Revelation 2:14

Revelation 2:14 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
• New International Version (NIV)Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.

Context of Revelation 2:14

12“And to the angel (divine messenger) of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of Him who has and wields the sharp two-edged sword [in judgment]: 13‘I know where you dwell, [a place] where Satan sits enthroned. Yet you are holding fast to My name, and you did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed (martyred) among you, where Satan dwells. But I have a few things against you, because you have there some [among you] who are holding to the [corrupt] teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, [enticing them] to eat things that had been sacrificed to idols and to commit [acts of sexual] immorality. 15You also have some who in the same way are holding to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16Therefore repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, your sinful behavior—seek God’s will]; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war and fight against them with the sword of My mouth [in judgment].

Revelation 2:14 word by word

ἀλλ᾽ ἔχω κατὰ σοῦ ὀλίγα ὅτι ἔχεις ἐκεῖ κρατοῦντας τὴν διδαχὴν Βαλαάμ, ὃς ἐδίδασκεν τῷ Βαλὰκ βαλεῖν σκάνδαλον ἐνώπιον τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ φαγεῖν εἰδωλόθυτα καὶ πορνεῦσαι.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Butἀλλάalla · butG235
• I haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• a few thingsὀλίγοςoligos · little/fewG3641
• againstκατάkata · according toG2596
• theeσύsu · youG4771
• becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• thereἐκεῖekei · thereG1563
• them that holdκρατέωkrateō · to grasp/seizeG2902
• the doctrineὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the doctrineδιδαχήdidachē · teachingG1322
• of BalaamΒαλαάμBalaam · BalaamG903
• whoὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• taughtδιδάσκωdidaskō · to teachG1321
• BalacΒαλάκBalak · BalakG904
• to castβάλλωballō · to throw: putG906
• a stumblingblockσκάνδαλονskandalon · stumbling blockG4625
• beforeἐνώπιονenōpion · beforeG1799
• the childrenυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
• of IsraelἸσραήλIsraēl · IsraelG2474
• to eatφαγεῖνphagō · to eatG5315
• things sacrificed unto idolsεἰδωλόθυτοςeidōlothuton · sacrificed to idolsG1494
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• to commit fornicationπορνεύωporneuō · to sin sexuallyG4203

Cross-references for Revelation 2:14

• Revelation 2:4But I have this [charge] against you, that you have left your first love [you have lost the depth of love that you first had for Me].
• Numbers 24:14And now, look, I am going to my people; come, I will advise you as to what this people [Israel] will do to your people [Moab] in the days to come.”
• Numbers 25:1Israel settled and remained in Shittim, and the people began to play the prostitute with the women of Moab [by being unfaithful to God].
• Numbers 31:8They killed the kings of Midian along with the rest of their slain: Evi and Rekem and Zur [the father of Cozbi] and Hur and Reba, the five kings of Midian; also Balaam the son of Beor they killed with the sword.
• Joshua 24:9Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel, and he sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you.
• 2 Peter 2:15Abandoning the straight road [that is, the right way to live], they have gone astray; they have followed the way of [the false teacher] Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the reward of wickedness;
• Jude 1:11Woe to them! For they have gone the [defiant] way of Cain, and for profit they have run headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of [mutinous] Korah.
• Isaiah 57:14And it will be said, “Build up, build up, clear the way. Remove the stumbling block out of the way [of the spiritual return] of My people.”
• Jeremiah 6:21Therefore, thus says the Lord, “Behold, I am laying stumbling blocks before this people. The fathers and the sons together Will stumble against them; The neighbor and his friend will perish.”
• Ezekiel 3:20Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness (right standing with God) and sins, and I place an obstacle before him, he will die; since you have not warned him, he will die in his sin, and the righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered; but you will be responsible for his blood.
• Ezekiel 44:12Because the priests ministered to them before their idols and became a stumbling block of sin to the house of Israel, therefore I have lifted up My hand and have sworn [an oath] against them,” says the Lord God, “that they shall bear the punishment for their sin and guilt.
• Matthew 18:7“Woe (judgment is coming) to the world because of stumbling blocks and temptations to sin! It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to the person on whose account or through whom the stumbling block comes!
• Romans 9:32And why not? Because it was not by faith [that they pursued it], but as though it were by works [relying on the merit of their works instead of their faith]. They stumbled over the stumbling Stone [Jesus Christ].
• Romans 11:9And David says, “Let their table (abundance) become a snare and a trap, A stumbling block and a retribution to them.
• Romans 14:13Then let us not criticize one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block or a source of temptation in another believer’s way.
• 1 Corinthians 1:23but we preach Christ crucified, [a message which is] to Jews a stumbling block [that provokes their opposition], and to Gentiles foolishness [just utter nonsense],

Commentaries on Revelation 2:14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14I have a few things against thee - Their good deeds are first carefully sought out and commended; what was wrong in them is touched with a gentle but effectual hand. The followers of Balaam, the Nicolaitanes, and the Gnostics, were probably all the same kind of persons; but see on Revelation 2:6; (note). What the doctrine of Balaam was, see the notes on Numbers 24:1; (note) through Numbers 25:18; and Numbers 31:1-54 (note). It appears that there were some…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14But I have a few things against thee - As against the church at Ephesus, Revelation 2:4. The charge against this church, however, is somewhat different from that against the church at Ephesus. The charge there was, that they had “left their first love”; but it is spoken in commendation of them that they “hated the deeds of the Nicolaitanes,” Revelation 2:6. Here the charge is, that they tolerated that sect among them, and that they had among them also…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-17Verses 12-17 The word of God is a sword, able to slay both sin and sinners. It turns and cuts every way; but the believer need not fear this sword; yet this confidence cannot be supported without steady obedience. As our Lord notices all the advantages and opportunities we have for duty in the places where we dwell, so he notices our temptations and discouragements from the same causes. In a situation of trials, the church of Pergamos had not denied the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14-15Some people in Pergamum mixed Christianity with pagan beliefs and took part in immoral activities. John compares them to Balaam, who led Israel into sin (see Numbers 25:1–3; 2 Peter 2:15; Jude 1:11). Nicolaitans: see study note on Revelation 2:6.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1414. few--in comparison of the many tokens of thy faithfulness. hold the doctrine of Balaam--"the teaching of Balaam," namely, that which he "taught Balak." Compare "the counsel of Balaam," Nu 31:16. "Balak" is dative in the Greek, whence Bengel translates, "taught (the Moabites) for (that is, to please) Balak." But though in Numbers it is not expressly said he taught Balak, yet there is nothing said inconsistent with his having done so; and Josephus…Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 2:14

• Affections
• Backsliders
• Balaam
• Church
• Idolatry
• Lukewarmness
• Minister, Christian
• Pergamos
• Stumbling

In the dictionaries

• Balaam
• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Children of Israel
• Angel
• Bed
• Faithful
• Nicolaitanes
• Alliance

Commentaries on Revelation 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings