Revelation 3 · Verse 4

Revelation 3:4

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.
Revelation 3:4, King James Version

Revelation 3:4 in other translations

BSBBut you do have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments, and because they are worthy, they will walk with Me in white.
WEBNevertheless you have a few names in Sardis that didn’t defile their garments. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.
ASVBut thou hast a few names in Sardis that did not defile their garments: and they shall walk with me in white; for they are worthy.
YLTThou hast a few names even in Sardis who did not defile their garments, and they shall walk with me in white, because they are worthy.
DARBYBut thou hast a few names in Sardis which have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in white, because they are worthy.
BBEBut you have some names in Sardis who have kept clean their robes; and as a reward they will go in white with me.
WebsterThou 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.

What does Revelation 3:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
4. The three oldest manuscripts prefix "but," or "nevertheless" (notwithstanding thy spiritual deadness), and omit "even." names--persons named in the book of life (Re 3:5) known by name by the Lord as His own. These had the reality corresponding to their name; not a mere name among men as living, while really dead (Re 3:1). The gracious Lord does not overlook any exceptional cases of real saints in the midst of unreal professors. not defiled their garments--namely, the garments of their Christian profession, of which baptism is the initiatory seal, whence the candidates for baptism used in the ancient Church to be arrayed in white. Compare also Ep 5:27, as to the spotlessness of the Church when she shall be presented to Christ; and Re 19:8, as to the "fine linen, clean and white, the righteousness of the saints," in which it shall be granted to her to be arrayed; and "the wedding garment." Meanwhile she is not to sully her Christian profession with any defilement of flesh or spirit, but to "keep her garments." For no defilement shall enter the heavenly city. Not that any keep themselves here wholly free from defilement; but, as compared with hollow professors, the godly keep themselves unspotted from the world; and when they do contract it, they wash it away, so as to have their "robes white in the blood of the Lamb" (Re 7:14). The Greek is not "to stain" (Greek, "miainein"), but to "defile," or besmear (Greek, "molunein"), So 5:3. they shall walk with me in white--The promised reward accords with the character of those to be rewarded: keeping their garments undefiled and white through the blood of the Lamb now, they shall walk with Him in while hereafter. On "with me," compare the very same words, Lu 23:43; Joh 17:24. "Walk" implies spiritual life, for only the living walk; also liberty, for it is only the free who walk at large. The grace and dignity of flowing long garments is seen to best advantage when the person "walks": so the graces of the saint's manifested character shall appear fully when he shall serve the Lord perfectly hereafter (Re 22:3). they are worthy--with the worthiness (not their own, but that) which Christ has put on them (Re 7:14). Eze 16:14, "perfect through MY comeliness which I had put upon thee." Grace is glory in the bud. "The worthiness here denotes a congruity between the saint's state of grace on earth, and that of glory, which the Lord has appointed for them, about to be estimated by the law itself of grace" [Vitringa]. Contrast Ac 13:46.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 4. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis. The word names here is equivalent to persons; and the idea is, that even in a place so depraved, and where religion had so much declined, there were a few persons who had kept themselves free from the general contamination. In most cases, when error and sin prevail, there may be found a few who are worthy of the Divine commendation; a few who show that true religion may exist even when the mass are evil. Rom 11:4.

Which have not defiled their garments. Jude 1:23. The meaning is, that they had not defiled themselves by coming in contact with the profane and the polluted; or, in other words, they had kept themselves free from the prevailing corruption. They were like persons clothed in white walking in the midst of the defiled, yet keeping their raiment from being soiled.

And they shall walk with me in white. White is the emblem of innocence, and is hence appropriately represented as the colour of the raiment of the heavenly inhabitants. The persons here referred to had kept their garments uncontaminated on the earth, and as an appropriate reward it is said that they would appear in white raiment in heaven. Compare Rev 7:9, 19:8.

For they are worthy. They have shown themselves worthy to be regarded as followers of the Lamb; or, they have a character that is fitted for heaven. The declaration is not that they have any claim to heaven on the ground of their own merit, or that it will be in virtue of their own works that they will be received there; but that there is a fitness or propriety that they should thus appear in heaven. We are all personally unworthy to be admitted to heaven, but we may evince such a character as to show that, according to the arrangements of grace, it is fit and proper that we should be received there. We have the character to which God has promised eternal life.

(a) "white" Rev 7:9, 19:8

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis - A few persons, names being put for those who bore them. And as the members of the Church were all enrolled, or their names entered in a book, when admitted into the Church or when baptized, names are here put for the people themselves. See Rev 3:5. Have not defiled their garments - Their souls. The Hebrews considered holiness as the garb of the soul, and evil actions as stains or spots on this garb. So in Shabbath, fol. 152, 2: "A certain king gave royal garments to his servants: those who were prudent folded them up, and laid them by in a chest; those who were foolish put them on, and performed their daily labor in them. After some time the king asked for those royal robes; the wise brought theirs white and clean, the foolish brought theirs spotted with dirt. With the former the king was well pleased; with the latter he was angry. Concerning the former he said: Let those garments be laid up in my wardrobe, and let the persons go home in peace. Of the latter he said: Let the garments be put into the hands of the fuller, and cast those who wore them into prison." This parable is spoken on these words of Ecclesiastes, Ecc 12:7 : The spirit shall return to God who gave it. They shall walk with me in white - They shall be raised to a state of eternal glory, and shall be for ever with their Lord.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Revelation 3:1-6

Chapter Outline Epistles to the church at Sardis; (1-6) at Philadelphia; (7-13) and Laodicea. (14-22) Verses 1-6 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…

Read the full comment on Revelation 3:1-6 →

Revelation 3:4 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἀλλ᾽all᾽ButG235
ἔχειςecheisyou haveG2192
ὀλίγαoligaa fewG3641
ὀνόματαonomatapeopleG3686
ἐνeninG1722
ΣάρδεσινSardesinSardisG4554
ἃhawhoG3739
οὐκouknotG3756
ἐμόλυνανemolunansoiledG3435
τὰtatheG3588
ἱμάτιαhimatiagarmentsG2440
αὐτῶν,autōnof them,G846
καὶkaiandG2532
περιπατήσουσινperipatēsousinthey will walkG4043
μετ᾽met᾽withG3326
ἐμοῦemouMeG1473
ἐνeninG1722
λευκοῖς,leukoiswhite,G3022
ὅτιhotibecauseG3754
ἄξιοίaxioiworthyG514
εἰσιν.eisinthey are.G1510

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Revelation 3:4

  • Revelation 3:5

    He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

  • Revelation 7:9

    After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

  • Ecclesiastes 9:8

    Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.

  • Revelation 6:11

    And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

  • Revelation 7:13-14

    And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

  • Revelation 19:14

    And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

  • Revelation 3:18

    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, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

  • Revelation 4:4

    And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

  • Revelation 19:8

    And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

  • Jude 1:23

    And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

  • Luke 21:36

    Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

  • Mark 16:5

    And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
names.
11:13; *Gr:
Ac 1:15
even.
1Ki 19:18; Isa 1:9; Ro 11:4-6
which.
7:14; 19:8; Isa 52:1; 59:6; 61:3,10; 64:6; Zec 3:3-6; Jude 1:23
walk.
5,18; 4:4; 6:11; 7:9,13; 19:14; Es 8:15; Ps 68:14; Ec 9:8; Zec 3:4
Mr 16:5
for.
Mt 10:11; Lu 20:35; 21:36; 2Th 1:5

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Revelation 3:3

    Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

  • Revelation 3:4

    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.

  • Revelation 3:5

    He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Read all of Revelation 3

Revelation 3:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Mas tienes unas pocas personas en Sardis que no han ensuciado sus vestiduras: y andarán conmigo en vestiduras blancas; porque son dignos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Toutefois tu as quelques noms à Sardes qui n’ont pas souillé leurs vêtements; et ils marcheront avec moi en vêtements blancs, car ils en sont dignes.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Aber du hast einige wenige Namen in Sardes, die ihre Kleider nicht besudelt haben; und sie werden mit mir einhergehen in weißen Kleidern, denn sie sind es wert.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Sed habes pauca nomina in Sardis qui non inquinaverunt vestimenta sua: et ambulabunt mecum in albis, quia digni sunt.