Ἀποκάλυψις Ἰωάννου — κεφάλαιον γ’

Καὶ τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς ἐν Σάρδεσιν ἐκκλησίας γράψον,

Tάδε λέγει ὁ ἔχων τὰ ἑπτὰ πνεύματα τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τοὺς ἑπτὰ ἀστέρας· Oἶδά σου τὰ ἔργα, ὅτι τὸ ὄνομα ἔχεις ὅτι ζῇς, καὶ νεκρὸς εἶ. ²γίνου γρηγορῶν, καὶ στήριξον τὰ λοιπὰ ἃ μέλλει ἀποθανεῖν· οὐ γὰρ εὕρηκά σου τὰ ἔργα πεπληρωμένα ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ. ³μνημόνευε οὖν πῶς εἴληφας καὶ ἤκουσας, καὶ τήρει, καὶ μετανόησον. ἐὰν οὖν μὴ γρηγορήσῃς, ἥξω ἐπί σε ὡς κλέπτης, καὶ οὐ μὴ γνῷς ποίαν ὥραν ἥξω ἐπί σε. ⁴ἔχεις ὀλίγα ὀνόματα καὶ ἐν Σάρδεσιν, ἃ οὐκ ἐμόλυναν τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν· καὶ περιπατήσουσι μετ’ ἐμοῦ ἐν λευκοῖς, ὅτι ἄξιοί εἰσιν. ⁵ὁ νικῶν, οὕτος περιβαλεῖται ἐν ἱματίοις λευκοῖς· καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐξαλείψω τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἐκ τῆς βίβλου τῆς ζωῆς, καὶ ἐξομολογήσομαι τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἐνώπιον τοῦ πατρός μου, καὶ ἐνώπιον τῶν ἀγγέλων αὐτοῦ. ⁶ὁ ἔχων οὖς ἀκουσάτω τί τὸ Πνεῦμα λέγει ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις.

⁷Καὶ τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς ἐν Φιλαδελφείᾳ ἐκκλησίας γράψον,

Τάδε λέγει ὁ ἅγιος, ὁ ἀληθινός, ὁ ἔχων τὴν κλεῖδα τοῦ Δαυῒδ, ὁ ἀνοίγων καὶ οὐδεὶς κλείει, καὶ κλείει καὶ οὐδεὶς ἀνοίγει· ⁸Οἶδά σου τὰ ἔργα (ἰδού, δέδωκα ἐνώπιόν σου θύραν ἀνεῳγμένην, καὶ οὐδεὶς δύναται κλεῖσαι αὐτήν), ὅτι μικρὰν ἔχεις δύναμιν, καὶ ἐτήρησάς μου τὸν λόγον, καὶ οὐκ ἠρνήσω τὸ ὄνομά μου. ⁹ἰδού, δίδωμι ἐκ τῆς συναγωγῆς τοῦ Σατανᾶ, τῶν λεγόντων ἑαυτοὺς Ἰουδαίους εἶναι, καὶ οὐκ εἰσὶν, ἀλλὰ ψεύδονται· ἰδού, ποιήσω αὐτοὺς ἵνα ἥξωσι καὶ προσκυνήσωσιν ἐνώπιον τῶν ποδῶν σου, καὶ γνῶσιν ὅτι ἐγὼ ἠγάπησά σε. ¹⁰ὅτι ἐτήρησας τὸν λόγον τῆς ὑπομονῆς μου, κἀγώ σε τηρήσω ἐκ τῆς ὥρας τοῦ πειρασμοῦ, τῆς μελλούσης ἔρχεσθαι ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκουμένης ὅλης, πειράσαι τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. ¹¹ἰδού, ἔρχομαι ταχύ· κράτει ὃ ἔχεις, ἵνα μηδεὶς λάβῃ τὸν στέφανόν σου. ¹²ὁ νικῶν, ποιήσω αὐτὸν στῦλον ἐν τῷ ναῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ μου, καὶ ἔξω οὐ μὴ ἐξέλθῃ ἔτι, καὶ γράψω ἐπ’ αὐτὸν τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Θεοῦ μου, καὶ τὸ ὄνομα τῆς πόλεως τοῦ Θεοῦ μου, τῆς καινῆς Ἰερουσαλήμ, ἣ καταβαίνει ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ μου, καὶ τὸ ὄνομά μου τὸ καινόν. ¹³ὁ ἔχων οὖς ἀκουσάτω τί τὸ Πνεῦμα λέγει ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις.

¹⁴ Καὶ τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς ἐκκλησίας Λαοδικέων γράψον,

Τάδε λέγει ὁ Άμήν, ὁ μάρτυς ὁ πιστὸς καὶ ἀληθινός, ἡ ἀρχὴ τῆς κτίσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ· ¹⁵Οἶδά σου τὰ ἔργα, ὅτι οὔτε ψυχρὸς εἶ οὔτε ζεστός· ὄφελον ψυχρὸς εἴης ἢ ζεστός. ¹⁶οὕτως ὅτι χλιαρὸς εἶ, καὶ οὔτε ψυχρὸς οὔτε ζεστός, μέλλω σε ἐμέσαι ἐκ τοῦ στόματός μου. ¹⁷ὅτι λέγεις ὅτι Πλούσιός εἰμι, καὶ πεπλούτηκα, καὶ οὐδενὸς χρείαν ἔχω, καὶ οὐκ οἶδας ὅτι σὺ εἶ ὁ ταλαίπωρος καὶ ἐλεεινὸς καὶ πτωχὸς καὶ τυφλὸς καὶ γυμνός· ¹⁸συμβουλεύω σοι ἀγοράσαι παρ’ ἐμοῦ χρυσίον πεπυρωμένον ἐκ πυρός, ἵνα πλουτήσῃς, καὶ ἱμάτια λευκά ἵνα περιβάλῃ, καὶ μὴ φανερωθῇ ἡ αἰσχύνη τῆς γυμνότητός σου· καὶ κολλούριον ἔγχρίσον τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς σου, ἵνα βλέπῃς. ¹⁹ἐγὼ ὅσους ἐὰν φιλῶ, ἐλέγχω καὶ παιδεύω· ζήλοσον οὖν καὶ μετανόησον. ²⁰ἰδού, ἕστηκα ἐπὶ τὴν θύραν καὶ κρούω· ἐάν τις ἀκούσῃ τῆς φωνῆς μου, καὶ ἀνοίξῃ τὴν θύραν, καὶ εἰσελεύσομαι πρὸς αὐτόν, καὶ δειπνήσω μετ’ αὐτοῦ, καὶ αὐτὸς μετ’ ἐμοῦ. ²¹ὁ νικῶν, δώσω αὐτῷ καθίσαι μετ’ ἐμοῦ ἐν τῷ θρόνῳ μου, ὡς κἀγὼ ἐνίκησα, καὶ ἐκάθισα μετὰ τοῦ πατρός μου ἐν τῷ θρόνῳ αὐτοῦ. ²²ὁ ἔχων οὖς ἀκουσάτω τί τὸ Πνεῦμα λέγει ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις.

Kai tō angelō tēs en Sardesin ekklēsias grapson,

Tade legei ho echōn ta hepta pneumata tou Theou kai tous hepta asteras; Oida sou ta erga, hoti to onoma echeis hoti zēs, kai nekros ei. ²ginou grēgorōn, kai stērixon ta loipa ha mellei apothanein; ou gar heurēka sou ta erga peplērōmena enōpion tou Theou. ³mnēmoneue oun pōs eilēphas kai ēkousas, kai tērei, kai metanoēson. ean oun mē grēgorēsēs, hēxō epi se hōs kleptēs, kai ou mē gnōs poian hōran hēxō epi se. ⁴echeis oliga onomata kai en Sardesin, ha ouk emolynan ta himatia autōn; kai peripatēsousi met’ emou en leukois, hoti axioi eisin. ⁵ho nikōn, houtos peribaleitai en himatiois leukois; kai ou mē exaleipsō to onoma autou ek tēs biblou tēs zōēs, kai exomologēsomai to onoma autou enōpion tou patros mou, kai enōpion tōn angelōn autou. ⁶ho echōn ous akousatō ti to Pneuma legei tais ekklēsiais.

⁷Kai tō angelō tēs en Philadelpheia ekklēsias grapson,

Tade legei ho hagios, ho alēthinos, ho echōn tēn kleida tou Dauid, ho anoigōn kai oudeis kleiei, kai kleiei kai oudeis anoigei; ⁸Oida sou ta erga (idou, dedōka enōpion sou thyran aneōgmenēn, kai oudeis dynatai kleisai autēn), hoti mikran echeis dynamin, kai etērēsas mou ton logon, kai ouk ērnēsō to onoma mou. ⁹idou, didōmi ek tēs synagōgēs tou Satana, tōn legontōn heautous Ioudaious einai, kai ouk eisin, alla pseudontai; idou, poiēsō autous hina hēxōsi kai proskynēsōsin enōpion tōn podōn sou, kai gnōsin hoti egō ēgapēsa se. ¹⁰hoti etērēsas ton logon tēs hypomonēs mou, kagō se tērēsō ek tēs hōras tou peirasmou, tēs mellousēs erchesthai epi tēs oikoumenēs holēs, peirasai tous katoikountas epi tēs gēs. ¹¹idou, erchomai tachy; kratei ho echeis, hina mēdeis labē ton stephanon sou. ¹²ho nikōn, poiēsō auton stylon en tō naō tou Theou mou, kai exō ou mē exelthē eti, kai grapsō ep’ auton to onoma tou Theou mou, kai to onoma tēs poleōs tou Theou mou, tēs kainēs Ierousalēm, hē katabainei ek tou ouranou apo tou Theou mou, kai to onoma mou to kainon. ¹³ho echōn ous akousatō ti to Pneuma legei tais ekklēsiais.

¹⁴ Kai tō angelō tēs ekklēsias Laodikeōn grapson,

Tade legei ho Amēn, ho martys ho pistos kai alēthinos, hē archē tēs ktiseōs tou Theou; ¹⁵Oida sou ta erga, hoti oute psychros ei oute zestos; ophelon psychros eiēs ē zestos. ¹⁶houtōs hoti chliaros ei, kai oute psychros oute zestos, mellō se emesai ek tou stomatos mou. ¹⁷hoti legeis hoti Plousios eimi, kai peploutēka, kai oudenos chreian echō, kai ouk oidas hoti sy ei ho talaipōros kai eleeinos kai ptōchos kai typhlos kai gymnos; ¹⁸symbouleuō soi agorasai par’ emou chrysion pepyrōmenon ek pyros, hina ploutēsēs, kai himatia leuka hina peribalē, kai mē phanerōthē hē aischynē tēs gymnotētos sou; kai kollourion enchrison tous ophthalmous sou, hina blepēs. ¹⁹egō hosous ean philō, elenchō kai paideuō; zēloson oun kai metanoēson. ²⁰idou, hestēka epi tēn thyran kai krouō; ean tis akousē tēs phōnēs mou, kai anoixē tēn thyran, kai eiseleusomai pros auton, kai deipnēsō met’ autou, kai autos met’ emou. ²¹ho nikōn, dōsō autō kathisai met’ emou en tō thronō mou, hōs kagō enikēsa, kai ekathisa meta tou patros mou en tō thronō autou. ²²ho echōn ous akousatō ti to Pneuma legei tais ekklēsiais.

And to the messenger of the church in Sardis write (the following):

“This is what the One who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars says, ‘I know your deeds and that you have a name and that you live, even though you are dead (yet you are dead). Be(come) watchful (awake) and strengthen the remaining (things) (, namely those) which are about to die; for I have not found your works to be completed before my God. Remember, then, how you have received and heard; follow the commandments and repent. If you are not alert, I will come like a thief; and you may not know at what time I will come to you.

But you have in Sardis a few (people) who did not defile their clothes, and they will walk (around) with me (clad) in white (garments), for they are worthy. The victor will, thus, be dressed in white garments and I will never wipe away his name from the Book of Life and I will confess to his name before my Father and His messengers. Let him who has ears listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

And to the messenger of the church in Philadelphia write (the following):

“This is what the the Holy One, the True One, He who has David’s key which opens things nobody can close and which closes things nobody can open says, ‘I know your deeds; and look, I have placed before you an open door which nobody is able to close; for you have little power and you obeyed my word and did not deny my name. Look, I will give to you some of those belonging to the Synagogue of Satan who claim to be Jews — but who are not and are, instead, false (liars) — and I will make it so that they will come to you; and they will bow before your feet and know that I loved you. Because you kept the word of my patient endurance, so I, too, will keep you from the Hour of the Trial, which is about to come upon the entire World to test its inhabitants. I will come soon. Hold fast to what you have, so that nobody may take your crown. I will make (for) the victor a pillar in the temple of my God and he may never leave again. And I will write upon him the name of my God and the namey of the city of my God; (namely the name) of the New Jerusalem which is coming out of Heaven from my God — and my new name. Let him who has ears listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.

And to the messenger of the church in Laodicea write (the following):

“This is what the Amen, the faithful and true witness and the beginning of the Judgement of God says, ‘I know your works (and) that you are neither cold nor hot. If only (I wish) you could be either hot or cold. Therefore, since you are only lukewarm and neither hot or cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. Because you say, “I am rich and have prospered and I do not have any need (anymore).” And (since) you are wretched, pitible, poor, blind and naked, I advise you to buy gold refined in fire from me so that you may become rich and wear white garments and (so that) the shame of your nakedness is not revealed; and so that eye cream is rubbed onto your eyes, so that you may see. Whomever I love, I correct and teach. Be earnest, then, and repent. Look, I have stood before your door and knocked; (and) if someone opens the door I will come into his place and I will eat with him and he (will eat) with me. I will allow the victor to sit with me upon my throne, as I, too, was victorious and sat with my Father upon His throne. Let him who has ears listen to what the Spirit says to the churches”’