Revelation 3:5

Revelation 3:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.
• New King James Version (NKJV)He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

Context of Revelation 3:5

3So remember and take to heart the lessons you have received and heard. Keep and obey them, and repent [change your sinful way of thinking, and demonstrate your repentance with new behavior that proves a conscious decision to turn away from sin]. So then, if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. 4But you [still] have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes [that is, contaminated their character and personal integrity with sin]; and they will walk with Me [dressed] in white, because they are worthy (righteous). He who overcomes [the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God] will accordingly be dressed in white clothing; and I will never blot out his name from the Book of Life, and I will confess and openly acknowledge his name before My Father and before His angels [saying that he is one of Mine]. 6He who has an ear, let him hear and heed what the Spirit says to the churches.’ 7“And to the angel (divine messenger) of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of the Holy One, the True One, He who has the key [to the house] of David, He who opens and no one will [be able to] shut, and He who shuts and no one opens:

Revelation 3:5 word by word

ὁ νικῶν οὕτως περιβαλεῖται ἐν ἱματίοις λευκοῖς, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐξαλείψω τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἐκ τῆς βίβλου τῆς ζωῆς καὶ ὁμολογήσω τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἐνώπιον τοῦ πατρός μου καὶ ἐνώπιον τῶν ἀγγέλων αὐτοῦ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• He that overcomethνικάωnikaō · to conquerG3528
• the sameοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• shall be clothedπεριβάλλωperiballō · to clotheG4016
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• whiteλευκόςleukos · whiteG3022
• raimentἱμάτιονhimation · clothingG2440
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• I willἐξαλείφωexaleiphō · to blot outG1813
• notοὐou · noG3756
• ·μήmē · notG3361
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• nameὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• nameὄνομαonoma · nameG3686
• out ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• the bookβίβλοςbiblos · bookG976
• of lifeζωήzōē · lifeG2222
• I will confessἐξομολογέομαιexomologeō · to agreeG1843
• beforeἐνώπιονenōpion · beforeG1799
• myἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• Fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• angelsἄγγελοςaggelos · angelG32

Cross-references for Revelation 3:5

• Revelation 2:7He who has an ear, let him hear and heed what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes [the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God], I will grant [the privilege] to eat [the fruit] from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.’
• 1 Samuel 17:25The men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who is coming up? Surely he is coming up to defy Israel. The king will reward the man who kills him with great riches, and will give him his daughter [in marriage] and make his father’s house (family) free [from taxes and service] in Israel.”
• Revelation 3:4But you [still] have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes [that is, contaminated their character and personal integrity with sin]; and they will walk with Me [dressed] in white, because they are worthy (righteous).
• Revelation 19:8She has been permitted to dress in fine linen, dazzling white and clean—for the fine linen signifies the righteous acts of the saints [the ethical conduct, personal integrity, moral courage, and godly character of believers].
• Exodus 32:32Yet now, if You will, forgive their sin—and if not, please blot me out of Your book which You have written (kill me)!”
• Deuteronomy 9:14Let Me alone, so that I may destroy them and wipe out their name from under heaven; and I will make of you a nation mightier and greater than they.’
• Psalms 69:28May they be blotted out of the book of life [and their lives come to an end] And may they not be recorded with the righteous (those in right standing with God).
• Psalms 109:13Let his descendants be cut off, And in the following generation let their name be blotted out.
• Revelation 13:8All the inhabitants of the earth will fall down and worship him, everyone whose name has not been written since the foundation of the world in the Book of Life of the Lamb who has been slain [as a willing sacrifice].
• Revelation 17:8“The beast that you saw was [once], but [now] is not, and he is about to come up out of the abyss (the bottomless pit, the dwelling place of demons) and go to destruction (perdition). And the inhabitants of the earth, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, will be astonished when they see the beast, because he was and is not and is yet to come [to earth].
• Revelation 20:12And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the Book of Life; and the dead were judged according to what they had done as written in the books [that is, everything done while on earth].
• Revelation 21:27and nothing that defiles or profanes or is unwashed will ever enter it, nor anyone who practices abominations [detestable, morally repugnant things] and lying, but only those [will be admitted] whose names have been written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
• Revelation 22:19and if anyone takes away from or distorts the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away [from that one] his share from the tree of life and from the holy city (new Jerusalem), which are written in this book.
• Philippians 4:3Indeed, I ask you too, my true companion, to help these women [to keep on cooperating], for they have shared my struggle in the [cause of the] gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.
• Malachi 3:17“They will be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts, “on that day when I publicly recognize them and openly declare them to be My own possession [that is, My very special treasure]. And I will have compassion on them and spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.”
• Matthew 10:32“Therefore, the one who confesses and acknowledges Me before men [as Lord and Savior, affirming a state of oneness with Me], that one I will also confess and acknowledge before My Father who is in heaven.

Commentaries on Revelation 3:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5I will not blot out his name - This may be an allusion to the custom of registering the names of those who were admitted into the Church in a book kept for that purpose, from which custom our baptismal registers in Churches are derived. These are properly books of life, as there those who were born unto God were registered; as in the latter those who were born in that parish were enrolled. Or there may be allusions to the white raiment worn by the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5He that overcometh - See the notes on Revelation 2:7. The same shall be clothed in white raiment - Whosoever he may be that shall overcome sin and the temptations of this world, shall be admitted to this glorious reward. The promise is made not only to those in Sardis who should be victorious, but to all in every age and every land. The hope that is thus held out before us, is that of appearing with the Redeemer in his kingdom, clad in robes expressive of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5Having one's name in the Book of Life (see Revelation 20:12–15; Daniel 7:10) means assurance of God's acceptance and eternal life (see Revelation 17:8; 20:12; Philippians 4:3; see also Luke 10:20). If God erases a name, it implies condemnation and eternal death (see Exodus 32:32–33; Psalm 69:28).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. white--not a dull white, but glittering, dazzling white [Grotius]. Compare Mt 13:43. The body transfigured into the likeness of Christ's body, and emitting beams of light reflected from Him, is probably the "white raiment" promised here. the same--Greek, "THIS man"; he and he alone. So one oldest manuscript reads. But two oldest manuscripts, and most of the ancient versions, "shall THUS be clothed," &c. raiment--Greek, "garments." "He that overcometh"…Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 3:5

• Book
• Colors
• Decision
• God
• Perseverance
• Righteous
• War

In the dictionaries

• Book of Life
• Angel
• Banquet
• Book
• Chasten
• Cold
• Counsel
• Dead
• Lukewarm
• Naked

Commentaries on Revelation 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings