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Revelation 3:14-22
New International Version
Revelation 3:14-22
New International Version
To the Church in Laodicea
14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea(A) write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness,(B) the ruler of God’s creation.(C) 15 I know your deeds,(D) that you are neither cold nor hot.(E) I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’(F) But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.(G) 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire,(H) so you can become rich; and white clothes(I) to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness;(J) and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.(K) So be earnest and repent.(L) 20 Here I am! I stand at the door(M) and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,(N) I will come in(O) and eat with that person, and they with me.
21 To the one who is victorious,(P) I will give the right to sit with me on my throne,(Q) just as I was victorious(R) and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear(S) what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Revelation 3:14-22
New American Standard Bible
Revelation 3:14-22
New American Standard Bible
Message to Laodicea
14 “To the angel of the church in (A)Laodicea write:
(B)The Amen, (C)the faithful and true Witness, (D)the [a]Origin of the creation of God, says this:
15 ‘(E)I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; (F)I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, “(G)I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have no need of anything,” and you do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked, 18 I advise you to (H)buy from Me (I)gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and (J)white garments so that you may clothe yourself and (K)the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to apply to your eyes so that you may see. 19 (L)Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline; therefore be zealous and (M)repent. 20 Behold, I stand (N)at the door and (O)knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, (P)I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. 21 (Q)The one who overcomes, I will grant to him (R)to sit with Me on My throne, as (S)I also overcame and sat with My Father on His throne. 22 (T)The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
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- Revelation 3:14 Or Beginning; i.e., Originator
Revelation 3:14-22
Amplified Bible
Revelation 3:14-22
Amplified Bible
Message to Laodicea
14 “To the angel (divine messenger) of the church in [a]Laodicea write:
“These are the words of the Amen, the trusted and faithful and true Witness, the [b]Beginning and Origin of God’s creation:
15 ‘I know your deeds, that you are [c]neither cold (invigorating, refreshing) nor hot (healing, therapeutic); I wish that you were [d]cold or hot. 16 So because you are lukewarm (spiritually useless), and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth [rejecting you with disgust]. 17 Because you say, “I am rich, and have prospered and grown wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked [without hope and in great need],(A) 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold that has been heated red hot and refined by fire so that you may become truly rich; and white clothes [representing righteousness] to clothe yourself so that the shame of your nakedness will not be seen; and healing salve to put on your eyes so that you may see. 19 Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I rebuke and discipline [showing them their faults and instructing them]; so be enthusiastic and repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, your sinful behavior—seek God’s will].(B) 20 Behold, I stand at the door [of the church] and continually knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him (restore him), and he with Me. 21 He who overcomes [the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God], I will grant to him [the privilege] to sit beside Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down beside My Father on His throne.(C) 22 He who has an ear, let him hear and heed what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
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- Revelation 3:14 Laodicea, located beside the Lycus River, was a prosperous city about forty miles south of Philadelphia. It had a well-respected financial center, thriving textile production industry (specializing in black wool), and a leading medical school that produced a famous eye salve. Two other cities were in this general area: Colossae, known for its mountain spring of cold, fresh water; and Hierapolis, a site famous for its hot, therapeutic mineral springs.
- Revelation 3:14 I.e. Origin of Source.
- Revelation 3:15 This phrase and the word lukewarm in v 16 form a metaphor that is probably based on the quality of the water supply of Laodicea, which was delivered by aqueduct from the hot mineral springs about five miles away. During its journey, the water cooled to a warm or lukewarm temperature.
- Revelation 3:15 I.e. alive, productive—beneficial in one way or the other.
Revelation 3:14-22
King James Version
Revelation 3:14-22
King James Version
14 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;
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
17 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:
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.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
20 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.
21 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.
22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
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Revelation 3:14-22
Contemporary English Version
Revelation 3:14-22
Contemporary English Version
The Letter to Laodicea
14 (A) This is what you must write to the angel of the church in Laodicea:
I am the one called Amen![a] I am the faithful and true witness and the source[b] of God's creation. Listen to what I say.
15 I know everything you have done, and you are not cold or hot. I wish you were either one or the other. 16 But since you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 You claim to be rich and successful and to have everything you need. But you don't know how bad off you really are. You are pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.
18 Buy your gold from me. It has been refined in a fire, and it will make you rich. Buy white clothes from me. Wear them and you can cover up your shameful nakedness. Buy medicine for your eyes, so you will be able to see.
19 (B) I correct and punish everyone I love. So make up your minds to turn away from your sins. 20 Listen! I am standing and knocking at your door. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and we will eat together. 21 Everyone who wins the victory will sit with me on my throne, just as I won the victory and sat with my Father on his throne.
22 If you have ears, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.
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New International Version (NIV) 
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New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
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Amplified Bible (AMP)
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Contemporary English Version (CEV) 
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