the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Revelation 3:2
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- DailyParallel Translations
Wake up! Make yourselves stronger before what little strength you have left is completely gone. I find that what you do is not good enough for my God.
Awake, and strengthen what remains and is on the point of death, for I have not found your works perfect in the sight of my God.
Be awake and strength the thynges which remayne that are redy to dye. For I have not founde thy workes perfaycte before god.
Wake up, and establish the things that remain, which were ready to die, for I have found no works of yours perfected before my God.
'Be constantly alert, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.
Wake up! Strengthen what you have left before it dies completely. I have found that what you are doing is less than what my God wants.
Be watchful, and establish the things that remain, which were ready to die: for I have not found your works perfected before my God.
Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
Wake up, and establish the things that remain, which were ready to die, for I have found no works of yours perfected before my God.
Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, which are ready to die; for I have not found thy works compleat before my God.
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 thou wakynge, and conferme thou othere thingis, that weren to diynge; for Y fynde not thi werkis fulle bifore my God.
Be thou watchful, and stablish the things that remain, which were ready to die: for I have found no works of thine fulfilled before my God.
Wake up and strengthen what remains, which was about to die; for I have found your deeds incomplete in the sight of My God.
Wake up! You have only a little strength left, and it is almost gone. So try to become stronger. I have found that you are not completely obeying God.
'Wake up, and strengthen and reaffirm what remains [of your faithful commitment to Me], which is about to die; for I have not found [any of] your deeds completed in the sight of My God or meeting His requirements.
Be thou watchful, and establish the things that remain, which were ready to die: for I have found no works of thine perfected before my God.
Be on the watch, and make strong the rest of the things which are near to death; because as judged by me your works have not come up to God's measure.
Wake up, and strengthen what remains, before it dies too! For I have found what you are doing incomplete in the sight of my God.
Be watchful, and strengthen the things that remain, which are about to die, for I have not found thy works complete before my God.
Be alert, and strengthen the things that are left, which are about to die. I have not found your works to be completed in the sight of my God.
Awake, and keep those things which remain, which are about to die; for I have not found thy works complete before my God.
Awake, and preserve the things that remain, which are ready to die; for I have not found thy works complete before my God.
Be watchfull, and strengthen the things which remaine, that are ready to die: for I haue not found thy works perfect before God.
Wake up! Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead. I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of my God.
Wake up! Make stronger what you have before it dies. I have not found your work complete in God's sight.
Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is on the point of death, for I have not found your works perfect in the sight of my God.
Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.
Be awake, and strengthen the things which remaine, that are readie to die: for I haue not found thy workes perfite before God.
Awake, and hold fast to the things which remain but are ready to die; for I have not found your works perfect before my God.
Be watchful and strengthen the things that remain, which are ready to die. For I find not thy works full before my God.
Be awake, and strength the thynges which remayne, that are redie to dye: For I haue not founde thy workes perfect before God.
So wake up, and strengthen what you still have before it dies completely. For I find that what you have done is not yet perfect in the sight of my God.
Be alert
Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
Be on the alert and strengthen the remaining things that are about to die, for I have not found your works completed before my God.
Be watching, and establish the things left, which are about to die. For I have not found your works being fulfilled before God.
become watching, and strengthen the rest of the things that are about to die, for I have not found thy works fulfilled before God.
Be awake, and strength the thinges which remayne, that are redy to dye. For I haue not founde thy workes perfecte before God.
be watchful, and fortify the rest that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
"Up on your feet! Take a deep breath! Maybe there's life in you yet. But I wouldn't know it by looking at your busywork; nothing of God's work has been completed. Your condition is desperate. Think of the gift you once had in your hands, the Message you heard with your ears—grasp it again and turn back to God. "If you pull the covers back over your head and sleep on, oblivious to God, I'll return when you least expect it, break into your life like a thief in the night.
Wake up then, and strengthen what remains that was about to die, because I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God.
Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. [fn]
But I'm telling you to get up! Get back in the saddle before I change my mind. You've got a lot to do and little time to do it.
'Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
watchful: Revelation 16:15, Isaiah 56:10, Isaiah 62:6, Isaiah 62:7, Ezekiel 34:8-10, Ezekiel 34:16, Zechariah 11:16, Matthew 24:42-51, Matthew 25:13, Mark 13:33-37, Acts 20:28-31, 2 Timothy 4:1-4, 1 Peter 4:7, 1 Peter 5:8
strengthen: Revelation 2:4, Deuteronomy 3:28, Job 4:4-5, Job 16:5, Isaiah 35:3, Luke 22:31, Luke 22:32, Acts 18:23
thy works: 1 Kings 11:4, 1 Kings 15:3, 2 Chronicles 25:2, Isaiah 57:12, Daniel 5:27, Matthew 6:2-4, Matthew 23:5, Matthew 23:28-38
Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 18:13 - Thou shalt Matthew 25:7 - General Mark 14:38 - Watch John 3:21 - that his 1 Corinthians 11:31 - General 1 Corinthians 16:13 - Watch 2 Corinthians 13:5 - Examine 1 Thessalonians 5:6 - watch 2 Timothy 4:5 - watch Revelation 2:5 - and do
Cross-References
Their poison, is like unto the poison of a serpent, Like the deaf adder, that stoppeth his ear;
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Be watchful,.... Which may respect both ministers and members: the ministers of the Gospel, whose business is to watch over themselves, their conversation and doctrine, and watch every opportunity to preach it, and the success of their ministry; and that they do not grow careless, or be drawn aside through frowns or flatteries; and over others, as shepherds do, to know the state of their flock; as watchmen of cities to give the time of night, and notice of approaching danger; and to see that the laws of Christ's house are put in execution: and this may also respect the members of these churches, who ought to be watchful, and constant attenders on the word and ordinances, and in the duty of prayer; and should watch over themselves, their hearts, thoughts, affections, words, and actions, and against sin, Satan, the world, and false teachers: or "be awake"; which shows that both ministers and churches are asleep, or much inclined to it; which is the present case of both in this period of time:
and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die; not good works; though these may be said to be ready to die when men grow weary of them, are lifeless in the performance of them, and want zeal for them; and may be said to be strengthened when men do their first works: nor the graces of the Spirit; for the whole work of grace remains, and though it is imperfect, yet no part is, or can be taken away from it; yea, there is an increase of it, though it may not be discerned; the work of grace cannot die, or be ready to die; there may be a decline as to the exercise of it, and a want of liveliness in it; and things may be ready to die in appearance, and in the apprehension of believers, but not in reality; and besides it is God's work, and not man's, to strengthen this: therefore they may intend the truths of the Gospel, which at the beginning of the Reformation were revived, and were preached with great life and liveliness; but towards the close of this state, as now, would be just ready to expire, to be almost lost, and dead, and buried, as they are; and which it becomes both ministers and members of churches to hold, and hold up, establish, and confirm: or else the rest of the members of this church may be meant, those of them that remained, that were not wholly sunk and apostatized; and yet were in a very faint and sickly state, scarce any life in them, ready to give up their religion and profession; which should be strengthened, by preaching the pure Gospel, by faithfully administering the ordinances of it, and by speaking comfortable and encouraging words to them. The Complutensian edition and some copies read, "which thou art about lose"; which seems a good reading; and the Arabic version, and some other copies, "which thou art going to reject":
for I have not found thy works perfect before God; meaning that the reformers, and reformed churches, stuck where they first began; and did not carry their works neither with respect to doctrine, and especially with respect to discipline and worship, to a greater perfection, as they ought to have done: and however perfect they might appear before men, they were not so in the sight of the omniscient God, nor found so by Christ, before whom all things are naked and open: the Arabic version reads, "before me"; and the Alexandrian copy, the Complutensian edition, the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions, read, "before my God". This church, though she has departed from the corrupt church of Rome, and from her evil doctrines and practices; yet did not go on to that perfection which might have been expected and desired, and which would have rendered her praiseworthy, whereas she is now discommended. It is an observation of a Jewish writer h, that
"if one departs from an evil way, and does not do that which is good, he does not השלים מעשהו, "make his work perfect", and he is not pronounced blessed.''
h R. David Kimchi in Psal. i. 2.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Be watchful - Be wakeful; be attentive and earnest - in contradistinction from the drowsy condition of the church.
Strengthen the things which remain - The true piety that still lives and lingers among you. Whatever there was of religion among them, it was of importance to strengthen it, that the love of the Saviour might not become wholly extinct. An important duty in a low and languishing state of religion is, to “strengthen the things that still survive.” It is to cultivate all the graces which do exist; to nourish all the love of truth which may linger in the church; and to confirm, by warm exhortation, and by a reference to the gracious promises of God’s word, the few who may be endeavoring to do their duty, and who, amidst many discouragements, are aiming to be faithful to the Saviour. In the lowest state of religion in a church there may be a few, perhaps quite obscure and of humble rank, who are mourning over the desolations of Zion, and who are sighing for better times. All such it is the duty of the ministers of religion to comfort and encourage; for it is in their hearts that piety may be kept alive in the church - it is through them that it may be hoped religion may yet be revived. In the apparent hopelessness of doing much good to others, good may always be done to the cause itself by preserving and strengthening what there may be of life among those few, amidst the general desolation and death. It is much to preserve life in grain sown in a field through the long and dreary winter, when all seems to be dead - for it will burst forth, with new life and beauty, in the spring. When the body is prostrate with disease, and life just lingers, and death seems to be coming on, it is much to preserve the little strength that remains; much to keep the healthful parts from being invaded, that there may be strength yet to recover.
That are ready to die - That seem just ready to become extinct. So, sometimes, in a plant, there seems to be but the least conceivable life remaining, and it appears that it must die. So, when we are sick, there seems to be but the feeblest glimmering of life, and it is apparently just ready to go out. So, when a fire dies away, there seems but a spark remaining, and it is just ready to become extinct. And thus, in religion in the soul - religion in a church - religion in a community - it often seems as if it were just about to go out forever.
For I have not found thy works perfect before God - I have not found them complete or full. They come short of what is required. Of what church, of what individual Christian, is not this true? Whom might not the Saviour approach with the same language? It was true, however, in a marked and eminent sense, of the church at Sardis.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Revelation 3:2. Be watchful — Ye have lost ground by carelessness and inattention. Awake, and keep awake!
Strengthen the things which remain — The convictions and good desires, with any measure of the fear of God and of a tender conscience, which, although still subsisting, are about to perish, because the Holy Spirit, who is the author of them, being repeatedly grieved, is about finally to depart.
Thy works perfect — πεπληρωμενα Filled up. They performed duties of all kinds, but no duty completely. They were constantly beginning, but never brought any thing to a proper end. Their resolutions were languid, their strength feeble, and their light dim. They probably maintained their reputation before men, but their works were not perfect before God.
