Revelation 3:20 kjv

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Revelation 3:20 nkjv

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

Revelation 3:20 niv

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

Revelation 3:20 esv

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

Revelation 3:20 nlt

"Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.

Revelation 3 verses

Revelation 3 20 Meaning

Revelation 3:20 presents Jesus Christ's earnest and gentle invitation for intimate fellowship with individuals or a church body that has become spiritually lukewarm and self-sufficient. It describes His patient stance, knocking at the "door" – understood as the entrance to a person's heart or a community's spiritual core – seeking a responsive opening. The verse promises that upon hearing His call and opening the door, He will enter into a deep, shared communion, symbolized by the act of dining together. This implies a restoration of broken fellowship and a re-engagement with Christ at a profound personal level.

Revelation 3 20 Context

Revelation 3:20 is found within Christ's final message to the church in Laodicea, the last of the seven churches addressed in Revelation chapters 2 and 3. Laodicea was a wealthy, self-sufficient city, known for its banking, fine black wool, and eye salve. Tragically, these material blessings had fostered spiritual arrogance and apathy in the church. Christ directly addresses their lukewarmness, stating they were "neither cold nor hot" (Rev 3:16), making them nauseating in His sight, likened to the unpalatable, lukewarm water supplied to their city. They believed they were "rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing" (Rev 3:17), while in God's eyes, they were "wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked" (Rev 3:17). This severe rebuke is an act of loving discipline (Rev 3:19), inviting them to "be zealous and repent." Therefore, the invitation in verse 20 for Christ to come in and dine is primarily directed at a church that has implicitly, if not explicitly, shut Him out due to its spiritual complacency and self-reliance. It is an internal call to believers within a backslidden community for repentance and a return to intimate communion with Christ, rather than solely an evangelistic call to the unbelieving world.

Revelation 3 20 Word analysis

• Behold (ἰδού, idou): A Greek particle used to call attention, similar to "Look!" or "Pay attention!" It draws immediate focus to the important statement that follows, emphasizing the significance and urgency of Christ's posture and invitation.
• I stand (ἕστηκα, hestēka): The perfect active tense indicates a state of completed action with ongoing results. It's not just a momentary appearance, but a sustained, deliberate posture. Christ is consistently present and ready, not simply passing by, highlighting His persistence and patient love.
• at the door (ἐπὶ τὴν θύραν, epi tēn thyran): "The door" refers specifically to the door of entrance, often understood as the door to one's heart, but in the immediate context of the letter to Laodicea, it implies the door of the church community itself, which had effectively locked Christ out through its self-sufficiency. It signifies a point of access, which must be willingly opened.
• and knock (καὶ κρούω, kai krouō): Present active participle, suggesting continuous action. Christ is actively, repeatedly, and audibly knocking, signaling His presence and desire for entry. This is a gentle yet persistent appeal, not a forceful demand.
• if anyone (ἐάν τις, ean tis): A conditional phrase that underscores the volitional choice required. The invitation is universal ("anyone") but requires an individual and deliberate response. It respects human free will and prevents forced entry.
• hears (ἀκούσῃ, akousē): Aorist subjunctive. More than just auditory perception, it implies hearing with understanding, heeding, and internalizing the message. It's an act of discerning Christ's specific "voice."
• My voice (τῆς φωνῆς μου, tēs phōnēs mou): The specific call or message from Christ, communicated through the Word, the Holy Spirit, circumstances, or conscience. It signifies His personal address and invitation.
• and opens (καὶ ἀνοίξῃ, kai anoixē): Aorist subjunctive, denoting a decisive, singular act. It's an intentional and voluntary response, the human will opening what only it can.
• the door (τὴν θύραν, tēn thyran): Referring back to the specific door at which He is knocking.
• I will come in (εἰσελεύσομαι πρὸς αὐτόν, eiseleusomai pros auton): Future active indicative. A definite and certain promise of entry by Christ. It is a divine initiative, responsive to human action.
• to him (πρὸς αὐτόν, pros auton): Emphasizes the personal nature of the fellowship. Christ comes to the individual who responds.
• and dine with him (καὶ δειπνήσω μετ’ αὐτοῦ, kai deipnēsō met' autou): "Dine" refers to deipnon, the main evening meal in Greco-Roman culture, a significant occasion for social interaction, deep conversation, and intimate fellowship among friends and family. It signifies deep, sustained, and reciprocal communion, spiritual sustenance, and life shared in mutual presence.
• and he with Me (καὶ αὐτὸς μετ’ ἐμοῦ, kai autos met’ emou): Highlights the reciprocity of the fellowship. It's not just Christ ministering to the individual, but a mutual sharing and enjoying of each other's presence. This emphasizes the two-way nature of intimate relationship with God.

• "Behold, I stand at the door and knock": This phrase captures Christ's active pursuit and patient appeal. He takes the initiative, but His approach is one of gentle invitation, not forceful intrusion, respecting the individual's autonomy. It portrays His unwavering desire for connection, despite being "outside" where He spiritually should be "inside" (in the Laodicean church).
• "if anyone hears My voice and opens the door": This group of words sets the condition for the promised fellowship. It combines listening (inner reception) with action (outer manifestation). True hearing involves not just recognition but a willingness to respond, signifying the necessary human volitional act.
• "I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me": This phrase powerfully describes the promised outcome. Christ's entrance is immediate, leading to an intimate shared meal. The emphasis on "dining" and "he with Me" signifies deep, ongoing, reciprocal fellowship, a restored communion and mutual enjoyment that overcomes the spiritual barrenness of lukewarmness.

Revelation 3 20 Bonus section

It is a common error to present Revelation 3:20 as an evangelistic "altar call" to the unconverted. While the principle of Christ's gentle invitation and the need for a personal response is universal, the direct audience for this specific message was a professing, albeit spiritually desolate, Christian church. The Laodicean church was rebuked for their self-reliance and lukewarmness, believing they were spiritually complete when they were actually poor, blind, and naked. Thus, Christ's invitation here is primarily for internal spiritual revival and restoration of communion with His own people who have allowed Him to be relegated to the outside of their corporate and individual lives. This verse highlights the astonishing truth that Christ, the head of the church, can be excluded by its very members, necessitating His gracious persistence to re-enter. His desire is not just for entrance, but for sustained, intimate communion – a sharing of life at the deepest level, symbolic of His longing for a vibrant relationship with His children.

Revelation 3 20 Commentary

Revelation 3:20 is a profoundly personal and pivotal verse, encapsulating Christ's desire for genuine fellowship. While often interpreted evangelistically as Christ inviting unbelievers to accept Him, its primary context is a call to repentance and renewed intimacy for a backslidden church (Laodicea) or a lukewarm believer. Christ stands "outside" the very church that bears His name, a testament to their self-sufficiency that effectively excluded Him. His "knocking" is a tender yet persistent call to restoration, a respectful invitation rather than a forceful demand, demonstrating His humility and reverence for human free will. The requirement is not merely passive hearing, but an active heeding of His voice that culminates in "opening the door" – a volitional act of welcome and surrender. The promise of "dining with Him, and He with Me" speaks volumes. In ancient cultures, sharing a meal, especially the evening meal (deipnon), signified deep friendship, shared life, and covenantal communion. This is Christ's invitation to spiritual intimacy, shared life, and the profound mutual fellowship that marks a vibrant relationship with Him. It's a call to abandon spiritual apathy and embrace the joyous communion that is the essence of His Kingdom.

Practical usage:

• For the lukewarm believer: It's a reminder that Christ desires to re-enter and revitalize your spiritual life. The path is simply to listen for His voice and open your heart anew.
• For spiritual apathy: This verse prompts introspection: Is Christ on the "outside" of your walk, gently knocking? What doors might be closed to His influence?
• For communion with Christ: It reinforces that prayer, scripture reading, and corporate worship are ways to "hear His voice" and cultivate that vital "dining" fellowship.