----中文待译----
181. CHAPTER 3.
1. AND unto the angel of the church in Sardis write: These things saith he that hath the seven spirits of God, and the seven stars: I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
2. Be wakeful, and strengthen the things that remain which are about to die: for I have not found thy works full before God.
3. Remember, therefore, how thou hast received and heard, and take heed and repent. If therefore thou shalt not be wakeful, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
4. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white; for they are worthy.
5. He that overcometh shall be clothed in white garments and I will not blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
6. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
7. And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth and no one shutteth, and shutteth and no one openeth.
8. I know thy works: behold I have set before thee an open door, and no one is able to shut it; because thou hast some power, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
9. Behold, I will give them of a synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold I will make them to come and worship at thy feet and to know that I have loved thee.
10. Because thou hast kept the word of my endurance, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation which is to come upon the whole world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
11. Behold, I come quickly; hold fast that thou hast, that no one take thy crown.
12. He that overcometh, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out, and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God, and my new name.
13. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
14. And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write: These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God:
15. I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot; I would thou wert cold or hot.
16. So, then, because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
17. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked,
18. I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see.
19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous therefore and repent.
20. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
21. To him that overcometh, I will give to sit with me in my throne, as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne.
22. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
EXPLANATION.
VERSES 1-6. And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write: These things saith he that hath the seven spirits of God, and the seven stars: I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be wakeful, and strengthen the things that remain, which are about to die; for I have not found thy works full before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and take heed, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not be wakeful, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white; for they are worthy. He that overcometh shall be clothed in white garments; and I will not blot his name out of the book of life; and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
"And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write," signifies those whose life is moral, and not spiritual, because they make light of the knowledges (cognitiones) of spiritual things, and thence of intelligence and wisdom. "These things saith he that hath the seven spirits of God," signifies the Lord, from whom are all the truths of heaven and the church; "and the seven stars," signifies, from whom are all the knowledges (cognitiones) of truth and good: "I know thy works," signifies, the things of their life that thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead," signifies, the quality of their thought, in that they suppose themselves to be alive, because their life is moral, when, yet, they are dead.
"Be wakeful" signifies, that they should procure for themselves life: "and strengthen the things that remain which are ready to die," signifies, that the things of moral life should be quickened: "for I have not found thy works full before God," signifies, that otherwise the Divine is not in moral life.
"Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and take heed," signifies, remembrance of what the Lord teaches in the Word, and attention to it: "and repent," signifies, thus spiritual life. "If therefore thou shalt not be wakeful," signifies, if thou dost not procure spiritual life: "I will, come upon thee as a thief," signifies, an unexpected time, when all knowledges procured from the Word which have not acquired spiritual life will be taken away: "and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee," signifies, ignorance of that time and their state then.
"Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments," signifies those whose life is moral from a spiritual origin, by applying the knowledges (cognitiones) of truth and good to the uses of their life: "and they shall walk with me in white; for they are worthy," signifies, their spiritual life, which they have by means of the knowledges (cognitiones) of truth and good from the Word.
"He that overcometh," signifies, who perseveres even until death: "shall be clothed in white garments," signifies, intelligence and wisdom according to truths and their reception: "and I will not blot his name out of the book of life," signifies, that they will be in heaven, because they are fitted for it: "and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels," signifies, that they shall be in Divine good and thence in Divine truth. "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches" signifies, that he who understands should hearken to what Divine truth proceeding from the Lord teaches and says to those who belong to His church.
181. 182; "these things saith he that hath the seven spirits of God," signifies the Lord, from whom are all the truths of heaven and of the church (n. 183); "and the seven stars," signifies from whom are all the knowledges of truth and good (n. 184); "I know thy works," signifies the things that are of their life (n. 185); "that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead," signifies the quality of their thought, in that they think themselves to be alive because they are living a moral life, when yet they are dead n. 186.
2. "Be wakeful," signifies that they should acquire for themselves life n. 187; "and confirm the things remaining that are about to die," signifies in order that the things that belong to the moral life may be vivified (n. 188); "for I have not found thy works full before God," signifies that otherwise the Divine is not in the moral life (n. 189).
3. "Remember, therefore, how thou hast received and heard, and take heed," signifies recalling to mind and attention what the Lord teaches in the Word n. 190; "and repent," signifies consequent spiritual life (n. 191); "if, therefore, thou shalt not be wakeful," signifies if thou dost not acquire spiritual life (n. 192); "I will come on thee as a thief," signifies the unexpected time of death, when all knowledges procured from the Word that have not acquired spiritual life will be taken away n. 193; "and thou shalt not know in what hour I will come upon thee," signifies ignorance of that time and the state then n. 194.
4. "Thou hast a few names even in Sardis that have not defiled their garments," signifies those who live a moral life from a spiritual origin, by applying the knowledges of truth and good [from the Word] to the uses of their life n. 195; "and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy," signifies their spiritual life which they have by means of the knowledges of truth and good from the Word n. 196. 5."He that overcometh," signifies he that is steadfast even until death (n. 197); "shall be clothed in white garments," signifies intelligence and wisdom according to truths and their reception (n. 198); "and I will not blot his name out of the book of life," signifies that they will be in heaven, because they are fitted for it n. 199; "and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels," signifies that they will be in Divine good and in Divine truth therefrom n. 200.
6. "He that hath an ear let him hear, what the Spirit saith to the churches," signifies that he who understands should hearken to what Divine truth proceeding from the Lord teaches and says to those who are of His church (n. 201).
181. CAPUT III.
1. ET Angelo in Sardibus Ecclesiae scribe: Haec dicit habens septem spiritus Dei et septem stellas: Novi tua Opera, quod nomen habeas quod vivas, et mortuus es.
2. Esto vigilans, et confirma reliqua quae moritura, non enim inveni tua opera plena coram Deo.
3. Memento igitur quomodo acceperis et audieris, et observa, et resipisce: si ergo non vigilaveris, veniam super te tanquam fur, et nescies qua hora veniam super te.
4. Habes pauca nomina etiam in Sardibus, quae non inquinaverunt vestimenta sua, et; ambulabunt Mecum in albis, quia digni sunt.
5. Vincens, is vestietur in vestimentis albis, et non delebo nomen ejus e libro vitae, et confitebor nomen ejus coram Patre meo et coram angelis Ejus.
6. Habens aurem audiat quid Spiritus dicit ecclesiis.
7. Et Angelo in Philadelphia Ecclesiae scribe: Haec dicit Sanctus Verus, habens clavem Davidis, aperiens et nemo claudit, et claudit et nemo aperit.
8. Novi tua opera; ecce dedi coram te ostium apertum, et nemo potest claudere illud, quia non nullam habes potentiam, et observasti meum verbum, et non negasti nomen meum.
9. Ecce dabo ex synagoga satanae, dicentium se ipsos Judaeos esse, et non sunt, sed mentiuntur; ecce faciam ut illi veniant et adorant ad pedes tuos, et sciant quod Ego dilexi te.
10. Quia servasti verbum tolerantiae meae, et Ego te servabo ab hora tentationis futurae venire super orbem universum, explorare habitantes super terra.
11. Ecce venio cito; retine quod habes, ut nemo accipiat coronam tuam.
12. Vincens, faciam illum columnam in templo Dei mei, et foras non egredietur amplius; et scribam super illum nomen Dei mei, et nomen civitatis Dei mei, Novae Hierosolymae, quae descendit e caelo a Deo meo, et nomen meum novum.
13. Habens aurem audiat quid Spiritus dicit ecclesiis.
14. Et Angelo Ecclesiae Laodicensium scribe: Haec dicit Amen, Testis fidelis et verus, Principium opificii Dei.
15. Novi tua opera, quod nec frigidus sis nec calidus; utinam frigidus esses aut calidus.
16. Itaque quia tepidus es, et nec frigidus nec calidus, futurum te evomam ex ore meo.
17. Quod dicas quod dives sim et locupletatus, et nullius opus habeam, et non scis quod tu sis aerumnosus et miserabilis et pauper et caecus et nudus.
18. Suadeo tibi emere a Me aurum exploratum igne ut ditatus sis, et vestimenta alba ut induaris, ne appareat pudor nuditatis tuae, et collyrio inunge oculos tuos ut videas.
19. Ego quoscunque amo, arguo et castigo; zelo age ergo, et resipisce.
20. Ecce sto ad Ostium et pulso; si quis audierit vocem meam, et aperuerit ostium, intrabo ad illum, et cenabo cum illo et ille Mecum.
21. Vincens, dabo ei sedere Mecum in throno meo, sicut et Ego vici, et sedeo cum Patre in throno Ejus.
22. Habens aurem audiat quid Spiritus dicit ecclesiis.
EXPLICATIO.
VERSUS 1-6.
"Et Angelo In Sardibus Ecclesiae scribe: Haec dicit habens septem spiritus Dei et septem stellas: Novi tua opera, quod nomen habeas quod vivas, et mortuus es. Esto vigilans, et confirma reliqua quae moritura, non enim inveni tua opera plena coram Deo. Memento igitur quomodo acceperis et audieris, et observa, et resipisce: si ergo non vigilaveris, veniam super te tanquam fur, et nescies qua hora veniam super te. Habes pauca nomina etiam In Sardibus, quae non inquinaverunt vestimenta sua, et ambulabunt Mecum in albis, quia digni sunt. Vincens, is vestietur in vestimentis albis, et non delebo nomen ejus e libro vitae, et confitebor nomen ejus coram Patre meo, et coram angelis Ejus. Habens aurem audiat, quid Spiritus dicit ecclesiis."
1. "Et Angelo in Sardibus Ecclesiae scribe", significat illos qui moralem vitam agunt, sed non spiritualem, quia parvi pendunt cognitiones spiritualium, et inde intelligentiam et sapientiam (n. 182): "haec dicit habens septem spiritus Dei" significat Dominum ex quo omnia vera caeli et ecclesiae (n. 183); "et septem stellas", significat a quo omnes cognitiones veri et boni (n. 184); "Novi tua opera", significat illa quae eorum vitae sunt (n. 185); "quod nomen habeas quod vivas et mortuus es", significat quale cognitionis, quod putent se vivos esse, quia moralem agunt vitam, cum tamen mortui sunt (n. 186).
2. "Esto vigilans", significat ut vitam sibi comparent (n. 187); "et confirma reliqua quae moritura", significat ut illa quae sunt moralis vitae vivificentur (n. 188); "non enim inveni tua opera plena coram Deo", significat quod alioquin non Divinum sit in vita morali (n. 189).
3. "Memento igitur quomodo acceperis et audieris, et observa", significat recordationem quid Dominus in Verbo docet, et attentionem (n. 190)"; et resipisce", significat sic vitam spiritualem (n. 191); "si ergo non vigilaveris", significat si non vitam spiritualem compares (n. 192); "veniam super te tanquam fur", significat (mortis) tempus inopinatum, quando eripientur omnes cognitiones comparatae ex Verbo quae non spiritualem vitam adeptae sunt (n. 193); "et nescies qua hora Veniam super te", significat ignorantiam illius temporis et status tunc (n. 194).
4. "Habes pauca nomina etiam in Sardibus, quae non inquinaverunt Vestimenta sua", significat illos qui agunt vitam moralem ex origine spirituali, per quod cognitiones veri et boni applicent usibus suae vitae (n. 195); "et ambulabunt Mecum in albis, quia digni sunt", significat vitam corum spiritualem quae illis per cognitiones veri et boni ex Verbo (n. 196).
5. "Vincens", significat qui permanet usque ad mortem (n. 197); "is vestietur in vestimentis albis", significat intelligentiam et sapientiam secundum vera et eorum receptionem (n. 198); "et non delebo nomen ejus e libro vitae", significat quod in caelo erunt quia ei accommodati (n. 199); "et confitebor nomen ejus coram Patre meo, et coram angelis Ejus", significat quod in Divino Bono et inde in Divino Vero erunt (n. 200).
6. "Habens aurem audiat quid Spiritus dicit ecclesiis", significat quod qui intelligit auscultet qui" Divinum Verum procedens a Domino docet et dicit illis qui ab ecclesia Ipsius sunt (n. 201).