Christian Standard Bible
Revelation 3:17
17For you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,’ and you don’t realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.
Revelation 3:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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:
- New International Version (NIV)You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—
Context of Revelation 3:17
15I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. 16So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of my mouth. For you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,’ and you don’t realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. 18I advise you to buy from me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich, white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see. 19As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be zealous and repent.
Read all of Revelation 3Revelation 3:17 word by word
ὅτι λέγεις ὅτι πλούσιός εἰμι καὶ πεπλούτηκα καὶ οὐδὲν χρείαν ἔχω, καὶ οὐκ οἶδας ὅτι σὺ εἶ ὁ ταλαίπωρος καὶ ἐλεεινὸς καὶ πτωχὸς καὶ τυφλὸς καὶ γυμνός,Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
- thou sayestλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- I amεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- richπλούσιοςplousios · richG4145
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- increased with goodsπλουτέωplouteō · be richG4147
- haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- needχρείαchreia · needG5532
- of nothingοὐδείςoudeis · noneG3762
- knowestεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
- notοὐou · noG3756
- thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- thouσύsu · youG4771
- wretchedταλαίπωροςtalaipōros · wretchedG5005
- miserableἐλεεινόςeleeinos · pitifulG1652
- poorπτωχόςptōchos · poorG4434
- blindτυφλόςtuphlos · blindG5185
- nakedγυμνόςgumnos · nakedG1131
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
Cross-references for Revelation 3:17
- Revelation 2:9I know your affliction and poverty, but you are rich. I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
- Proverbs 13:7One person pretends to be rich but has nothing; another pretends to be poor but has abundant wealth.
- Hosea 12:8But Ephraim thinks, “How rich I have become; I made it all myself. In all my earnings, no one can find any iniquity in me that I can be punished for!”
- Zechariah 11:5Those who buy them slaughter them but are not punished. Those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be the Lord because I have become rich!’ Even their own shepherds have no compassion for them.
- Luke 1:53He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.
- Luke 6:24But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your comfort.
- Luke 18:11The Pharisee was standing and praying like this about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like other people — greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
- Romans 11:20True enough; they were broken off because of unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but beware,
- Romans 12:3For by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think. Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith to each one.
- 1 Corinthians 4:8You are already full! You are already rich! You have begun to reign as kings without us — and I wish you did reign, so that we could also reign with you!
- Deuteronomy 8:12When you eat and are full, and build beautiful houses to live in,
- Proverbs 30:9Otherwise, I might have too much and deny you, saying, “Who is the Lord?” or I might have nothing and steal, profaning the name of my God.
- Jeremiah 2:31Evil generation, pay attention to the word of the Lord! Have I been a wilderness to Israel or a land of dense darkness? Why do my people claim, “We will go where we want; we will no longer come to you”?
- Matthew 9:12Now when he heard this, he said, “It is not those who are well who need a doctor, but those who are sick.
- Romans 2:17Now if you call yourself a Jew, and rely on the law, and boast in God,
- Matthew 5:3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
Commentaries on Revelation 3:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17I am rich - Thou supposest thyself to be in a safe state, perfectly sure of final salvation, because thou hast begun well, and laid the right foundation. It was this most deceitful conviction that cut the nerves of their spiritual diligence; they rested in what they had already received, and seemed to think that once in grace must be still in grace. Thou art wretched - · Most wretched. "The word signifies," according to Mintert, "being worn out and…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Because thou sayest, I am rich - So far as the language here is concerned, this may refer either to riches literally, or to spiritual riches; that is, to a boast of having religion enough. Prof. Stuart supposes that it refers to the former, and so do Wetstein, Vitringa, and others. Doddridge, Rosenmuller, and others, understand it in the latter sense. There is no doubt that there was much wealth in Laodicea, and that, as a people, they prided themselves…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-22Verses 14-22 Laodicea was the last and worst of the seven churches of Asia. Here our Lord Jesus styles himself, "The Amen;" one steady and unchangeable in all his purposes and promises. If religion is worth anything, it is worth every thing. Christ expects men should be in earnest. How many professors of gospel doctrine are neither hot nor cold; except as they are indifferent in needful matters, and hot and fiery in disputes about things of lesser moment!…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17Christians in Laodicea believed they were prosperous and self-sufficient (see study note on Revelation 3:14). However, Jesus saw their true spiritual state as wretched, miserable, and poor.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. Self-sufficiency is the fatal danger of a lukewarm state (see on Re 3:15). thou sayest--virtually and mentally, if not in so many words. increased with goods--Greek, "have become enriched," implying self-praise in self-acquired riches. The Lord alludes to Ho 12:8. The riches on which they prided themselves were spiritual riches; though, doubtless, their spiritual self-sufficiency ("I have need of nothing") was much fostered by their worldly wealth…Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 3:17
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Revelation 3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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