χλιαρός (chliaros)
chliaros
lukewarm
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adjective chliaros describes something that is tepid or lukewarm, specifically water that has lost its heat. In the New Testament, it appears only once, in Revelation 3:16, where Jesus addresses the church in Laodicea. The city was famous for its water supply; pipes carried hot springs from one source and cold water from another, but by the time they reached the town, the water arrived at an unpleasant, lukewarm temperature.
Jesus uses this physical reality as a metaphor for spiritual condition. He does not reject the believers because they are cold in faith, nor because they are fervently hot. Instead, their tepid state is what disgusts Him. The word captures a dangerous middle ground: a soul that fluctuates between torpor and zeal without settling into genuine commitment. This lack of distinctiveness makes the community repulsive to Christ, who prefers either the refreshing clarity of cold water or the healing warmth of hot.
The root chlio means "to warm," highlighting that the water was once hot but cooled down. The theological weight lies in this loss of purpose. Lukewarmness is not neutral; it is actively useless for its intended function. Translators render it simply as "lukewarm," preserving the image of a faith that has lost its distinctive heat and therefore its value.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word chliaros describes water that has lost its heat, becoming tepid and unpleasant to drink. In Revelation 3:16, Jesus uses this image to describe a faith that has cooled into indifference. This state is not one of peaceful rest but of spiritual uselessness. It suggests a heart that once knew warmth but now offers nothing refreshing or healing.
This passage reminds us that our relationship with God requires genuine engagement. A lukewarm spirit fails to serve its purpose, leaving both the individual and those around them without the comfort or clarity that true faith provides. We are invited to examine where we might be settling for a half-hearted commitment instead of wholehearted devotion.
May you find the strength to return to a place of spiritual vitality. Let your life reflect the warmth and purpose that bring refreshment to yourself and others, rooted in the steady love of Christ.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- lukewarm1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- χλιαρὸς1×
Key Verses
-
Revelation of John 3:16
So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth.
This verse uses chliaros to condemn a spiritual state that is neither hot nor cold, resulting in divine rejection because it serves no useful purpose.