Revelation 3:15

15 I know thy works, for neither thou art cold, neither thou art hot; I would that thou were cold, either hot; [I know thy works, for neither thou art cold, nor hot; I would thou were cold, or hot;]

Revelation 3:15 Meaning and Commentary

Revelation 3:15

I know thy works
Which were far from being perfect, and not so good as those of the former church:

that thou art neither cold nor hot;
she was not "cold", or without spiritual life, at least in many of her members, as all men by nature are, and carnal professors be; she was alive, but not lively: nor was she wholly without spiritual affections and love; to God, and Christ, to his people, ways, truths, and ordinances; she had love, but the fervency of it was abated: nor was she without spiritual breathings and desires altogether, as dead men are; or without the light and knowledge of the Gospel, and a profession of it, and yet she was not "hot"; her love to God and Christ, and the saints, was not ardent and flaming; it was not like coals of fire, that give most vehement flame, which many waters cannot quench the had not fervency of spirit in the service of the Lord; nor was she zealous for the truths of the Gospel, and for the ordinances of it, and for the house of God and its discipline; nor did she warmly oppose all sin, and every error and false way.

I would thou wert cold or hot;
which must be understood, not absolutely, but comparatively; and not that it was an indifferent thing to Christ whether she was one or the other; but he alludes to what is natural among men, it being generally more agreeable to have anything entirely hot, or entirely cold, than to be neither; and so uses this phrase to show his detestation of lukewarmness, and that it is better to be ignorant, and not a professor of religion, than to be a vain and carnal one; Christ desires not simply that she might be cold, but that she might be sensible of her need of spiritual heat and fervency.

Revelation 3:15 In-Context

13 He that hath ears, hear he, what the Spirit saith to the churches.

14 And to the angel of the church of Laodicea write thou, These things saith Amen, the faithful witness and true, which is beginning of God's creature [that is the beginning of God's creature].

15 I know thy works, for neither thou art cold, neither thou art hot; I would that thou were cold, either hot; [I know thy works, for neither thou art cold, nor hot; I would thou were cold, or hot;]

16 but for thou art lukewarm, and neither cold, neither hot, I shall begin to cast thee out of my mouth. [but for thou art lukewarm, and neither cold, nor hot, I shall begin for to vomit thee out of my mouth.]

17 For thou sayest, That I am rich, and full of goods, and have need of nothing; and thou knowest not, that thou art a wretch, and wretchful [for thou art a wretch, and wretched], and poor, and blind, and naked.