Philadelphia is the sixth of seven churches in Asia Minor that received an evaluation of its overall spiritual condition from God:
"And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
"I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.
"Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
"Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. " (Revelation 3:7-11, KJV Bible).
The modern Turkish city of Alasehir began as perhaps one of the first ancient cities with the name Philadelphia. It was established in 189 B.C. by King Eumenes II of Pergamon (197-160 B.C.). Eumenes II named the city for the love of his brother, who would be his successor, Attalus II (159-138 B.C.), whose loyalty earned him the nickname, "Philadelphos", literally meaning "one who loves his brother".
Modern Alasehir is in the district of Manisa Province in the Aegean region of Turkey. It is situated in the valley of the Kuzuçay (Cogamus in antiquity), at the foot of the Bozdag (Mount Tmolus in antiquity). It is about 25 miles south-east of the ancient city of Sardis.
