 2:13; 1Ti 5:6; Jas 2:26; 1Pe 1:11; Jude 1:12; Re 1:4; Re 1:11,20; Re 1:16,20; Re 2:1; Re 2:2,9,13,19; Re 4:5; Re 5:6

¹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.

² tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.

³ tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.

sn The expression This is the solemn pronouncement of reflects an OT idiom. See the note on this phrase in 2:1.

⁴ tn Grk “who has” (cf. 1:16).

⁵ tn Grk “a name.”

⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

⁷ tn The prepositional phrase “in reality” is supplied in the translation to make explicit the idea that their being alive was only an illusion.