15 I know your deeds,(A) that you are neither cold nor hot.(B) 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.’(C) But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.(D) 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire,(E) so you can become rich; and white clothes(F) to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness;(G) and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.(H) So be earnest and repent.(I)

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15 (A)I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; (B)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, “(C)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 (D)buy from Me (E)gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and (F)white garments so that you may clothe yourself and (G)the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to apply to your eyes so that you may see. 19 (H)Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline; therefore be zealous and (I)repent.

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15 ‘I know your deeds, that you are [a]neither cold (invigorating, refreshing) nor hot (healing, therapeutic); I wish that you were [b]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)

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Footnotes

  1. 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.
  2. Revelation 3:15 I.e. alive, productive—beneficial in one way or the other.

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.

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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 (A) I correct and punish everyone I love. So make up your minds to turn away from your sins.

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