Revelation 3:13 kjv
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Revelation 3:13 nkjv
"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." '
Revelation 3:13 niv
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Revelation 3:13 esv
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'
Revelation 3:13 nlt
"Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.
Revelation 3 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Rev 2:7 | "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers..." | Echoes Rev 3:13, identical phrase |
| Rev 2:11 | "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death." | Identical phrase |
| Rev 2:17 | "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna..." | Identical phrase |
| Rev 2:29 | "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." | Identical phrase |
| Rev 3:6 | "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." | Identical phrase |
| Rev 3:22 | "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." | Identical phrase, closing injunction for all letters |
| Matt 11:15 | "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." | Jesus' call to hear His teaching |
| Matt 13:9 | "He who has ears, let him hear." | Call to understand parables |
| Matt 13:43 | "He who has ears, let him hear." | After parable of the weeds, emphasis on spiritual understanding |
| Mark 4:9 | "And he said, 'He who has ears to hear, let him hear.'" | Call to understand parable of sower |
| Mark 4:23 | "If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear." | Warning on listening to Christ's words |
| Luke 8:8 | "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." | Jesus' call for spiritual understanding |
| Luke 14:35 | "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." | Regarding discipleship and saltiness |
| Deut 6:4 | "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one." | The "Shema", foundational call to hear God's command |
| Ps 78:1 | "Give ear, O my people, to my law; incline your ears to the words of my mouth!" | Call to heed God's law |
| Isa 6:9-10 | "Go, and say to this people: 'Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.' ... 'Lest they should understand with their heart and turn and be healed.'" | Warning about hardened hearts and inability to hear |
| Ezek 12:2 | "Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see, but see not, ears to hear, but hear not..." | Critique of spiritual blindness |
| Jer 13:15 | "Hear and give ear; do not be proud, for the LORD has spoken." | Exhortation to listen to God's word |
| Acts 2:4 | "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance." | The Spirit enables speech, also hearing |
| Rom 10:17 | "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." | Link between hearing God's word and faith |
| Heb 3:7-8 | "Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, 'Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion...'" | The Spirit speaking to the church "today" |
| John 16:13-15 | "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth... he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak..." | The Spirit's role in guiding and speaking truth |
| 1 Cor 2:10 | "these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God." | The Spirit's revelation of divine truth |
| Rev 1:3 | "Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near." | Blessing on those who hear and obey Revelation |
Revelation 3 verses
Revelation 3 13 Meaning
Revelation 3:13 serves as a universal command, concluding the seven letters to the churches. It calls for all who possess the capacity for spiritual understanding to actively listen and respond to the ongoing message delivered by the Holy Spirit. This message, profound in its nature, transcends the specific local churches mentioned and applies to the entire global body of believers throughout all ages, urging spiritual discernment and obedience to God's will.
Revelation 3 13 Context
Revelation 3:13 concludes the specific letter addressed to the church in Laodicea (Rev 3:14-22), which is the last of the seven churches of Asia. The overall context of these letters (Rev chapters 2-3) is Jesus Christ delivering individual messages, critiques, commendations, and calls to repentance to seven historical churches, yet these messages also carry universal prophetic significance for the church throughout history. The letter to Laodicea strongly criticizes their spiritual lukewarmness, self-sufficiency, and lack of true spiritual wealth. Following a strong rebuke and a tender invitation to fellowship with Christ (Rev 3:20), verse 13 serves as a final, crucial exhortation for not only the Laodiceans but for all who claim to be Christ's followers, emphasizing the importance of spiritual hearing in a world often deaf to divine truth. This repetition of the phrase signifies that the entirety of the messages to the seven churches, including the warnings and promises, are meant for every believer.
Revelation 3 13 Word analysis
- He who has: (Greek: Ho echōn) - Signifies not merely possession of a physical ear, but implies spiritual capacity and receptivity. It singles out those who are able to understand spiritual truth, distinguishing them from those who hear words but lack spiritual comprehension or desire to obey. It speaks to a divine enablement or personal readiness.
- an ear: (Greek: ous) - While literally referring to the physical organ for hearing, in this context, and consistent with biblical usage, it represents spiritual understanding, discernment, and the readiness to perceive God's truth. It implies a condition of the heart, an openness to revelation.
- let him hear: (Greek: akouetō) - An imperative command, indicating an urgent call to action. It denotes not just passive reception of sound, but active, attentive listening, implying an internal processing and willingness to respond in obedience. This is an appeal for spiritual attentiveness and obedience, crucial for spiritual life and growth.
- what the Spirit: (Greek: ti to Pneuma) - "What" introduces the content of the message. "The Spirit" unequivocally refers to the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. He is the divine messenger and revelator of God's truth to humanity. The Holy Spirit serves as the conduit for divine communication and conviction for the church.
- says: (Greek: legei) - In the present tense, emphasizing that the Spirit's communication is ongoing, continuous, and relevant to the current moment. It indicates that the Word of God through the Spirit is living and active, not a static past message but a perpetually spoken truth.
- to the churches: (Greek: tais ekklēsiais) - Crucially, this is plural. While each of the preceding six injunctions ("what the Spirit says to the churches") followed a letter addressed to a specific church, this final occurrence reinforces that the messages for all seven churches are not isolated local communiqués. Instead, they form a unified prophetic message directed to the entire, universal Body of Christ, both then and now.
Revelation 3 13 Bonus section
The repeated nature of this phrase seven times across Revelation chapters 2-3 signifies its ultimate importance in the entire book. Each message to the individual church concludes with this universal injunction, serving as a divinely stamped validation that these specific instructions and prophecies carry implications for all. The deliberate repetition is a rhetorical device emphasizing the urgency and universal application of these prophetic words to the church. The contrast with the Laodicean church's spiritual blindness and deafness highlights that true hearing requires a turning from self-reliance to dependence on Christ, opening one's heart to divine counsel (as Christ stood at the door and knocked, Rev 3:20). It reminds believers that true faith isn't just about intellectual assent but about living, breathing communion with the Spirit and obedient response to His voice.
Revelation 3 13 Commentary
Revelation 3:13 delivers a powerful and enduring exhortation. It's a call to profound spiritual attentiveness. The recurring phrase underscores that the Spirit's messages within Revelation are not confined to specific congregations in antiquity, but are God's timeless word for every believer and every local body of Christ throughout history. "He who has an ear" points to spiritual readiness; not all will understand, only those divinely prepared or those with an awakened heart will grasp the truth. The Spirit "says" (present tense) implies ongoing communication and a living, active Word that requires continuous discernment. Therefore, the verse urges a spiritual posture of humility, readiness, and active listening to the Holy Spirit's current promptings and revelations, leading to obedience. This requires setting aside self-sufficiency and embracing God's ongoing guidance, vital for the church's health and readiness for Christ's return.