God’s Word Translation
Revelation 3:5
5Everyone who wins the victory this way will wear white clothes. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life. I will acknowledge them in the presence of my Father and his angels.
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 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. Everyone who wins the victory this way will wear white clothes. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life. I will acknowledge them in the presence of my Father and his angels. 6Let the person who has ears listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. 7“To the messenger of the church in Philadelphia, write: The one who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens ⌞a door⌟ that no one can shut, and who shuts ⌞a door⌟ that no one can open, says:
Read all of Revelation 3Revelation 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 2:7“Let the person who has ears listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. I will give the privilege of eating from the tree of life, which stands in the paradise of God, to everyone who wins the victory.
- 1 Samuel 17:25The men of Israel said, “Did you see that man coming ⌞from the Philistine lines⌟? He keeps coming to challenge Israel. The king will make the man who kills this Philistine very rich. He will give his daughter to that man to marry and elevate the social status of his family.”
- Revelation 3:4But 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.
- Revelation 19:8She has been given the privilege of wearing dazzling, pure linen.” This fine linen represents the things that God’s holy people do that have his approval.
- Exodus 32:32But will you forgive their sin? If not, please wipe me out of the book you have written.”
- Deuteronomy 9:14Leave me alone! I’ll destroy them and wipe their name off the earth. Then I’ll make you into a nation larger and stronger than they are.”
- Psalms 69:28Let their ⌞names⌟ be erased from the Book of Life. Do not let them be listed with righteous people.
- Psalms 109:13Let his descendants be cut off and their family name be wiped out by the next generation.
- Revelation 13:8Everyone living on earth will worship it, everyone whose name is not written in the Book of Life. That book belongs to the lamb who was slaughtered before the creation of the world.
- Revelation 17:8“You saw the beast which once was, is no longer, and will come from the bottomless pit and go to its destruction. Those living on earth, whose names were not written in the Book of Life when the world was created, will be surprised when they see the beast because it was, is no longer, and will come again.
- Revelation 20:12I saw the dead, both important and unimportant people, standing in front of the throne. Books were opened, including the Book of Life. The dead were judged on the basis of what they had done, as recorded in the books.
- Revelation 21:27Nothing unclean, no one who does anything detestable, and no liars will ever enter it. Only those whose names are written in the lamb’s Book of Life will enter it.
- Revelation 22:19If anyone takes away any words from this book of prophecy, God will take away his portion of the tree of life and the holy city that are described in this book.
- Philippians 4:3Yes, I also ask you, Syzugus, my true partner, to help these women. They fought beside me to spread the Good News along with Clement and the rest of my coworkers, whose names are in the Book of Life.
- Malachi 3:17“They will be mine,” says the Lord of Armies. “On that day I will make them my special possession. I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.
- Matthew 10:32“So I will acknowledge in front of my Father in heaven that person who acknowledges me in front of others.
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
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries