Revelation 3:17

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 deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. Oh, that you were either cold or hot! 16So because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spew you out of My mouth. For you say, ‘I am rich, I have made myself wealthy, and I need nothing.’ But you do not know that you are miserable and pitiable and poor and blind and naked. 18I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich, and white clothes so that you may dress yourself and so the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed, and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. 19Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore, be zealous and repent.

Revelation 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 tribulation and your poverty (yet you are rich), as well as the slander of those who say they are Jewish and are not, but are a synagogue of satan.
• Proverbs 13:7One pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.
• Hosea 12:8A merchant loves to extort, with deceptive balances in his hand.
• Zechariah 11:5Their buyers slay them and go unpunished. Those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be Adonai, for I am rich!’ Their own shepherds do not spare them.
• Luke 1:53He has filled the hungry with good things and sent away the rich empty-handed.
• Luke 6:24But woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full.
• Luke 18:11The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘O God, I thank You that I am not like other people—thieving, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
• Romans 11:20True enough. They were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but fear—
• Romans 12:3For through the grace given me, I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of yourself than you ought to think—but to use sound judgment, as God has assigned to each person a measure of faith.
• 1 Corinthians 4:8Already you are full! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings! Indeed, I wish you were kings, so we also might be kings with you!
• Deuteronomy 8:12Otherwise, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and lived in them,
• Proverbs 30:9lest I become satisfied and deny You and say, “Who is Adonai?” Or lest I become poor, and steal and profane the Name of my God.
• Jeremiah 2:31You, generation, heed Adonai’s word! “Have I been a wilderness to Israel or a land of thick darkness? Why do My people say, ‘We are free to roam. We won’t come to You any more’?
• Matthew 9:12But when He heard this, Yeshua said, “Those who are healthy have no need for a doctor, but those who are sick do.
• Romans 2:17But if you call yourself Jewish and rely upon the Torah and boast in God
• Matthew 5:3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

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

• Backsliders
• Blindness
• Church
• Depravity of Man
• Laodicea
• Pride
• Salvation
• Security
• Self-Delusion
• Self-Righteousness
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Angel
• Chasten
• Cold
• Counsel
• Dead
• Lukewarm
• Naked
• Poor
• Rich
• Apocrypha

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