Revelation · Chapter 3 · Faith
Revelation 3:20 — Bible Verse Meaning & Context
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Both translations, side by side
WEB · World English Bible
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me."
KJV · King James Version
"Behold2400, I stand2476 at1909 the door2374, and2532 knock2925: if1437 any man5100 hear191 my3450 voice5456, and2532 open455 the door2374, I will come in1525 to4314 him846, and2532 will sup1172 with3326 him846, and2532 he846 with3326 me1700."
How the translations differ: The WEB is a modern public-domain revision of the 1901 ASV; the KJV dates to 1611. The KJV uses any, man, hear, open, while the WEB renders these as anyone, hears, opens, then. Both translate the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text — the differences are stylistic, not theological.
In context
Revelation 3:20 in Revelation 3
A Bible verse rarely stands alone. Here is Revelation 3:20 read with the verses immediately before and after — the surrounding flow of Revelation 3. Read the full chapter →
- v.18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich; and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see.
- v.19 As many as I love, I reprove and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent.
- v.20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me.
- v.21 He who overcomes, I will give to him to sit down with me on my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father on his throne.
- v.22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.”
Book background
About the Book of Revelation
- Testament
- New Testament
- Genre
- Apocalyptic prophecy
- Author
- John the apostle
- Date written
- c. 95 AD
- Audience
- Seven churches in Roman Asia (Asia Minor) facing persecution
- Chapters
- 22
Revelation is the Bible's closing book — a series of dramatic visions given to John on Patmos. It opens with letters to seven churches, then unveils the throne room of heaven, the lamb who was slain, judgment cycles of seals/trumpets/bowls, the final defeat of evil, the millennium, the great white throne, and the new heavens and new earth. Christ's final invitation closes the Bible: "Come, Lord Jesus" (22:20).
Setting: Written from John's exile on the island of Patmos under Emperor Domitian.
Key themes: victory of Christ · judgment · worship · perseverance · new creation
Memorisation aid
How to memorise Revelation 3:20
Revelation 3:20 contains 33 words in 6 clauses. Learn one clause at a time, then chain them. The first-letter mnemonic (FLM) under each clause is a memory hook — once you can speak the FLM from memory, the full clause follows.
- 1
Behold
B
- 2
I stand at the door and knock
ISATDA
- 3
If anyone hears my voice and opens the door
IAHMVA
- 4
then I will come in to him
TIWCIT
- 5
and will dine with him
AWDWH
- 6
and he with me.
AHWM
Frequently asked
FAQ about Revelation 3:20
What does Revelation 3:20 say?
Revelation 3:20 reads: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me." — from the New Testament, Revelation (Apocalyptic prophecy). The full verse is shown above with both the World English Bible (WEB) and King James Version (KJV) translations side by side.
What book of the Bible is Revelation 3:20 in?
Revelation 3:20 is in the book of Revelation, traditionally attributed to John the apostle and written around c. 95 AD. Revelation is apocalyptic prophecy in the New Testament, originally addressed to Seven churches in Roman Asia (Asia Minor) facing persecution. Best known for the lamb who was slain and the new heavens and new earth.
What is Revelation 3:20 about?
Revelation 3:20 is primarily a Bible verse about Faith. Within Revelation, Revelation is the Bible's closing book — a series of dramatic visions given to John on Patmos. Read the full passage above with surrounding context.
What is the difference between Revelation 3:20 in WEB and KJV?
Revelation 3:20 in the World English Bible (WEB) reads: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me.". The King James Version (KJV) reads: "Behold2400, I stand2476 at1909 the door2374, and2532 knock2925: if1437 any man5100 hear191 my3450 voice5456, and2532 open455 the door2374, I will come in1525 to4314 him846, and2532 will sup1172 with3326 him846, and2532 he846 with3326 me1700.". The WEB is a modern public-domain translation that updates the KJV's 1611 English while keeping a similar formal-equivalence style. Both render the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text.
How long is Revelation 3:20?
Revelation 3:20 is 33 words in the WEB translation (151 characters), broken into 6 clauses. It is a longer verse, often broken into smaller phrases for memorisation. Estimated reading time is about 10 seconds.
How can I memorise Revelation 3:20?
To memorise Revelation 3:20, split it into its 6 natural clauses and learn one at a time. Repeat the full verse out loud five times, then write it from memory. Saving the verse as a photo wallpaper using our verse image studio helps daily review — the visual association with a memorable background dramatically improves recall.
Why does Revelation 3:20 matter in Revelation?
Revelation is the Bible's closing book — a series of dramatic visions given to John on Patmos. It opens with letters to seven churches, then unveils the throne room of heaven, the lamb who was slain, judgment cycles of seals/trumpets/bowls, the final defeat of evil, the millennium, the great white throne, and the new heavens and new earth. Christ's final invitation closes the Bible: "Come, Lord Jesus" (22:20). Revelation 3:20 sits within this larger story — Revelation as a whole emphasises victory of Christ, judgment, worship.
How can I apply Revelation 3:20 today?
Many readers use Revelation 3:20 as a daily reminder verse — saving it as a phone wallpaper, sharing it on Pinterest, or memorising it for prayer. The verse studio on this page lets you download Revelation 3:20 on 52 different backgrounds for free. Pair the verse with the surrounding chapter context shown above to understand its full meaning before applying it.
More designs
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Romans 8:28
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