Thematic Bible


Thematic Bible



"To the minister of the Church at Sardis write as follows: "'This is what He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars says. I know your doings--you are supposed to be alive, but in reality you are dead. Rouse yourself and keep awake, and strengthen those things which remain but have well-nigh perished; for I have found no doings of yours free from imperfection in the sight of My God. Be mindful, therefore, of the lessons you have received and heard. Continually lay them to heart, and repent. If, however, you fail to rouse yourself and keep awake, I shall come upon you suddenly like a thief, and you will certainly not know the hour at which I shall come to judge you.

"And to the minister of the Church at Laodicea write as follows: "'This is what the Amen says--the true and faithful witness, the Beginning and Lord of God's Creation. Verse ConceptsAttending ChurchAmenRulersWitnessing, Importance OfNames And Titles For ChristChrist, Names ForChrist The BeginningThe Witness Of ChristWriting Letterslukewarm

the secret meaning of the seven stars which you have seen in My right hand, and of the seven lampstands of gold. The seven stars are the ministers of the seven Churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven Churches. "To the minister of the Church in Ephesus write as follows: "'This is what He who holds the seven stars in the grasp of His right hand says--He who walks to and fro among the seven lampstands of gold.

"To the minister of the Church at Smyrna write as follows: "'This is what the First and the Last says--He who died and has returned to life. Verse ConceptsBeginningHistoryPreexistence Of ChristNames And Titles For ChristChurch, Examples OfBeginning And EndWriting LettersChrist Is RisenThe Fact Of Christ's DeathGoing To Church

"To the minister of the Church at Pergamum write as follows: "'This is what He who has the sharp, two-edged sword says. I know where you dwell. Verse ConceptsSwordsChurch, Examples OfThe Sword Of The SpiritWriting LettersTwo SidedWeapons Of Christfreemasonry

"To the minister of the Church at Thyateira write as follows: "'This is what the Son of God says--He who has eyes like a flame of fire, and feet resembling silver-bronze. Verse ConceptsBronzeChurch, Examples OfChrist's Exalted GloryFire Of ChristEyes In ProphecyWriting LettersThings Like BronzeTypes Of Feet

"To the minister of the Church at Sardis write as follows: "'This is what He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars says. I know your doings--you are supposed to be alive, but in reality you are dead. Verse ConceptsLettersReputationSpiritsChurch, Examples OfSeven SpiritsSeven LightsNot Maintaining LifeSpiritually DeadChrist Knowing About PeopleWriting LettersOne's Deeds

"To the minister of the Church at Philadelphia write as follows: "'This is what the holy One and the true says--He who has the key of David--He who opens and no one shall shut, and shuts and no one shall open. Verse ConceptsTruthHonestyKeysThe Act Of OpeningChrist, Character OfTypes Of ChristChurch, Examples OfOpening To OthersShutting The KingdomWriting Letters

"To the minister of the Church at Sardis write as follows: "'This is what He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars says. I know your doings--you are supposed to be alive, but in reality you are dead. Verse ConceptsLettersReputationSpiritsChurch, Examples OfSeven SpiritsSeven LightsNot Maintaining LifeSpiritually DeadChrist Knowing About PeopleWriting LettersOne's Deeds

"To the minister of the Church at Sardis write as follows: "'This is what He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars says. I know your doings--you are supposed to be alive, but in reality you are dead. Rouse yourself and keep awake, and strengthen those things which remain but have well-nigh perished; for I have found no doings of yours free from imperfection in the sight of My God. Be mindful, therefore, of the lessons you have received and heard. Continually lay them to heart, and repent. If, however, you fail to rouse yourself and keep awake, I shall come upon you suddenly like a thief, and you will certainly not know the hour at which I shall come to judge you.

"But immediately after those times of distress the sun will be darkened, the moon will not shed her light, the stars will fall from the firmament, and the forces which control the heavens will be disordered and disturbed. Then will appear the Sign of the Son of Man in the sky; and then will all the nations of the earth lament, when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with great power and glory. And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet-blast, and they will bring together His own People to Him from north, south, east and west--from one extremity of the world to the other. read more.
"Now learn from the fig-tree the lesson it teaches. As soon as its branches have now become soft and it is bursting into leaf, you all know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these signs, may be sure that He is near--at your very door. I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place. Earth and sky will pass away, but it is certain that my words will not pass away. "But as to that day and the exact time no one knows--not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.


"Learn from the fig-tree the lesson it teaches. As soon as its branch has become soft and it is bursting into leaf, you know that summer is near. So also do you, when you see these things happening, be sure that He is near, at your very door. I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place. read more.
Earth and sky will pass away, but it is certain that my words will not pass away. "But as to that day or the exact time no one knows--not even the angels in Heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. Take care, be on the alert, and pray; for you do not know when it will happen. It is like a man living abroad who has left his house, and given the management to his servants--to each one his special duty--and has ordered the porter to keep awake. Be wakeful therefore, for you know not when the master of the house is coming--in the evening, at midnight, at cock-crow, or at dawn. Beware lest He should arrive unexpectedly and find you asleep. Moreover, what I say to you I say to all--Be wakeful!"

"To the minister of the Church at Sardis write as follows: "'This is what He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars says. I know your doings--you are supposed to be alive, but in reality you are dead. Rouse yourself and keep awake, and strengthen those things which remain but have well-nigh perished; for I have found no doings of yours free from imperfection in the sight of My God. Be mindful, therefore, of the lessons you have received and heard. Continually lay them to heart, and repent. If, however, you fail to rouse yourself and keep awake, I shall come upon you suddenly like a thief, and you will certainly not know the hour at which I shall come to judge you.

Be on the alert therefore, for you do not know the day on which your Lord is coming. But of this be assured, that if the master of the house had known the hour at which the robber was coming, he would have kept awake, and not have allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready; for it is at a time when you do not expect Him that the Son of Man will come. read more.
"Who therefore is the loyal and intelligent servant to whom his master has entrusted the control of his household to give them their rations at the appointed time? Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes shall find so doing! In solemn truth I tell you that he will give him the management of all his wealth. But if the man, being a bad servant, should say in his heart, 'My master is a long time in coming,' and should begin to beat his fellow servants, while he eats and drinks with drunkards; the master of that servant will arrive on a day when he is not expecting him and at an hour of which he has not been informed; he will treat him with the utmost severity and assign him a place among the hypocrites: there will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.

Be you also ready, for at an hour when you are not expecting Him the Son of Man will come." Verse ConceptsCommitment, to the worldeagernessLast ThingsImminenceLack Of ExpectationThe Time Unknown

"And I tell you that every man who shall have acknowledged me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. Verse ConceptsHeaven,  Redeemed CommunityConfession Of ChristConfessing ChristAcknowledging ChristAngels Interacting With PeopleWitness Before MenAcknowledging GodconfessingUnbelief Toward Christ


"To the minister of the Church at Sardis write as follows: "'This is what He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars says. I know your doings--you are supposed to be alive, but in reality you are dead. Rouse yourself and keep awake, and strengthen those things which remain but have well-nigh perished; for I have found no doings of yours free from imperfection in the sight of My God. Be mindful, therefore, of the lessons you have received and heard. Continually lay them to heart, and repent. If, however, you fail to rouse yourself and keep awake, I shall come upon you suddenly like a thief, and you will certainly not know the hour at which I shall come to judge you. read more.
Yet you have in Sardis a few who have not soiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white; for they are worthy. "'In this way he who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments; and I will certainly not blot out his name from the Book of Life, but will acknowledge him in the presence of My Father and His angels.

"To the minister of the Church at Sardis write as follows: "'This is what He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars says. I know your doings--you are supposed to be alive, but in reality you are dead. Rouse yourself and keep awake, and strengthen those things which remain but have well-nigh perished; for I have found no doings of yours free from imperfection in the sight of My God.

"To the minister of the Church at Sardis write as follows: "'This is what He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars says. I know your doings--you are supposed to be alive, but in reality you are dead. Verse ConceptsLettersReputationSpiritsChurch, Examples OfSeven SpiritsSeven LightsNot Maintaining LifeSpiritually DeadChrist Knowing About PeopleWriting LettersOne's Deeds

These men--sunken rocks! --are those who share the pleasure of your love-feasts, unrestrained by fear while caring only for themselves; clouds without water, driven away by the winds; trees that cast their fruit, barren, doubly dead, uprooted; Verse ConceptsClouds, Figurative UseRootsAgape LovePlucking OutThe Second DeathLove Exists Between PeopleLove Feast

"To the minister of the Church at Sardis write as follows: "'This is what He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars says. I know your doings--you are supposed to be alive, but in reality you are dead. Rouse yourself and keep awake, and strengthen those things which remain but have well-nigh perished; for I have found no doings of yours free from imperfection in the sight of My God. Be mindful, therefore, of the lessons you have received and heard. Continually lay them to heart, and repent. If, however, you fail to rouse yourself and keep awake, I shall come upon you suddenly like a thief, and you will certainly not know the hour at which I shall come to judge you.

It said, "Write forthwith in a roll an account of what you see, and send it to the seven Churches--to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyateira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea." Verse ConceptsScrollsWritingChurch, Examples OfPreeminence Of ChristSeven PeopleWriting The New TestamentInspiration

"To the minister of the Church at Sardis write as follows: "'This is what He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars says. I know your doings--you are supposed to be alive, but in reality you are dead. Rouse yourself and keep awake, and strengthen those things which remain but have well-nigh perished; for I have found no doings of yours free from imperfection in the sight of My God. Be mindful, therefore, of the lessons you have received and heard. Continually lay them to heart, and repent. If, however, you fail to rouse yourself and keep awake, I shall come upon you suddenly like a thief, and you will certainly not know the hour at which I shall come to judge you. read more.
Yet you have in Sardis a few who have not soiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white; for they are worthy.

"To the minister of the Church at Sardis write as follows: "'This is what He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars says. I know your doings--you are supposed to be alive, but in reality you are dead. Verse ConceptsLettersReputationSpiritsChurch, Examples OfSeven SpiritsSeven LightsNot Maintaining LifeSpiritually DeadChrist Knowing About PeopleWriting LettersOne's Deeds


the secret meaning of the seven stars which you have seen in My right hand, and of the seven lampstands of gold. The seven stars are the ministers of the seven Churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven Churches. Verse ConceptsThe Golden LampstandLampsRight Hand Of GodSymbolsNames And Titles For The ChurchAngels, Nt AppearancesSeven PeopleSeven SpiritsSeven LightsAngels Interacting With People

In His right hand He held seven stars, and a sharp, two-edged sword was seen coming from His mouth; and His glance resembled the sun when it is shining with its full strength. Verse ConceptsLight, NaturalLight, SpiritualNoonRight Hand Of GodStarsThe Sword Of The SpiritThe SunChrist's HandsSeven LightsHeavenly FacesChrist's Right HandSparklingTwo SidedOther References To MouthsWeapons Of ChristGod Likened To The SunSunshineefficiency

"To the minister of the Church at Sardis write as follows: "'This is what He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars says. I know your doings--you are supposed to be alive, but in reality you are dead. Verse ConceptsLettersReputationSpiritsChurch, Examples OfSeven SpiritsSeven LightsNot Maintaining LifeSpiritually DeadChrist Knowing About PeopleWriting LettersOne's Deeds

John sends greetings to the seven Churches in the province of Asia. May grace be granted to you, and peace, from Him who is and was and evermore will be; and from the seven Spirits which are before His throne; Verse ConceptsSevenSpiritsNames And Titles For The Holy SpiritProvincesThe Existence Of GodSeven PeopleSeven SpiritsGod In Three PersonsGrace Be To YouThe Fact Of His ComingGoing To Church

Then, midway between the throne and the four living creatures, I saw a Lamb standing among the Elders. He looked as if He had been offered in sacrifice, and He had seven horns and seven eyes. The last-named are the seven Spirits of God, and have been sent far and wide into all the earth. Verse ConceptsAtonement, in NTHornsSpiritsSymbolsCherubim, At God's ThroneAnimal Sacrifices, As A Type Of ChristFour CreaturesSeven SpiritsSeven Body PartsHorns In AllegoryChrist Was KilledElders In HeavenGod Sending ProphetsHeavenLeadership Qualities

Out from the throne there came flashes of lightning, and voices, and peals of thunder, while in front of the throne seven blazing lamps were burning, which are the seven Spirits of God. Verse ConceptsLightningSpiritsSymbolsThunderSeven SpiritsSeven LightsFire Of The SpiritRumblingThe RainbowThunder Showing God's Presence

"To the minister of the Church at Sardis write as follows: "'This is what He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars says. I know your doings--you are supposed to be alive, but in reality you are dead. Rouse yourself and keep awake, and strengthen those things which remain but have well-nigh perished; for I have found no doings of yours free from imperfection in the sight of My God. Be mindful, therefore, of the lessons you have received and heard. Continually lay them to heart, and repent. If, however, you fail to rouse yourself and keep awake, I shall come upon you suddenly like a thief, and you will certainly not know the hour at which I shall come to judge you. read more.
Yet you have in Sardis a few who have not soiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white; for they are worthy. "'In this way he who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments; and I will certainly not blot out his name from the Book of Life, but will acknowledge him in the presence of My Father and His angels.


"To the minister of the Church at Sardis write as follows: "'This is what He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars says. I know your doings--you are supposed to be alive, but in reality you are dead. Rouse yourself and keep awake, and strengthen those things which remain but have well-nigh perished; for I have found no doings of yours free from imperfection in the sight of My God. Be mindful, therefore, of the lessons you have received and heard. Continually lay them to heart, and repent. If, however, you fail to rouse yourself and keep awake, I shall come upon you suddenly like a thief, and you will certainly not know the hour at which I shall come to judge you.



Accordingly John used to say to the crowds who came out to be baptized by him, "O vipers' brood, who has warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Live lives which shall prove your change of heart; and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our forefather,' for I tell you that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones. And even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees, so that every tree which fails to yield good fruit will quickly be hewn down and thrown into the fire."


All this kept happening to them with a figurative meaning; but it was put on record by way of admonition to us upon whom the ends of the Ages have come. Verse ConceptsExamples, Purpose OfDoubt, Dealing WithForeshadowingBible, Given ForEnd Of The AgesScripture TeachingOther Scriptures FulfilledInformation AgeEverything Happening For A Reasonteammates





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For certain persons have crept in unnoticed--men spoken of in ancient writings as pre-destined to this condemnation--ungodly men, who pervert the grace of our God into an excuse for immorality, and disown Jesus Christ, our only Sovereign and Lord. I desire to remind you--although the whole matter is already familiar to you--that the Lord saved a people out of the land of Egypt, but afterwards destroyed those who had no faith. And angels--those who did not keep the position originally assigned to them, but deserted their own proper abode--He reserves in everlasting bonds, in darkness, in preparation for the judgement of the great day. read more.
So also Sodom and Gomorrah--and the neighboring towns in the same manner--having been guilty of gross fornication and having gone astray in pursuit of unnatural vice, are now before us as a specimen of the fire of the Ages in the punishment which they are undergoing.

Accordingly, because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, before long I will vomit you out of My mouth. You say, I am rich, and have wealth stored up, and I stand in need of nothing; and you do not know that if there is a wretched creature it is *you* -- pitiable, poor, blind, naked. Therefore I counsel you to buy of Me gold refined in the fire that you may become rich, and white robes to put on, so as to hide your shameful nakedness, and eye-salve to anoint your eyes with, so that you may be able to see. read more.
All whom I hold dear, I reprove and chastise; therefore be in earnest and repent.