So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Parallel translations
- WEB So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth.
- BSB So because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to vomit you out of My mouth!
- ESV So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.
- NKJV So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
- NASB So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
- NLT But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Because they are lukewarm, Christ will spit them out of his mouth. It matters because complacent, half-hearted faith provokes Christ's rejection unless it repents.
Overview
The vivid image of vomiting expresses Christ's strong displeasure with their lukewarm state. Their self-satisfied religion is nauseating to him. The shocking language is meant to jolt a comfortable church into recognizing its true peril.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- Rev 2:5Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
- Zech 11:8–9Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred me.
- Jer 14:19Hast thou utterly rejected Judah? hath thy soul lothed Zion? why hast thou smitten us, and there is no healing for us? we looked for peace, and there is no good; and for the time of healing, and behold trouble!
- Jer 15:1–4Then said the LORD unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Christ at the center
Revelation ends the story with the slain-yet-standing Lamb who is worthy, the Lion of Judah, the Alpha and Omega, the returning King who makes all things new and dwells with his people forever.
How Revelation 3:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.