Bible/Revelation/3

Revelation 3:17

3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
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:

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Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing;’ and don’t know that you are the wretched one, miserable, poor, blind, and naked;

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:

Because you say, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and know not that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

3:18 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.

What does Revelation 3:17 mean?

Revelation 3:17 is a verse in the book of Revelation, in the New Testament. In the original Greek, key words include ὅτι (hoti), εἰμί (eimi), πλούσιος (plousios). It connects to 27 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Greek interlinear

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Becauseὅτιhoti/hot'-ee/G3754neuter of 3748 as conjunction; demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because:--as concerning that, as though, because (that), for (that), how (that), (in) that, though, why.
thou
sayest
I
amεἰμίeimi/i-mee'/G1510the first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist (used only when emphatic):--am, have been, X it is I, was. See also 1488, 1498, 1511, 1527, 2258, 2071, 2070, 2075, 2076, 2771, 2468, 5600.
rich,πλούσιοςplousios/ploo'-see-os/G4145from 4149; wealthy; figuratively, abounding with:--rich.
andκαίkai/kahee/G2532apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.
increased
with
goods,πλουτέωplouteo/ploo-teh'-o/G4147from 4148; to be (or become) wealthy (literally or figuratively):--be increased with goods, (be made, wax) rich.
andκαίkai/kahee/G2532apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.
haveἔχωecho/ekh'-o/G2192scheo skheh'-o; (used in certain tenses only) a primary verb; to hold (used in very various applications, literally or figuratively, direct or remote; such as possession; ability, contiuity, relation, or condition):--be (able, X hold, possessed with), accompany, + begin to amend, can(+ -not), X conceive, count, diseased, do + eat, + enjoy, + fear, following, have, hold, keep, + lack, + go to law, lie, + must needs, + of necessity, + need, next, + recover, + reign, + rest, + return, X sick, take for, + tremble, + uncircumcised, use.
needχρείαchreia/khri'-ah/G5532from the base of 5530 or 5534; employment, i.e. an affair; also (by implication) occasion, demand, requirement or destitution:--business, lack, necessary(-ity), need(-ful), use, want.
of
nothing;οὐδείς οὐθείςoudeisG3762oudemia oo-dem-ee'-ah, and neuter ouden oo-den' from 3761 and 1520; not even one (man, woman or thing), i.e. none, nobody, nothing:--any (man), aught, man, neither any (thing), never (man), no (man), none (+ of these things), not (any, at all, -thing), nought.
andκαίkai/kahee/G2532apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.
knowestοἶδα οιδα ὁράωeidoG1492a primary verb; used only in certain past tenses, the others being borrowed from the equivalent 3700 and 3708; properly, to see (literally or figuratively); by implication, (in the perfect tense only) to know:--be aware, behold, X can (+ not tell), consider, (have) know(-ledge), look (on), perceive, see, be sure, tell, understand, wish, wot. Compare 3700.
notοὐouG3756ouk ook, and (before an aspirate) ouch ookh a primary word; the absolute negative (compare 3361) adverb; no or not:--+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but. See also 3364, 3372.
thatὅτιhoti/hot'-ee/G3754neuter of 3748 as conjunction; demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because:--as concerning that, as though, because (that), for (that), how (that), (in) that, though, why.
thouσύsu/soo/G4771the person pronoun of the second person singular; thou:-- thou. See also 4571, 4671, 4675; and for the plural 5209, 5210, 5213, 5216.
artεἰμί εἰei/i/G1488second person singular present of 1510; thou art:--art, be.
wretched,ταλαίπωροςtalaiporos/tal-ah'-ee-po-ros/G5005from the base of 5007 and a derivative of the base of 3984; enduring trial, i.e. miserable:--wretched.
andκαίkai/kahee/G2532apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.
miserable,ἐλεεινόςeleeinos/el-eh-i-nos'/G1652from 1656; pitiable:--miserable.
andκαίkai/kahee/G2532apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.
poor,πτωχόςptochos/pto-khos'/G4434from ptosso (to crouch); akin to 4422 and the alternate of 4098); a beggar (as cringing), i.e. pauper (strictly denoting absolute or public mendicancy, although also used in a qualified or relative sense; whereas 3993 properly means only straitened circumstances in private), literally (often as noun) or figuratively (distressed):--beggar(-ly), poor.
andκαίkai/kahee/G2532apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.
blind,τυφλόςtuphlos/toof-los'/G5185from, 5187; opaque (as if smoky), i.e. (by analogy) blind (physically or mentally):--blind.
andκαίkai/kahee/G2532apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.
naked:γυμνόςgumnos/goom-nos'/G1131of uncertain affinity; nude (absolute or relative, literal or figurative):--naked.

Commentary on Revelation 3:17

HENRY_FULL · Revelation 3:17
chapter Here we have three more of the epistles of Christ to the churches: I. To Sardis, ver. 1-6 . II. To Philadelphia, ver. 7-13 . III. To Laodicea, ver. 14, to the end . <

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Deuteronomy 3:28

But charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him: for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shalt see.

1 Kings 11:4

For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.

1 Kings 15:3

And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father.

2 Chronicles 25:2

And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart.

Job 4:4

Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.

Job 16:5

But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief.

Isaiah 35:3

Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.

Isaiah 56:10

His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. sleeping: or, dreaming, or, talking in their sleep

Isaiah 57:12Ezekiel 34:8Ezekiel 34:16Daniel 5:27Zechariah 11:16Matthew 6:2Matthew 23:5Matthew 23:28Matthew 24:42Matthew 25:13Mark 13:33Luke 22:31Luke 22:32Acts 18:232 Timothy 4:11 Peter 4:71 Peter 5:8Revelation 2:4Revelation 16:15

Topics

LaodiceaPresumptionPrideSelf-DelusionSelf-Righteousness

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Revelation 3:17.

Matthew 3:14

But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

Matthew 3:9

And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

2 Corinthians 8:9

For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

Matthew 17:20

And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

Matthew 2:16

Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.

Matthew 2:18

In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

Matthew 27:24

When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.

Matthew 3:11

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

Frequently asked questions

What does Revelation 3:17 say?

Revelation 3:17 (King James Version) reads: "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:"

Is Revelation 3:17 in the Old or New Testament?

Revelation 3:17 is in the New Testament of the Bible, in the book of Revelation.

Reflect

As you read Revelation 3:17, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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