Revelation 3:16

3:16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of my mouth!

Revelation 18:5

18:5 because her sins have piled up all the way to heaven and God has remembered her crimes.

Revelation 18:11

18:11 Then the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn for her because no one buys their cargo any longer –


tn Or “I intend.”

tn This is the literal meaning of the Greek verb ἐμέω (emew). It is usually translated with a much weaker term like “spit out” due to the unpleasant connotations of the English verb “vomit,” as noted by L&N 23.44. The situation confronting the Laodicean church is a dire one, however, and such a term is necessary if the modern reader is to understand the gravity of the situation.

tn On ἐκολλήθησαν (ekollhqhsan) BDAG 556 s.v. κολλάω 2.a.β states, “fig. cling to = come in close contact with (cp. Ps 21:16; 43:26 ἐκολλήθη εἰς γῆν ἡ γαστὴρ ἡμῶν. The act.=‘bring into contact’ PGM 5, 457 κολλήσας τ. λίθον τῷ ὠτίῳ) ἐκολλήθησαν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ἄχρι τ. οὐρανοῦ the sins have touched the heaven = reached the sky (two exprs. are telescoped) Rv 18:5.”

tn Or “up to the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

tn That is, remembered her sins to execute judgment on them.

tn Or “her sins.”

tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

tn On γόμος (gomos) BDAG 205 s.v. states, “load, freightcargo of a ship…Ac 21:3. W. gen. of the owner Rv 18:11. W. gen. of content…γ. χρυσοῦ a cargo of gold vs. 12.”