"To the angel of the church in Sardis write: "This is the message from the one who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know what you are doing; I know that you have the reputation of being alive, even though you are dead!

I know what you have done; I know that you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were either one or the other!

I know what you have done; I know how hard you have worked and how patient you have been. I know that you cannot tolerate evil people and that you have tested those who say they are apostles but are not, and have found out that they are liars.

"To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: "This is the message from the one who is holy and true. He has the key that belonged to David, and when he opens a door, no one can close it, and when he closes it, no one can open it.

There is a real opportunity here for great and worthwhile work, even though there are many opponents.

When I arrived in Troas to preach the Good News about Christ, I found that the Lord had opened the way for the work there.

At the same time pray also for us, so that God will give us a good opportunity to preach his message about the secret of Christ. For that is why I am now in prison.

While the killing is going on, God's people will receive a little help, even though many who join them will do so for selfish reasons.

Three times I prayed to the Lord about this and asked him to take it away.

I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

I have the strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me.

Because you have kept my command to endure, I will also keep you safe from the time of trouble which is coming upon the world to test all the people on earth.

"Listen!" says Jesus. "I am coming soon! Happy are those who obey the prophetic words in this book!"

"Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. My Father will love those who love me; I too will love them and reveal myself to them."

Jesus answered him, "Those who love me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and my Father and I will come to them and live with them.

Remember what I told you: 'Slaves are not greater than their master.' If people persecuted me, they will persecute you too; if they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours too.

"I have made you known to those you gave me out of the world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me. They have obeyed your word,

I have done my best in the race, I have run the full distance, and I have kept the faith.

I know where you live, there where Satan has his throne. You are true to me, and you did not abandon your faith in me even during the time when Antipas, my faithful witness, was killed there where Satan lives.

If I have more, I might say that I do not need you. But if I am poor, I might steal and bring disgrace on my God.

But he denied it in front of them all. "I don't know what you are talking about," he answered,

Again Peter denied it and answered, "I swear that I don't know that man!"

But those who reject me publicly, the Son of Man will also reject them before the angels of God.

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, has given divine glory to his Servant Jesus. But you handed him over to the authorities, and you rejected him in Pilate's presence, even after Pilate had decided to set him free.

He was holy and good, but you rejected him, and instead you asked Pilate to do you the favor of turning loose a murderer.

But if any do not take care of their relatives, especially the members of their own family, they have denied the faith and are worse than an unbeliever.

Who, then, is the liar? It is those who say that Jesus is not the Messiah. Such people are the Enemy of Christ---they reject both the Father and the Son.

For those who reject the Son reject also the Father; those who accept the Son have the Father also.

For some godless people have slipped in unnoticed among us, persons who distort the message about the grace of our God in order to excuse their immoral ways, and who reject Jesus Christ, our only Master and Lord. Long ago the Scriptures predicted the condemnation they have received.