To the Church in Laodicea

¹⁴ “Write this to the ·angel [or messenger; see 1:20] of the church in Laodicea [^Ca city in Phrygia, a mountainous province of western Asia]:

“The Amen [^CHebrew for “so be it”; here referring to Jesus], the faithful and true witness, ·the ruler of all God has made [1:5; Prov. 8:30–31; ^Cthe resurrected Jesus], says this [^Lthese things]: ¹⁵ I know ·what you do [your works], that you are not hot or cold. I wish that you were hot or cold [^Cboth positive images, alluding to cold refreshing mountain streams and healing hot springs near Laodicea]! ¹⁶ But because you are lukewarm—neither hot, nor cold—I am ready to ·spit [vomit] you out of my mouth. ¹⁷ [^LFor] You say, ‘I am rich, and I have become wealthy and do not need anything.’ But you do not know that you are really ·miserable [wretched], pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. ¹⁸ I advise you to buy from me gold ·made pure in [refined by] fire so you can be truly rich. Buy from me white clothes [^Cindicating purity] so you can be clothed and so you can cover your shameful nakedness. Buy from me ·medicine [salve; ointment] to put on your eyes so you can truly see.

¹⁹ “I ·correct [rebuke] and ·punish [discipline] those whom I love. So be ·eager to do right [zealous; earnest], and ·change your hearts and lives [repent]. ²⁰ ·Here I am [^LLook; ^TBehold]! I stand at the door and knock. If ·you [^Lanyone] hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and eat with you, and you will eat with me.

²¹ “Those who ·win the victory [overcome; conquer] will sit with me on my throne in the same way that I ·won the victory [overcame; conquered; ^Cover death, by his resurrection] and sat down with my Father on his throne. ²² Everyone who has ears should ·listen to [hear; obey] what the Spirit says to the churches.”