Revelation 3:13 - Printer Friendly

ESV: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

NIV: Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

NASB: The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

CSB: "Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.

NLT: 'Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.

KJV: He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

NKJV: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’

This verse challenges believers once again to heed what the Spirit says to the churches. The corrections, challenges, and promises given to the churches of Asia Minor are appropriate for believers in every period of history. We must not simply read them for our intellectual improvement. Rather, we must read them for our spiritual good.

While these warnings and promises are not, literally speaking, given for modern Christians, the messages contain valuable lessons we can take to heart and apply to our lives. The apostle Paul testified that "all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work (2Timothy 4:16–17). If we learn and obey the inspired Word of God, we will become the illustrated Word to the world. The apostle James encourages us to apply the Word to our lives. He wrote: "But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, He will be blessed in His doing" (James 1:25).

Revelation 3:7–13 contains Jesus' letter to the church at Philadelphia. Philadelphia, was a center for exporting the Greek language and culture into the interior of Asia Minor. Thus, it had a secular missionary calling. Just as the city had an open door to the interior, so the church had an open door to spread the gospel. Jesus commends the church in verse 10 and promises to keep it from the tribulation period. He also instructs the church to retain the truth and promises each conqueror special recognition in the New Jerusalem. Smyrna and Philadelphia are the only churches in Revelation not to receive any particular criticism. The church at Philadelphia's characteristics are similar to those of the Church in the 19th and 20th centuries that was a period of frequent revivals and missionary activity.

These final letters symbolize Church history from AD 1500 to the Rapture, the event that transports the Church from earth to be with Jesus. Sardis had a good reputation, but it was actually spiritually dead. Philadelphia had a good opportunity to spread the gospel, and it had kept Jesus' word and had remained loyal to Him. As such, Jesus promises to reward this church's conquerors. Laodicea was proud of its wealth, but was spiritually lukewarm, a characteristic that Jesus detests. He promises to fellowship with anyone in the church who would heed His voice and welcome Him. Laodicea is the only church given no praise by Christ.

This chapter concludes the letters Jesus instructed the apostle John to write to seven churches in Asia Minor. Those messages began in chapter 2. This passage ends the section of Revelation that describes the things that are (Revelation 1:19), meaning the things which existed in John's lifetime. Chapter 1 describes what John had seen (Revelation 1:19), and chapter 4 begins John's account of what was to take place in the future (Revelation 1:19).

The word ''revelation'' means ''an unveiling or disclosure.'' This writing unveils future events such as the rapture, three series of judgments that will fall on the earth during the tribulation, the emergence of the Antichrist, the persecution of Israel and her amazing revival, as well as Jesus' second coming with His saints to the earth, the judgment of Satan and his followers, and finally, the eternal state. This content, combined with the original Greek term apokalypsis, is why we now refer to an end-of-the-world scenario as ''an apocalypse.''