Location
Overview
Laodicea was a banking and trade centre in the Lycus valley, so wealthy it rebuilt itself after an earthquake without Roman aid. The seventh and last letter of Revelation gives it the sharpest rebuke.
Neither cold nor hot
"I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot... So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth" (Revelation 3:15–16) — imagery that would sting a city famed for its tepid, mineral-laden aqueduct water.
Wretched and poor
"Thou sayest, I am rich... and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." Christ counselled them to buy "gold tried in the fire," "white raiment," and "eyesalve" — barbed allusions to the city's banking, its black wool, and its famous eye medicine (Revelation 3:17–18).
"Behold, I stand at the door"
Yet the letter ends with tender appeal: "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" (Revelation 3:20).
Events Here
Christ rebukes lukewarm Laodicea and knocks at the door
Scripture References
7 versesColossians4 verses
Colossians 2:1
For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; conflict: or, fear, or, care
Colossians 4:13
For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.
Colossians 4:15
Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.
Colossians 4:16
And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.
1 Timothy1 verse
1 Timothy 6:21
Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen. The first to Timothy was written from Laodicea, which is the chiefest city of Phrygia Pacatiana.
Revelation2 verses
Revelation 1:11
Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
Revelation 3:14
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; of the Laodiceans: or, in Laodicea
Archaeology & History
Laodicea, near modern Denizli, was a hub of banking, of glossy black wool, and of a medical school known for an eye ointment — each of which the letter turns into a spiritual rebuke. Its water, piped from a distance, arrived lukewarm and full of minerals, unlike the hot springs of nearby Hierapolis or the cold streams of Colossae.
People who appear here
Frequently asked about Laodicea
Where is Laodicea today?
Today, Laodicea corresponds to Near Denizli, Turkey.
What does the name Laodicea mean?
The name Laodicea means “Justice of the people”.
What happened at Laodicea in the Bible?
Key biblical events at Laodicea include christ rebukes lukewarm laodicea and knocks at the door.
Where is Laodicea first mentioned in the Bible?
Laodicea is first mentioned in Colossians 2:1.
How often is Laodicea mentioned in the Bible?
Laodicea is mentioned in 7 verses across 3 books: Colossians, 1 Timothy, Revelation.
Why was the church of Laodicea called "lukewarm"?
Because it was complacent and self-satisfied — "neither cold nor hot." Trusting its wealth, it was spiritually "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked," and Christ called it to repent.
What does "I stand at the door and knock" mean?
Christ’s appeal, addressed to lukewarm Laodicea, inviting anyone who hears his voice to open the door and welcome him into fellowship.