若望默示录 Revelation Chapter 3

Revelation
Chapter 3

1 1 "To the angel of the church in Sardis, 2 write this: " 'The one who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars says this: "I know your works, that you have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.

你给撒尔德教会的天使写:"那持有天主的七神和七颗星的这样说:我知道你的作为,也知道你有生活之名,其实你是死的。

2 Be watchful and strengthen what is left, which is going to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.

你该儆醒,坚固其余将要死的人,因为我没有发见你的作为,在我天主面前是齐全的,

3 Remember then how you accepted and heard; keep it, and repent. If you are not watchful, I will come like a thief, and you will never know at what hour I will come upon you.

所以你应回想当初你是怎样接受了,是怎样听了天主的道:你该遵守,又该悔改;假如你不儆醒,我必要像盗贼一样来临,你也不知道我何时临于你。

4 However, you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; they will walk with me dressed in white, because they are worthy.

可是,在撒尔德你还有几个没有玷污自己的衣服,他们必要穿上白衣,与我同行,因为他们当得起。

5 "‘"The victor will thus be dressed in white, 3 and I will never erase his name from the book of life but will acknowledge his name in the presence of my Father and of his angels.

胜利的必要这样穿上白衣,我决不将他的名字从生命册上抹去;反之,我要在我父面前,在他的天使面前,承认他的名字。

6 "‘"Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'

有耳朵的,应听圣神向各教会说的话。"

7 4 "To the angel of the church in Philadelphia, 5 write this: " ‘The holy one, the true, who holds the key of David, who opens and no one shall close, who closes and no one shall open, says this:

你给非拉德非雅教会的天使写:"那圣洁而真实的,掌有达味钥匙的,开了无人能关,关了无人能开的这样说:

8 "‘"I know your works (behold, I have left an open door 6 before you, which no one can close). You have limited strength, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.

我知道你的作为;看,我在你面前安置了一个敞开的门,谁也不能关闭它;我知道你能力虽小,却遵守了我的话,没有否认我的名字。

9 Behold, I will make those of the assembly of Satan who claim to be Jews and are not, but are lying, behold I will make them come and fall prostrate at your feet, and they will realize that I love you.

看,我要从撒殚的会众,即从那些自称为犹太人的人中--其实不是,而只是撒谎的人--把一些人交给你;看,我要使他们前来,俯伏在你脚前,使他们承认我爱了你。

10 Because you have kept my message of endurance, 7 I will keep you safe in the time of trial that is going to come to the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.

因为你遵守了我论坚忍的训言,我也要在试探期中保存你,这时期将要临于全世界,为试探世界上的居民。

11 I am coming quickly. Hold fast to what you have, so that no one may take your crown.

我快要来;你应坚持你所有的,免得人拿去你的花冠。

12 "‘"The victor I will make into a pillar 8 in the temple of my God, and he will never leave it again. On him I will inscribe the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God, as well as my new name.

胜利的,我要使他成为我天主殿宇的柱子,决不再让他到外面去;我还要把我天主的名号,和从天上我天主那里降下的我天主的城邑,即新耶路撒冷的名号,以及我的新名号,写在他身上。

13 " ‘"Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'

有耳朵的,应听圣神向各教会说的话。"

14 9 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea, 10 write this: " ‘The Amen, the faithful and true witness, the source of God's creation, says this:

你给劳狄刻雅教会的天使写:"那做‘阿们’,做忠信而真实见证的,做天主创造万物根源的这样说:

15 "I know your works; I know that you are neither cold nor hot. 11 I wish you were either cold or hot.

我知道你的作为:你也不冷,也不热;巴不得你或冷或热!

16 12 So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

但是,你既然是温的,也不冷,也不热,我必要从我口中把你吐出来。

17 13 For you say, ‘I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,' and yet do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

你说:我是富有的,我发了财,什麽也不缺少;殊不知你是不幸的,可怜的,贫穷的,瞎眼的,赤身裸体的。

18 I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire 14 so that you may be rich, and white garments to put on so that your shameful nakedness may not be exposed, and buy ointment to smear on your eyes so that you may see.

我给你出个主意:你要向我买用火炼好的黄金,为使你富有,也买件白衣穿上,为不显露你裸体的羞耻,又买点眼药,抹在你的眼上,为使你能看见。

19 Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise. Be earnest, therefore, and repent.

凡我所疼爱的人,我要谴责他,管教他;所以你应当发奋热心,痛悔改过!

20 "‘"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, (then) I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me. 15

看,我立在门口敲门,谁若听见我的声音而给我开门,我要进到他那里,同他坐席,他也要同我一起坐席。

21 I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne, as I myself first won the victory and sit with my Father on his throne.

胜利的,我要赐他同我坐在我的宝座上,就如我得胜了,同我的父坐在他的宝座上一样。

22 "‘"Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'"

有耳朵的,应听圣神向各教会说的话。"



Footnotes(注解)

1 [1-6] The letter to Sardis does not praise the community but admonishes its members to watchfulness, mutual support, and repentance (Rev 3:2-3). The few who have remained pure and faithful will share Christ's victory and will be inscribed in the book of life (Rev 3:4-5).

2 [1] Sardis: this city, located ca. thirty miles southeast of Thyatira, was once the capital of Lydia, known for its wealth at the time of Croesus (6th century B.C.). Its citadel, reputed to be unassailable, was captured by surprise, first by Cyrus and later by Antiochus. The church is therefore warned to be on guard.

3 [5] In white: white is a sign of victory and joy as well as resurrection; see the note on Rev 2:17. The book of life: the roll in which the names of the redeemed are kept; cf Rev 13:8; 17:8; 20:12, 15; 21:27; Philippians 4:3; Daniel 12:1. They will be acknowledged by Christ in heaven; cf Matthew 10:32.

4 [7-13] The letter to Philadelphia praises the Christians there for remaining faithful even with their limited strength (Rev 3:8). Members of the assembly of Satan are again singled out (Rev 3:9; see Rev 2:9). There is no admonition; rather, the letter promises that they will be kept safe at the great trial (Rev 3:10-11) and that the victors will become pillars of the heavenly temple, upon which three names will be inscribed: God, Jerusalem, and Christ (Rev 3:12).

5 [7] Philadelphia: modern Alasehir, ca. thirty miles southeast of Sardis, founded by Attalus II Philadelphus of Pergamum to be an "open door" (Rev 3:8) for Greek culture; it was destroyed by an earthquake in A.D. 17. Rebuilt by money from the Emperor Tiberius, the city was renamed Neo-Caesarea; this may explain the allusions to "name" in Rev 3:12. Key of David: to the heavenly city of David (cf Isaiah 22:22), "the new Jerusalem" (Rev 3:12), over which Christ has supreme authority.

6 [8] An open door: opportunities for sharing and proclaiming the faith; cf Acts 14:27; 1 Cor 16:9; 2 Cor 2:12.

7 [10] My message of endurance: this does not refer to a saying of Jesus about patience but to the example of Christ's patient endurance. The inhabitants of the earth: literally, "those who live on the earth." This expression, which also occurs in Rev 6:10; 8:13; 11:10; 13:8, 12, 14; 17:2, 8, always refers to the pagan world.

8 [12] Pillar: this may be an allusion to the rebuilding of the city; see the note on v 7. New Jerusalem: it is described in Rev 21:10-22:5.

9 [14-22] The letter to Laodicea reprimands the community for being lukewarm (Rev 3:15-16), but no particular faults are singled out. Their material prosperity is contrasted with their spiritual poverty, the violet tunics that were the source of their wealth with the white robe of baptism, and their famous eye ointment with true spiritual perception (Rev 3:17-18). But Christ's chastisement is inspired by love and a desire to be allowed to share the messianic banquet with his followers in the heavenly kingdom (Rev 3:9-21).

10 [14] Laodicea: ca. forty miles southeast of Philadelphia and ca. eighty miles east of Ephesus, a wealthy industrial and commercial center, with a renowned medical school. It exported fine woolen garments and was famous for its eye salves. It was so wealthy that it was proudly rebuilt without outside aid after the devastating earthquake of A.D. 60/61. The Amen: this is a divine title (cf Hebrew text of Isaiah 65:16) applied to Christ; cf 2 Cor 1:20. Source of God's creation: literally, "the beginning of God's creation," a concept found also in John 1:3; Col 1:16-17, Hebrews 1:2; cf Proverb 8:22-31; Wisdom 9:1-2.

11 [15-16] Halfhearted commitment to the faith is nauseating to Christ; cf Romans 12:11.

12 [16] Spit: literally, "vomit." The image is that of a beverage that should be either hot or cold. Perhaps there is an allusion to the hot springs of Hierapolis across the Lycus river from Laodicea, which would have been lukewarm by the time they reached Laodicea.

13 [17] Economic prosperity occasioned spiritual bankruptcy.

14 [18] Gold . . . fire: God's grace. White garments: symbol of an upright life; the city was noted for its violet/purple cloth. Ointment . . . eyes: to remove spiritual blindness; one of the city's exports was eye ointment (see the note on Rev 3:14).

15 [20] Christ invites all to the messianic banquet in heaven; cf Isaiah 25:6; Luke 14:15; 22:30.