REV 3:16 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT So, because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I am about to spew you out of my mouth.

UST But you are just mediocre. You do not love me very much, but you still claim that you believe in me. That is disgusting, and because of it, I am going to reject you.

BSB So because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to vomit you out of My mouth!

BLB So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am about to spit you out of My mouth.

AICNT Thus, because you are lukewarm, and {neither}[fn] {hot nor cold},[fn] I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

3:16, neither: Later manuscripts read “not.” BYZ

3:16, hot nor cold: Later manuscripts read “cold nor hot.” TR

OEB But now, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

WEBBE So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of my mouth!

LSV So—because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to vomit you out of My mouth;

FBV But because you're lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I'm going to spit you out of my mouth.

TCNT So, because yoʋ are lukewarm, and [fn]not hot or cold, I am about to spit yoʋ out of my mouth.

3:16 not hot or cold 𝔐^C,K [64.4%] ¦ neither hot nor cold 𝔐^A ANT CT [24.7%] ¦ neither cold nor hot TR [4.1%]

T4T Because you are neither enthusiastic about me nor concerned about your lack of spiritual growth [MET], I am about to reject you [MET], as if I were spitting lukewarm water out of my mouth.

LEB Thus, because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I am about to vomit you out of my mouth!

BBE So because you are not one thing or the other, I will have no more to do with you.

Moff So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I am going to spit you out of my mouth.

Wymth Accordingly, because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, before long I will vomit you out of My mouth.

ASV So because thou art lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth.

DRA But because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold, not hot, I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth.

YLT So — because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to vomit thee out of my mouth;

Drby Thus because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spue thee out of my mouth.

RV So because thou art lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth.
(So because thou/you art lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee/you out of my mouth. )

SLT For so thou art tepid, and neither cold nor boiling, I am about to vomit thee out of my month.

Wbstr So then, because thou art luke-warm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit thee out of my mouth:

KJB-1769 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
( So then because thou/you art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee/you out of my mouth. )

KJB-1611 So then because thou art lukewarme, and neither cold nor hot, I wil spew thee out of my mouth:
(So then because thou/you art lukewarme, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee/you out of my mouth:)

Bshps So the, because thou art luke warme, and neither colde nor hotte, I wyll spewe thee out of my mouth:
(So them, because thou/you art luke warm, and neither cold nor hotte, I will spewe thee/you out of my mouth:)

Gnva Therefore, because thou art luke warme, and neither colde nor hote, it will come to passe, that I shall spewe thee out of my mouth.
(Therefore, because thou/you art luke warm, and neither cold nor hote, it will come to pass, that I shall spewe thee/you out of my mouth. )

Cvdl So then because thou art bitwene bothe, and nether colde ner hote I wyll spew the out off my mouth:
(So then because thou/you art bitwene bothe, and neither cold nor hot I will spew the out off my mouth:)

TNT So then because thou arte bitwene bothe and nether colde ner hot I will spew the oute of my mouth:
(So then because thou/you art bitwene both and neither cold nor hot I will spew the out of my mouth: )

Wycl but for thou art lew, and nether cold, nether hoot, Y schal bigynne to caste thee out of my mouth.
(but for thou/you art lew, and neither cold, neither hoot, I shall begin to cast/threw thee/you out of my mouth.)

Luth Weil du aber lau bist und weder kalt noch warm, werde ich dich ausspeien aus meinem Munde.
(Since/Because you(sg) but lau are and neither kalt still warm, become I you/yourself vomitn out_of my mouth.)

ClVg sed quia tepidus es, et nec frigidus, nec calidus, incipiam te evomere ex ore meo:[fn]
(but because tepidus you_are, and but_not frigidus, but_not calidus, I_will_begin you(sg) evomere from vocally mine: )

3.16 Incipiam te evomere. Rem mirabilem dicturus, quod tepidi excommunicandi essent, quia ab hominibus boni credebantur, dicit se veracem in omnibus, ut in hoc sibi credatur, et si illi resipiscere voluerint, promittit conservationem, quia dedit primam fidem. Ex ore meo. De ore evomitur qui in deteriora præcipitatur vel qui impœnitens moritur.

3.16 Incipiam you(sg) evomere. Rem mirabilem sayturus, that tepidi excommunicandi they_would_be, because away to_humans good they_believedur, he_says himself truecem in/into/on to_all, as in/into/on this to_himself believe, and when/but_if them resipiscere they_wanted, promises conservationem, because he_gave the_first faith. From vocally mine. From/About vocally evomitur who/which in/into/on deteriora commandsatur or who/which impœnitens he_dies.

UGNT οὕτως, ὅτι χλιαρὸς εἶ, καὶ οὔτε ψυχρός, οὔτε ζεστὸς, μέλλω σε ἐμέσαι ἐκ τοῦ στόματός μου.
(houtōs, hoti ⱪliaros ei, kai oute psuⱪros, oute zestos, mellō se emesai ek tou stomatos mou.)

SBL-GNT οὕτως, ὅτι χλιαρὸς εἶ καὶ ⸀οὔτε ζεστὸς οὔτε ψυχρός, μέλλω σε ἐμέσαι ἐκ τοῦ στόματός μου.
(houtōs, hoti ⱪliaros ei kai ⸀oute zestos oute psuⱪros, mellō se emesai ek tou stomatos mou.)

RP-GNT Οὕτως ὅτι χλιαρὸς εἶ, καὶ οὐ ζεστὸς οὔτε ψυχρός, μέλλω σε ἐμέσαι ἐκ τοῦ στόματός μου.
(Houtōs hoti ⱪliaros ei, kai ou zestos oute psuⱪros, mellō se emesai ek tou stomatos mou.)

TC-GNT Οὕτως ὅτι χλιαρὸς εἶ, καὶ [fn]οὐ ζεστὸς οὔτε ψυχρός, μέλλω σε ἐμέσαι ἐκ τοῦ στόματός μου.
(Houtōs hoti ⱪliaros ei, kai ou zestos oute psuⱪros, mellō se emesai ek tou stomatos mou. )

3:16 ου ζεστος ουτε ψυχρος 𝔐^C,K [64.4%] ¦ ουτε ζεστος ουτε ψυχρος 𝔐^A ANT CT [24.7%] ¦ ουτε ψυχρος ουτε ζεστος TR [4.1%]

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translation Notes:

Section 3:14–22: Jesus spoke to the church at Laodicea

In this section, Jesus spoke to the people who believed in him at Laodicea. He knew that they believed in him but they were not serving him well. He warned them to stop being lazy and encouraged them to work properly for him. Lastly, he gave a promise to any believer who persevered in his faith.

Translate this section heading as you did for the other messages to the churches.

3:16a–b

because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to vomit you out of My mouth!: The word because introduces the reason for spitting out the believers of Laodicea. It does not connect back to 3:15.

In some languages it is more natural to use a conjunction between the two connected clauses. For example:

you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold, therefore I am about to spit you out of my mouth

3:16a

So because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—

So since you are neither hot nor cold, but only lukewarm,
Since your deeds are useless, neither like hot water nor like cold water,

So: The Greek word that the BSB translates as So here introduces what Jesus would do because of the deeds of the Laodiceans. What he would do is told in 3:16b.

There is contrast between what the believers in Laodicea did and what Jesus wanted them to do. In some languages it is more natural to make that contrast explicit. For example:

But (GNT)

Connect this verse to the previous verse in the way that is most natural in your language.

because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold: This verse continues the figurative use of “cold” and “hot” of 3:15b–c. Again, in some languages it is more natural to explain the figure of speech. For example:

since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold (NLT)

you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold: The word lukewarm refers to the middle temperature between hot and cold. Here this word implies uselessness (3:15) or unpleasantness.

Some languages do not have a word for lukewarm. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

Allow the context to indicate the middle temperature and do not translate the word lukewarm. For example:
you are like water that is neither hot nor cold
you are not like hot water or cold water
Use the implied meaning of “useless.” For example:
you are useless—neither hot nor cold
Use the implied meaning of water that is unpleasant both to drink and to bathe in. For example:
you are unpleasant/disgusting, neither hot nor cold

3:16b

I am about to vomit you out of My mouth!

I am ready to forcefully spit you out of my mouth.
I am about to eject you from my mouth.

vomit you out of My mouth!: This phrase is a metaphor. It refers to Jesus rejecting the believers because of their laziness. Jesus rejecting them is like expelling lukewarm water because it tastes bad.

In some languages a literal translation would not indicate the correct meaning. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

Explain the meaning in your translation. For example:
reject you like spitting out lukewarm water
push you from me like spitting out water that tastes bad
Translate the meaning without the metaphor. For example:
reject you
disown you You may then want a footnote to explain the literal words:
Literally: “vomit/spit you out of my mouth.”
Translate literally and explain its meaning in a footnote. An example footnote is:
This statement indicates that Jesus would reject them because of their laziness and uselessness.

vomit: The BSB literally translates this Greek word as vomit. This word refers figuratively to Jesus forcefully rejecting them. Because spitting is a voluntary action and “vomit” usually implies an involuntary action, many English versions use the word “spit.” In your translation you should keep the meaning of forceful, deliberate rejection. For example:

eject/expel

forcefully spit

Parallel REV 3:16

Section 3:14–22: Jesus spoke to the church at Laodicea

3:16a–b

3:16a

3:16b