Elberfelder Bible - unrevised version (ca. 1900)

1UndG2532 dem EngelG32 der VersammlungG1577 inG1722 SardesG4554 schreibeG1125: DiesesG3592 sagtG3004, der die siebenG2033 GeisterG4151 GottesG2316 hatG2192 undG2532 die siebenG2033 SterneG792: Ich kenneG1492 deineG4675 WerkeG2041, daßG3754 du den NamenG3686 hastG2192, daßG3754 du lebestG2198, undG2532 bistG1488 totG3498. 2SeiG1096 wachsamG1127 undG2532 stärkeG4741 das ÜbrigeG3062, dasG3739 sterbenG599 willG3195; dennG1063 ich habeG2147 deineG4675 WerkeG2041 nichtG3756 völligG4137 erfundenG2147 vorG1799 meinem GottG2316. 3GedenkeG3421 nunG3767, wieG4459 du empfangenG2983 undG2532 gehörtG191 hast, undG2532 bewahreG5083 es undG2532 tue BußeG3340. WennG3362 du nunG3767 nichtG3362 wachenG1127 wirst, so werdeG2240 ich [überG1909 dich]G4571 kommenG2240 wieG5613 ein DiebG2812, undG2532 du wirstG1097 nichtG3364 wissenG1097, um welcheG4169 StundeG5610 ich überG1909 dichG4571 kommenG2240 werde. 4Aber du hastG2192 einige wenigeG3641 NamenG3686 inG1722 SardesG4554, dieG3739 ihreG846 KleiderG2440 nichtG3756 besudeltG3435 haben; undG2532 sie werdenG4043 mitG3326 mirG1700 einhergehenG4043 inG1722 weißenG3022 Kleidern, dennG3754 sie sindG1526 es wertG514.   5Wer überwindetG3528, derG3778 wirdG4016 mitG1722 weißenG3022 KleidernG2440 bekleidetG4016 werden, undG2532 ich werdeG813 seinenG846 NamenG3686 nichtG3364 auslöschenG1813 ausG1537 dem BucheG976 des LebensG2222 undG2532 werdeG1843 seinenG846 NamenG3686 bekennenG1843 vorG1799 meinemG3450 VaterG3962 undG2532 vorG1799 seinenG846 EngelnG32. 6Wer ein OhrG3775 hatG2192, höreG191, wasG5101 der GeistG4151 den VersammlungenG1577 sagtG3004! 7UndG2532 dem EngelG32 der VersammlungG1577 inG1722 PhiladelphiaG5359 schreibeG1125: DiesesG3592 sagtG3004 der HeiligeG40, der WahrhaftigeG228, der den SchlüsselG2807 des DavidG1138 hatG2192, der da öffnetG455, undG2532 niemandG3762 wird schließenG2808, undG2532 schließtG2808 undG2532 niemandG3762 wird öffnenG455: 8Ich kenneG1492 deineG4675 WerkeG2041. SieheG2400, ich habeG1325 eine geöffneteG455 TürG2374 vorG1799 dirG4675 gegebenG1325, dieG846 niemandG3762 zu schließenG2808 vermagG1410; dennG3754 du hastG2192 eine kleineG3398 KraftG1411, undG2532 hastG5083 meinG3450 WortG3056 bewahrtG5083 undG2532 hastG720 meinenG3450 NamenG3686 nichtG3756 verleugnetG720. 9SieheG2400, ich gebeG1325 ausG1537 der SynagogeG4864 des SatansG4567 von denen, welcheG3588 sagenG3004, sieG1438 seienG1511 JudenG2453, undG2532 sindG1526 es nichtG3756, sondernG235 lügenG5574; sieheG2400, ich werde sie zwingenG4160, daßG2443 sieG846 kommenG2240 undG2532 sich niederwerfenG4352 vorG1799 deinenG4675 FüßenG4228 undG2532 erkennenG1097, daßG3754 ichG1473 dichG4571 geliebtG25 habe. 10WeilG3754 du das WortG3056 meinesG3450 AusharrensG5281 bewahrtG5083 hast, werdeG5083 auch ichG2504 dichG4571 bewahrenG5083 vorG1537 der StundeG5610 der VersuchungG3986, dieG3588 überG1909 den ganzenG3650 ErdkreisG3625 kommenG2064 wirdG3195, um die zu versuchenG3985, welche aufG1909 der ErdeG1093 wohnenG2730. 11Ich kommeG2064 baldG5035; halte festG2902, wasG3739 du hastG2192, auf daßG2443 niemandG3367 deineG4675 KroneG4735 nehmeG2983! 12Wer überwindetG3528, denG846 werdeG4160 ich zu einer SäuleG4769 machenG4160 inG1722 dem TempelG3485 meinesG3450 GottesG2316, undG2532 er wirdG1831 nieG3364 mehrG2089 hinausgehenG1854 G1831; undG2532 ich werdeG1125 aufG1909 ihnG846 schreibenG1125 den NamenG3686 meinesG3450 GottesG2316 undG2532 den NamenG3686 der StadtG4172 meinesG3450 GottesG2316, desG3588 neuenG2537 JerusalemG2419, dasG3588 ausG1537 dem HimmelG3772 herniederkommtG2597 vonG575 meinemG3450 GottG2316, undG2532 meinenG3450 neuenG2537 NamenG3686. 13Wer ein OhrG3775 hatG2192, höreG191, wasG5101 der GeistG4151 den VersammlungenG1577 sagtG3004! 14UndG2532 dem EngelG32 der VersammlungG1577 in LaodicäaG2994 schreibeG1125: DiesesG3592 sagtG3004 der AmenG281, der treueG4103 undG2532 wahrhaftigeG228 ZeugeG3144, der AnfangG746 der SchöpfungG2937 GottesG2316: 15Ich kenneG1492 deineG4675 WerkeG2041, daßG3754 du wederG3777 kaltG5593 nochG3777 warmG2200 bistG1488. AchG3785, daß du kaltG5593 oderG2228 warmG2200 wärestG1498! 16AlsoG3779, weilG3754 du lauG5513 bistG1488 undG2532 wederG3777 kaltG5593 nochG3777 warmG2200, so werdeG3195 ich dichG4571 ausspeienG1692 ausG1537 meinemG3450 MundeG4750. 17WeilG3754 du sagstG3004: Ich binG1510 reichG4145 undG2532 bin reich gewordenG4147 undG2532 bedarfG2192 G5532 nichtsG3762, undG2532 weißtG1492 nichtG3756, daßG3754 duG4771 der ElendeG5005 undG2532 der JämmerlicheG1652 undG2532 armG4434 undG2532 blindG5185 undG2532 bloßG1131 bistG1488. 18Ich rateG4823 dirG4671, GoldG5553 vonG3844 mirG1700 zu kaufenG59, geläutertG4448 imG1537 FeuerG4442, auf daßG2443 du reich werdestG4147; undG2532 weißeG3022 KleiderG2440, auf daßG2443 du bekleidetG4016 werdest, undG2532 die SchandeG152 deinerG4675 BlößeG1132 nichtG3361 offenbar werdeG5319; undG2532 AugensalbeG2854, deineG4675 AugenG3788 zu salbenG1472, auf daßG2443 du sehenG991 mögest. 19IchG1473 überführeG1651 undG2532 züchtigeG3811, so vieleG3745 G1437 ich liebeG5368. Sei nunG3767 eifrigG2206 undG2532 tue BußeG3340! 20SieheG2400, ich steheG2476 anG1909 der TürG2374 undG2532 klopfe anG2925; wennG1437 jemandG5100 meineG3450 StimmeG5456 hörtG191 undG2532 die TürG2374 auftutG455, zuG4314 demG846 werde ich eingehenG1525 undG2532 das AbendbrotG1172 mitG3326 ihmG846 essenG1172, undG2532 erG846 mitG3326 mirG1700. 21Wer überwindetG3528, demG846 werde ich gebenG1325, mitG3326 mirG1700 aufG1722 meinemG3450 ThroneG2362 zu sitzenG2523, wieG5613 auch ichG2504 überwundenG3528 undG2532 michG2523 mitG3326 meinemG3450 VaterG3962 gesetztG2523 habe aufG1722 seinenG846 ThronG2362. 22Wer ein OhrG3775 hatG2192, höreG191, wasG5101 der GeistG4151 den VersammlungenG1577 sagtG3004! 


Matthew Henry - Concise Commentary
 1   The Lord Jesus is He that hath the Holy Spirit with all his powers, graces, and operations. Hypocrisy, and lamentable decay in religion, are sins charged upon Sardis, by One who knew that church well, and all her works. Outward things appeared well to men, but there was only the form of godliness, not the power; a name to live, not a principle of life. There was great deadness in their souls, and in their services; numbers were wholly hypocrites, others were in a disordered and lifeless state. Our Lord called upon them to be watchful against their enemies, and to be active and earnest in their duties; and to endeavour, in dependence on the grace of the Holy Spirit, to revive and strengthen the faith and spiritual affections of those yet alive to God, though in a declining state. Whenever we are off our watch, we lose ground. Thy works are hollow and empty; prayers are not filled up with holy desires, alms-deeds not filled up with true charity, sabbaths not filled up with suitable devotion of soul to God. There are not inward affections suitable to outward acts and expressions; when the spirit is wanting, the form cannot long remain. In seeking a revival in our own souls, or the souls of others, it is needful to compare what we profess with the manner in which we go on, that we may be humbled and quickened to hold fast that which remains. Christ enforces his counsel with a dreadful threatening if it should be despised. Yet our blessed Lord does not leave this sinful people without some encouragement. He makes honourable mention of the faithful remnant in Sardis, he makes a gracious promise to them. He that overcometh shall be clothed in white raiment; the purity of grace shall be rewarded with the perfect purity of glory. Christ has his book of life, a register of all who shall inherit eternal life; the book of remembrance of all who live to God, and keep up the life and power of godliness in evil times. Christ will bring forward this book of life, and show the names of the faithful, before God, and all the angels, at the great day.

 7   The same Lord Jesus has the key of government and authority in and over the church. He opens a door of opportunity to his churches; he opens a door of utterance to his ministers; he opens a door of entrance, opens the heart. He shuts the door of heaven against the foolish, who sleep away their day of grace; and against the workers of iniquity, how vain and confident soever they may be. The church in Philadelphia is commended; yet with a gentle reproof. Although Christ accepts a little strength, yet believers must not rest satisfied in a little, but strive to grow in grace, to be strong in faith, giving glory to God. Christ can discover this his favour to his people, so that their enemies shall be forced to acknowledge it. This, by the grace of Christ, will soften their enemies, and make them desire to be admitted into communion with his people. Christ promises preserving grace in the most trying times, as the reward of past faithfulness; To him that hath shall be given. Those who keep the gospel in a time of peace, shall be kept by Christ in an hour of temptation; and the same Divine grace that has made them fruitful in times of peace, will make them faithful in times of persecution. Christ promises a glorious reward to the victorious believer. He shall be a monumental pillar in the temple of God; a monument of the free and powerful grace of God; a monument that shall never be defaced or removed. On this pillar shall be written the new name of Christ; by this will appear, under whom the believer fought the good fight, and came off victorious.

 14   Laodicea was the last and worst of the seven churches of Asia. Here our Lord Jesus styles himself, The Amen; one steady and unchangeable in all his purposes and promises. If religion is worth anything, it is worth every thing. Christ expects men should be in earnest. How many professors of gospel doctrine are neither hot nor cold; except as they are indifferent in needful matters, and hot and fiery in disputes about things of lesser moment! A severe punishment is threatened. They would give a false opinion of Christianity, as if it were an unholy religion; while others would conclude it could afford no real satisfaction, otherwise its professors would not have been heartless in it, or so ready to seek pleasure or happiness from the world. One cause of this indifference and inconsistency in religion is, self-conceit and self-delusion; Because thou sayest. What a difference between their thoughts of themselves, and the thoughts Christ had of them! How careful should we be not to cheat our owns souls! There are many in hell, who once thought themselves far in the way to heaven. Let us beg of God that we may not be left to flatter and deceive ourselves. Professors grow proud, as they become carnal and formal. Their state was wretched in itself. They were poor; really poor, when they said and thought they were rich. They could not see their state, nor their way, nor their danger, yet they thought they saw it. They had not the garment of justification, nor sanctification: they were exposed to sin and shame; their rags that would defile them. They were naked, without house or harbour, for they were without God, in whom alone the soul of man can find rest and safety. Good counsel was given by Christ to this sinful people. Happy those who take his counsel, for all others must perish in their sins. Christ lets them know where they might have true riches, and how they might have them. Some things must be parted with, but nothing valuable; and it is only to make room for receiving true riches. Part with sin and self-confidence, that you may be filled with his hidden treasure. They must receive from Christ the white raiment he purchased and provided for them; his own imputed righteousness for justification, and the garments of holiness and sanctification. Let them give themselves up to his word and Spirit, and their eyes shall be opened to see their way and their end. Let us examine ourselves by the rule of his word, and pray earnestly for the teaching of his Holy Spirit, to take away our pride, prejudices, and worldly lusts. Sinners ought to take the rebukes of God's word and rod, as tokens of his love to their souls. Christ stood without; knocking, by the dealings of his providence, the warnings and teaching of his word, and the influences of his Spirit. Christ still graciously, by his word and Spirit, comes to the door of the hearts of sinners. Those who open to him shall enjoy his presence. If what he finds would make but a poor feast, what he brings will supply a rich one. He will give fresh supplies of graces and comforts. In the conclusion is a promise to the overcoming believer. Christ himself had temptations and conflicts; he overcame them all, and was more than a conqueror. Those made like to Christ in his trials, shall be made like to him in glory. All is closed with the general demand of attention. And these counsels, while suited to the churches to which they were addressed, are deeply interesting to all men.