God’s Word Translation
Revelation 3:2
2Be alert, and strengthen the things that are left which are about to die. I have found that what you are doing has not been completed in the sight of my God.
Revelation 3:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
- New International Version (NIV)Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.
Context of Revelation 3:2
1“To the messenger of the church in Sardis, write: The one who has God’s seven spirits and the seven stars says: I know what you have done. You are known for being alive, but you are dead. Be alert, and strengthen the things that are left which are about to die. I have found that what you are doing has not been completed in the sight of my God. 3So remember what you received and heard. Obey, and change the way you think and act. If you’re not alert, I’ll come like a thief. You don’t know when I will come. 4But you have a few people in Sardis who have kept their clothes clean. They will walk with me in white clothes because they deserve it.
Read all of Revelation 3Revelation 3:2 word by word
γίνου γρηγορῶν καὶ στήρισον τὰ λοιπὰ ἃ ἔμελλον ἀποθανεῖν· οὐ γὰρ εὕρηκά σου τὰ ἔργα πεπληρωμένα ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ μου.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Beγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
- watchfulγρηγορέωgrēgoreuō · to keep watchG1127
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- strengthenστηρίζωstērizō · to establishG4741
- the things which remainλοιπόςloipoi · remainingG3062
- thatὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- are ready toμέλλωmellō · to ensueG3195
- dieἀποθνήσκωapothnēskō · to dieG599
- forγάρgar · forG1063
- I haveεὑρίσκωheuriskō · to find/meetG2147
- notοὐou · noG3756
- thyσύsu · youG4771
- worksὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- worksἔργονergon · workG2041
- perfectπληρόωplēroō · to fulfillG4137
- beforeἐνώπιονenōpion · beforeG1799
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
Cross-references for Revelation 3:2
- Revelation 16:15“See, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who remains alert and doesn’t lose his clothes. He will not have to go naked and let others see his shame.”
- Isaiah 56:10⌞Israel’s⌟ watchmen are blind. None of them know anything. All of them are like dogs that are unable to bark. They lie around dreaming; they love to sleep.
- Isaiah 62:6I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem. They will never be silent day or night. Whoever calls on the Lord, do not give yourselves any rest,
- Ezekiel 34:8As I live, declares the Almighty Lord, because there is no shepherd, my sheep have become prey. My sheep have become food for every wild animal. My shepherds haven’t searched for my sheep. They have taken care of only themselves, not my sheep.
- Zechariah 11:16I’m about to place a shepherd in the land. He will not take care of those that are dying. He will not search for the young. He will not heal those that have broken their legs or support those that can still stand. But he will eat the meat of the fat animals and tear off their hoofs.
- Matthew 24:42“Therefore, be alert, because you don’t know on what day your Lord will return.
- Matthew 25:13“So stay awake, because you don’t know the day or the hour.
- Mark 13:33Be careful! Watch! You don’t know the exact time.
- Acts 20:28Pay attention to yourselves and to the entire flock in which the Holy Spirit has placed you as bishops to be shepherds for God’s church which he acquired with his own blood.
- 2 Timothy 4:1I solemnly call on you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge those who are living and those who are dead. I do this because Christ Jesus will come to rule ⌞the world⌟.
- 1 Peter 4:7The end of everything is near. Therefore, practice self-control, and keep your minds clear so that you can pray.
- 1 Peter 5:8Keep your mind clear, and be alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion as he looks for someone to devour.
- Revelation 2:4However, I have this against you: The love you had at first is gone.
- Deuteronomy 3:28Give instructions to Joshua. Encourage and strengthen him, because he will lead these people across ⌞the Jordan River⌟, and he will help them take possession of the land you see.”
- Job 4:4When someone stumbled, you lifted him up with your words. When knees were weak, you gave them strength.
- Job 16:5I could encourage you with my mouth, and my quivering lips could ease ⌞your pain⌟.
Commentaries on Revelation 3:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Be watchful - Ye have lost ground by carelessness and inattention. Awake, and keep awake! Strengthen the things which remain - The convictions and good desires, with any measure of the fear of God and of a tender conscience, which, although still subsisting, are about to perish, because the Holy Spirit, who is the author of them, being repeatedly grieved, is about finally to depart. Thy works perfect - · Filled up. They performed duties of all kinds, but…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Be watchful - Be wakeful; be attentive and earnest - in contradistinction from the drowsy condition of the church. Strengthen the things which remain - The true piety that still lives and lingers among you. Whatever there was of religion among them, it was of importance to strengthen it, that the love of the Saviour might not become wholly extinct. An important duty in a low and languishing state of religion is, to “strengthen the things that still…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-3The church in Sardis needed to wake up and pay attention. If they did not, they would face sudden judgment. The city of Sardis had experienced this kind of surprise attack twice. The first happened when the forces of Cyrus entered the city through a secret tunnel around 549 or 546 BC. The second happened in 189 BC when Antiochus III attacked the city in the same way. In both cases, the watchmen were not alert, and the city fell. The same would happen to…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-221. Sardis--the ancient capital of Lydia, the kingdom of wealthy Croesus, on the river Pactolus. The address to this Church is full of rebuke. It does not seem to have been in vain; for Melito, bishop of Sardis in the second century, was eminent for piety and learning. He visited Palestine to assure himself and his flock as to the Old Testament canon and wrote an epistle on the subject [Eusebius Ecclesiastical History, 4.26]; he also wrote a commentary on…Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 3:2
In the dictionaries
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
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