The message to the church at Sardis (Revelation 3:1-6) is framed by several word repetitions. The word “name” appears in v 1, and three times in verses 4-5 (trans. once as “people” in the NASB). Jesus says at the outset that the people of Sardis have a “name” for being alive ( zes ), but are in fact dead, and the message ends with a promise to the faithful that Jesus will not erase them from the “book of life” ( ek tes biblou tes zoes , v. 5).
Within this frame, there are two small chiasms.
First, a chiasm covers verses 1b-3:
A. I know your deeds, 1b
B. Wake up , 2
C. Remember, 3a
B’. If you do not wake up , 3b
A’. You do not know the hour, 3c
The second chiasm covers verses 4-5:
A. A few names have not soiled garments, 4a
B. Walk in white , 4b
C. They are worthy, 4c
B’. Clothed in white garments, 5a
A’. Not erase name ; confess name , 5b
Though the sections bleed into one another, there is a rough simple chiasm in the message as a whole:
A. To the angel of Sardis, 1a
B. Deeds and name, 1b
C. Wake up and remember, 1-3
C’. A few unsoiled, alert names, 4-5
B’. Names in book of life, 5
A’. He who has an ear, 6
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