Apocalypse 3:8

Louis Segond

Je connais tes oeuvres. Voici, parce que tu as peu de puissance, et que tu as gardé ma parole, et que tu n'as pas renié mon nom, j'ai mis devant toi une porte ouverte, que personne ne peut fermer.

Parallel Translations

La Bible David Martin (1744)
Je connais tes œuvres : voici, je t'ai ouvert une porte, et personne ne la peut fermer; parce que tu as un peu de force, que tu as gardé ma parole, et que tu n'as point renoncé mon Nom.

La Bible Ostervald (1996)
Je connais tes œuvres; voici, j'ai ouvert une porte devant toi, et personne ne peut la fermer; parce que tu as peu de force, que tu as gardé ma parole, et que tu n'as point renié mon nom.

Darby's French Translation
Je connais tes oeuvres. Voici, j'ai mis devant toi une porte ouverte que personne ne peut fermer, car tu as peu de force, et tu as gardé ma parole, et tu n'as pas renié mon nom.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I know: Revelation 3:1, Revelation 3:15, Revelation 2:2

an open: Revelation 3:7, 1 Corinthians 16:9, 2 Corinthians 2:12, Colossians 4:3

a little: Daniel 11:34, 2 Corinthians 12:8-10, Philippians 4:13

and hast kept: Revelation 3:10, Revelation 22:7, John 14:21-24, John 15:20, John 17:6, 2 Timothy 4:7

and hast not: Revelation 2:13, Proverbs 30:9, Matthew 26:70-72, Luke 12:9, Acts 3:13, Acts 3:14, 1 Timothy 5:8, 1 John 2:22, 1 John 2:23, Jude 1:4

Reciprocal: Joshua 24:27 - deny Matthew 18:18 - General John 10:3 - the porter John 10:14 - know Acts 14:27 - opened 1 Corinthians 8:3 - is 1 Timothy 1:19 - Holding 2 Timothy 2:12 - if we deny 2 Timothy 2:19 - Let 2 Peter 2:1 - denying 1 John 5:18 - keepeth Revelation 14:12 - the faith

Gill's Notes on the Bible

I know thy works,.... Good works, of faith, love, and patience; and which lay much in preaching, professing, and maintaining the pure Gospel, and in acts of charity to one another; and which were done to some degree of perfection, and with great sincerity; since this church is not complained of, that her works were not perfect before God, as the former church is:

behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it; or "which no man can shut", as read the Alexandrian copy, and others, the Complutensian edition, the Vulgate Latin, and all the Oriental versions. This "open door" may design an uncommon opportunity of preaching the Gospel; and a very great freedom of mind in the preachers of it, and great attention in the hearers, whose hearts will be opened to observe, receive, and embrace it; and a very large gathering in of souls to Christ, and his churches; much and frequent preaching of the word with great success, which it will not be in the power of any creature to stop or hinder: now will the abundance of the sea, the forces of the Gentiles flow in, and the nation of the Jews shall be born at once.

For thou hast a little strength; which is not to be understood of inward spiritual strength, for of this the church in this period will have a great deal, as well as of courage and fortitude of mind, but outward power and authority: some great men, and princes of the earth, will come into the churches of Christ, even kings will come to the brightness of her rising; for now will all those prophesies have their accomplishment, which respect the secular grandeur of the church, with regard to its numbers, power, and riches; see

Isaiah 49:18.

And hast kept my word; both the commands and ordinances of Christ in practice, and that in their primitive purity, as they were delivered by Christ and his apostles, particularly baptism and the Lord's supper; which have been, one or other of them, or both, most sadly corrupted in all the periods of the churches hitherto, excepting the apostolical one, but will now be restored to their pristine purity and glory; and also the doctrines of the Gospel, which will be kept, not in memory only, but in the heart and life; they will be publicly and openly preached, professed, and defended:

and hast not denied my name: Christ himself, his doctrine respecting his person, office, and grace, neither in words, nor in works, but both ways confessed and owned it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I know thy works - See the notes on Revelation 2:2.

Behold, I have set before thee an open door - Referring to his authority as stated in Revelation 3:7. The “open door” here evidently refers to the enjoyment of some privilege or honor; and, so far as the language is concerned, it may refer to any one of the following things - either:

(1)The ability to do good - represented as the “opening of the door.” Compare Acts 14:27; 1Co 16:9; 2 Corinthians 2:12; Colossians 4:3.

(2)The privilege of access to the heavenly palace; that is, that they had an abundant opportunity of securing their salvation, the door being never closed against them by day or by night. Compare Revelation 21:25. Or.

(3)It may mean that they had before them an open way of egress from danger and persecution.

This latter Prof. Stuart supposes to be the true meaning; and argues this because it is immediately specified that those Jewish persecutors would be made to humble themselves, and that the church would but lightly experience the troubles which were coming upon the world around them. But the more natural interpretation of the phrase “an open door” is that it refers to access to a thing rather than egress from a thing; that we may come to what we desire to approach, rather than escape from what we dread. There is no objection, it seems to me, to the supposition that the language may be used here in the largest sense - as denoting that, in regard to the church at Philadelphia, there was no restraint. He had given them the most unlimited privileges. The temple of salvation was thrown open to them; the celestial city was accessible; the whole world was before them as a field of usefulness, and anywhere, and everywhere, they might do good, and at all times they might have access to the kingdom of God.

And no man can shut it - No one has the power of preventing this, for he who has control over all things concedes these privileges to you.

For then hast a little strength - This would imply that they had not great vigor, but still that, notwithstanding there were so many obstacles to their doing good, and so many temptations to evil, there still remained with them some degree of energy. They were not wholly dead; and as long as that was the case, the door was still open for them to do good. The words “little strength” may refer either to the smallness of the number - meaning that they were few; or it may refer to the spiritual life and energy of the church - meaning that, though feeble, their vital energy was not wholly gone. The more natural interpretation seems to be to refer it to the latter; and the sense is, that although they had not the highest degree of energy, or had not all that the Saviour desired they should have, they were not wholly dead. The Saviour saw among them the evidences of spiritual life; and in view of that he says he had set before them an open door, and there was abundant opportunity to employ all the energy and zeal which they had. It may be remarked that the same thing is true now; that wherever there is any vitality in a church, the Saviour will furnish ample opportunity that it may be employed in his service.

And hast not denied my name - When Christians were brought before pagan magistrates in times of persecution, they were required to renounce the name of Christ, and to disown him in a public manner. It is possible that, amidst the persecutions that raged in the early times, the members of the church at Philadelphia had been summoned to such a trial, and they had stood the trial firmly. It would seem from the following verse, that the efforts which had been made to induce them to renounce the name of Christ had been made by those who professed to be Jews, though they evinced the spirit of Satan. If so, then the attempt was probably to convince them that Jesus was not the Christ. This attempt would be made in all places where there were Jews.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Revelation 3:8. I have set before thee an open door — I have opened to thee a door to proclaim and diffuse my word; and, notwithstanding there are many adversaries to the spread of my Gospel, yet none of them shall be able to prevent it.

Thou hast a little strength — Very little political authority or influence; yet thou hast kept my word-hast kept the true doctrine; and hast not denied my name, by taking shelter in heathenism when Christianity was persecuted. The little strength may refer either to the smallness of the numbers, or to the littleness of their grace.