Sardis reproved. Chap. iii. Philadelphia commended. give unto every one of you according to your works. 24 But unto you I say, and unto the rest of Thyatira, (as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak,) I will put upon you none other burden; 25 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. 26 Ånd he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations, 27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers, even as I received of my Father. 28 And I will give him the morning star.h 29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. CHAP. III. 1 The angel of the church of Sardis is reproved. 7 Philadelphia approved. 15 Laodicea rebuked. 20 Christ standeth at the door and knocketh. AND unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. b Morning star, &c. I will give to him, who approves himself faithful to me, such lustre and glory, that he shall shine in my presence like the morning star. Doddridge. 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die; for I have not found thy works perfect before God. 3 Remember, therefore, how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If, therefore, thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. 4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white; for they are worthy. 5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. 6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth ; and shutteth, and no man openeth; 8 I know thy works; behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it; for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my Laodicea rebuked. Revelation. which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. 10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, whichshall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. 11 Behold, I come quickly; hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. 12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out; and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God ; and I will write upon him my new name. 13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. 14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot; I would that thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then, because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Christ's promise. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked; 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see. 19 As many as I love I rebuke and chasten; be zealous, therefore, and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. CHAP. IV. 1 John seeth the throne of God in heaven. 4 The four and twenty elders. 6 The four beasts full of eyes before and behind. 10 The elders lay down their crowns, and wor ship him that sat on the throne. AFTER this I looked, and, behold a door was opened in heaven and the first voice 2 And immediately I was in the Spirit; and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. 3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone; and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. 4 And round about the throne, were four and twenty seats; and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. 5 And out of the throne proceeded lightnings, & thunderings, and voices; and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. 6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass, like unto crystal; and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. a A door was opened in heaven. The language is here too figurative and prophetic to warrant explanation. God's throne.. 8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within; and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, whieh was, and is, and is 10 The four and twenty elders fall down before him, that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. 1 CHAP. V. The book sealed with seven seals, 9 which only the Lamb which was slain is worthy to open; 12 Therefore the elders praise him, and confess that he redeemed them with his blood. AND I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book, written within and on the back side, sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? The book with Revalation. 3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. 4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. 5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. 6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne, and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb, as it had been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. 7 And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. 8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty Elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. 9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests; and we earth. the seven seals, &c. shall reign on the 11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beasts, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; 12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. 13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever. 14 And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever. CHAP. VI. The opening of the seals in order, and what followed thereupon; containing a prophecy to the end of the world. ANDI saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. 2 And I saw, and, behold, a white horse: and he that The seals opened Chap. vi. sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him; and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. 3 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come & see. 4 And there went out another horse that was red; and power was given to him that sat thereon, to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another; and there was given unto him a great sword. 5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and And I beheld, and, lo, a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. see. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. 8 And I looked, and, behold, a pale horse; and his name that sat on him was Death, and hell followed with him; and power was given unto him over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of of the earth. 9 And when he had opened by the Lamb, &c. the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them, that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they hold: 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. 12 And I beheld, when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; 13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig-tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind: 14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bond-man, and eve. ry free man, hid themselves in the dens, and in the roeks of the mountains; |
