REV 3:14-22

To the Church in Laodicea

14"And to the messenger of the assembly in Laodicea, write: 'These things says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God:

15I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot.

16So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am about to vomit you out of my mouth.

17Because you say that "I am rich, and have grown rich, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you yourself are the wretched and pitiable and destitute and blind and naked one,

18I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed and the shame of your nakedness may not be made manifest; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see.

19As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline; be earnest therefore and repent.

20Behold, I have stood at the door and I knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will both come in to him and dine with him, and he with me.

21The one overcoming, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, just as I also overcame and sat with my Father on his throne.

22The one having an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.'"

In the world it was spoken into

The message to Laodicea draws on local cultural and economic realities familiar to its 1st-century audience. Laodicea was a wealthy city known for its banking, textile industry, and medical school producing eye salve. Its water supply, however, was lukewarm and unpalatable, drawn from hot springs that cooled as they traveled through aqueducts. This imagery of (lukewarm) would have resonated immediately with the Laodiceans, evoking disgust at tepid water unfit for drinking or bathing. The city’s affluence likely fostered a sense of self-sufficiency among its inhabitants, reflected in the church’s claim, 'I am rich; I have prospered.' Yet, the term (utterly destitute) starkly contrasts this self-assessment, highlighting spiritual poverty. The invitation to (share a meal) carries cultural weight, as communal dining symbolized fellowship and reconciliation in Greco-Roman society. The imagery of knocking and entering evokes the Roman patron-client relationship, where access to a benefactor was a privilege.

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How other translations render this

REV 3:14

KJV: And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
BSB: To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator of Godʼs creation.
Koinōnos: And to the messenger of the assembly in Laodicea, write: 'These things says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God:

REV 3:15

KJV: I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
BSB: I know your deeds; you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were one or the other!
Koinōnos: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot.

REV 3:16

KJV: So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
BSB: So because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to vomit you out of My mouth!
Koinōnos: So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am about to vomit you out of my mouth.

REV 3:17

KJV: Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
BSB: You say, ‘I am rich; I have grown wealthy and need nothing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.
Koinōnos: Because you say that "I am rich, and have grown rich, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you yourself are the wretched and pitiable and destitute and blind and naked one,

REV 3:18

KJV: 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.
BSB: I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, white garments so that you may be clothed and your shameful nakedness not exposed, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.
Koinōnos: I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed and the shame of your nakedness may not be made manifest; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see.

REV 3:19

KJV: As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
BSB: Those I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent.
Koinōnos: As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline; be earnest therefore and repent.

REV 3:20

KJV: Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
BSB: Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me.
Koinōnos: Behold, I have stood at the door and I knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will both come in to him and dine with him, and he with me.

REV 3:21

KJV: To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
BSB: To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
Koinōnos: The one overcoming, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, just as I also overcame and sat with my Father on his throne.

REV 3:22

KJV: He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
BSB: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Koinōnos: The one having an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.'

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

REV 3:14

church:The word translated 'church' referred to a formally assembled gathering of citizens, often for civic or political purposes, not exclusively a religious congregation.

REV 3:16

lukewarm:The term 'lukewarm' here describes a temperature that is neither hot nor cold, often associated with water that is unpalatable or even nauseating.

REV 3:17

and:The word translated 'poor' here meant a destitute beggar — someone utterly dependent on alms — not merely someone of low economic status.

REV 3:20

I will dine:The phrase 'I will dine' refers to the main meal of the day, typically eaten in the evening, which was a significant social and communal event.