OET interlinear REV 3:4

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἀλλὰ ἔχεις

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἀλλά ἔχεις ὀλίγα ὀνόματα ἐν Σάρδεσιν ἅ οὐκ ἐμόλυναν τά ἱμάτια αὐτῶν καί περιπατήσουσιν μετʼ ἐμοῦ ἐν λευκοῖς ὅτι ἀξιοῖ εἰσίν)

See the discussion of the phrase “you have” in the General Notes to chapter 2. Alternate translation: [But this is to your credit, that there are]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

ὀνόματα

names

Here, names represent people by association with the way that each person has a name. Alternate translation: [people]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / doublenegatives

οὐκ ἐμόλυναν τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν

not soiled (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἀλλά ἔχεις ὀλίγα ὀνόματα ἐν Σάρδεσιν ἅ οὐκ ἐμόλυναν τά ἱμάτια αὐτῶν καί περιπατήσουσιν μετʼ ἐμοῦ ἐν λευκοῖς ὅτι ἀξιοῖ εἰσίν)

If it would be clearer in your language, you could use a positive expression to translate this double negative that consists of the negative particle not and the negative verb stained. Alternate translation: [have kept their clothes clean]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

οὐκ ἐμόλυναν τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν

not soiled (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἀλλά ἔχεις ὀλίγα ὀνόματα ἐν Σάρδεσιν ἅ οὐκ ἐμόλυναν τά ἱμάτια αὐτῶν καί περιπατήσουσιν μετʼ ἐμοῦ ἐν λευκοῖς ὅτι ἀξιοῖ εἰσίν)

Jesus is speaking as if the disobedient believers in Sardis had literally stained their clothes while the obedient ones had not. He means that the obedient believers have not compromised their character by sinning. If it would be clearer in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. However, since Jesus continues the clothing image in the next phrase, you may wish to retain it here by translating the phrase stained their clothes directly Alternate translation: [have not compromised their character by sinning]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

περιπατήσουσιν μετ’ ἐμοῦ

˱they˲_˓will_be˒_walking with me

In this context, the word walk refers to how people live and behave. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [they will live in relationship with me]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj

ἐν λευκοῖς

in in white_‹garments›

Jesus is using the adjective white as a noun to mean a certain kind of clothing. He specifies in the next verse that he means “white garments.” Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you can translate this word with an equivalent phrase. Alternate translation: [in white garments]

Note 7 topic: translate-symaction

ἐν λευκοῖς

in in white_‹garments›

Jesus may mean that faithful and obedient believers actually will wear white clothing when they live with him as their everlasting reward, since this is depicted several times in the course of the book. If so, wearing this white clothing would be a symbolic action indicating the purity of their lives and their devotion to Jesus. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could explain the significance of this action. Alternate translation: [in white clothing that is symbolic of their purity]