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Revelation 3:14-21
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Revelation 3:14-21
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea,[a] write this:
“‘The Amen, the faithful and true witness, the source of God’s creation, says this:(A) 15 “I know your works; I know that you are neither cold nor hot.[b] I wish you were either cold or hot. 16 [c]So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 [d](B)For you say, ‘I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,’ and yet do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire[e] so that you may be rich, and white garments to put on so that your shameful nakedness may not be exposed, and buy ointment to smear on your eyes so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise. Be earnest, therefore, and repent.(C)
20 “‘“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, [then] I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me.[f] 21 I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne, as I myself first won the victory and sit with my Father on his throne.(D)
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- 3:14 Laodicea: ca. forty miles southeast of Philadelphia and ca. eighty miles east of Ephesus, a wealthy industrial and commercial center, with a renowned medical school. It exported fine woolen garments and was famous for its eye salves. It was so wealthy that it was proudly rebuilt without outside aid after the devastating earthquake of A.D. 60/61. The Amen: this is a divine title (cf. Hebrew text of Is 65:16) applied to Christ; cf. 2 Cor 1:20. Source of God’s creation: literally, “the beginning of God’s creation,” a concept found also in Jn 1:3; Col 1:16–17; Hb 1:2; cf. Prv 8:22–31; Wis 9:1–2.
- 3:15–16 Halfhearted commitment to the faith is nauseating to Christ; cf. Rom 12:11.
- 3:16 Spit: literally, “vomit.” The image is that of a beverage that should be either hot or cold. Perhaps there is an allusion to the hot springs of Hierapolis across the Lycus river from Laodicea, which would have been lukewarm by the time they reached Laodicea.
- 3:17 Economic prosperity occasioned spiritual bankruptcy.
- 3:18 Gold…fire: God’s grace. White garments: symbol of an upright life; the city was noted for its violet/purple cloth. Ointment…eyes: to remove spiritual blindness; one of the city’s exports was eye ointment (see note on Rev 3:14).
- 3:20 Christ invites all to the messianic banquet in heaven; cf. Is 25:6; Lk 14:15; 22:30.
Revelation 3:14-21
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Revelation 3:14-21
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
The Message to Laodicea
14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the origin[a] of God’s creation:
15 “I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, ‘I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing.’ You do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 Therefore I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich; and white robes to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nakedness from being seen; and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. 19 I reprove and discipline those whom I love. Be earnest, therefore, and repent. 20 Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me. 21 To the one who conquers I will give a place with me on my throne, just as I myself conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.
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- Revelation 3:14 Or beginning
Revelation 3:14-21
Good News Translation
Revelation 3:14-21
Good News Translation
The Message to Laodicea
14 (A)“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
“This is the message from the Amen, the faithful and true witness, who is the origin[a] of all that God has created. 15 I know what you have done; I know that you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were either one or the other! 16 But because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I am going to spit you out of my mouth! 17 You say, ‘I am rich and well off; I have all I need.’ But you do not know how miserable and pitiful you are! You are poor, naked, and blind. 18 I advise you, then, to buy gold from me, pure gold, in order to be rich. Buy also white clothing to dress yourself and cover up your shameful nakedness. Buy also some ointment to put on your eyes, so that you may see. 19 (B)I rebuke and punish all whom I love. Be in earnest, then, and turn from your sins. 20 Listen! I stand at the door and knock; if any hear my voice and open the door, I will come into their house and eat with them, and they will eat with me. 21 To those who win the victory I will give the right to sit beside me on my throne, just as I have been victorious and now sit by my Father on his throne.
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- Revelation 3:14 origin; or ruler.
Revelation 3:14-21
New American Standard Bible
Revelation 3:14-21
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.
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- Revelation 3:14 Or Beginning; i.e., Originator
Revelation 3:14-21
New International Version
Revelation 3:14-21
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.
New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
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New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)
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Good News Translation (GNT) 
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New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
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