Revelation 3:15 BSB

Revelation 3:15

I know your deeds; you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were one or the other!

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

KJV

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

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Commentary

4 voices

Victorinus of Pettau

Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John (304)

Moreover, the seventh association of the Church declares that they are rich men placed in positions of dignity, but believing that they are rich, among whom indeed the Scriptures are discussed in their bedchamber, while the faithful are outside; and they are understood by none, although they boast themselves, and say that they know all things,-endowed with the confidence of learning, but ceasing from its labour. And thus He says:- "That they are neither cold nor hot." That is, neither unbelieving nor believing, for they are all things to all men.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

That thou art neither cold - An utter stranger to the things of God, having no care or thought about them. Nor hot - As boiling water: so ought we to be penetrated and heated by the fire of love. O that thou wert - This wish of our Lord plainly implies that he does not work on us irresistibly, as the fire does on the water which it heats.

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

As lukewarm water turns the stomach, and provokes to a vomit, lukewarm professors turn the heart of Christ against them. He is sick of them, and cannot long bear them. They may call their lukewarmness charity, meekness, moderation, and a largeness of soul; it is nauseous to Christ, and makes those so that allow themselves in it.

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

Albert Barnes

1798–1870

Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)

I know thy works - notes on Rev 2:2. That thou art neither cold nor hot - The word “cold” here would seem to denote the state where there was no pretension to religion; where everything was utterly lifeless and dead. The language is obviously figurative, but it is such as is often employed, when we speak of one as being cold toward another, as having a cold or icy heart, etc. The word “hot” would denote, of course, the opposite - warm and zealous in their love and service.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

15 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
οἶδά	oida	I know
σου	sou	your	G4771 →
τὰ	ta	<the>	G3588 →
ἔργα	erga	works	G2041 →
ὅτι	hoti	that	G3754 →
οὔτε	oute	neither	G3777 →
ψυχρὸς	psuchros	cold	G5593 →
εἶ	ei	you are	G1510 →
οὔτε	oute	nor	G3777 →
ζεστός.	zestos	hot.	G2200 →
ὄφελον	ophelon	I wish	G3785 →
ψυχρὸς	psuchros	cold	G5593 →
ἦς	ēs	you were	G1510 →
ἢ	ē	or	G2228 →
ζεστός·	zestos	hot;	G2200 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Matthew 6:24
No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and…
leads to
- Joshua 24:15
  But if it is unpleasing in your sight to serve the LORD, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods…
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- 1 John 2:15–16
  Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
- Luke 16:13
  No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and…
- James 4:4
  You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God.
- 1 Timothy 6:9–10
  Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.
Through
1 Kings 18:21
Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people did…
leads to
- Matthew 6:24
  No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and…
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
Through
Romans 12:11
Do not let your zeal subside; keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
leads to
- Hebrews 6:10–11
  For God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so.
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
Through
Revelation 2:4
But I have this against you: You have abandoned your first love.
leads to
- Matthew 24:12–13
  Because of the multiplication of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.

Featured studies on this passage

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The Seven Churches of Revelation

Asia Minor, late 1st century. Seven cities along a clockwise postal route — Ephesus to Laodicea — each receiving a letter from the risen Christ. Praises, rebukes, promises. A Matt-13 parallel reading discoverable for those who want it.

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