Revelation 2:23

Revelation 2:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
• New International Version (NIV)I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.
• English Standard Version (ESV)and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works.
• New King James Version (NKJV)I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.

Context of Revelation 2:23

21I gave her time to repent [to change her inner self and her sinful way of thinking], but she has no desire to repent of her immorality and refuses to do so. 22Listen carefully, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her [I will bring] into great anguish, unless they repent of her deeds. And I will kill her children (followers) with pestilence [thoroughly annihilating them], and all the churches will know [without any doubt] that I am He who searches the minds and hearts [the innermost thoughts, purposes]; and I will give to each one of you [a reward or punishment] according to your deeds. 24But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not explored and known the depths of Satan, as they call them—I place no other burden on you, 25except to hold tightly to what you have until I come.

Revelation 2:23 word by word

καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῆς ἀποκτενῶ ἐν θανάτῳ, καὶ γνώσονται πᾶσαι αἱ ἐκκλησίαι ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ἐραυνῶν νεφροὺς καὶ καρδίας, καὶ δώσω ὑμῖν ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα ὑμῶν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• I will killἀποκτείνωapokteinō · to killG615
• herαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• childrenὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• childrenτέκνονteknon · childG5043
• withἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• deathθάνατοςthanatos · deathG2288
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• the churchesἐκκλησίαekklēsia · assemblyG1577
• shall knowγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• amεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• he which searchethἐρευνάωereunaō · to look for/intoG2045
• the reinsνεφρόςnephros · mindG3510
• heartsκαρδίαkardia · heartG2588
• I will giveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• untoσύsu · youG4771
• every one ofἕκαστοςhekastos · eachG1538
• according toκατάkata · according toG2596
• worksἔργονergon · workG2041

Cross-references for Revelation 2:23

• Revelation 6:8So I looked, and behold, an ashen (pale greenish gray) horse [like a corpse, representing death and pestilence]; and its rider’s name was Death; and Hades (the realm of the dead) was following with him. They were given authority and power over a fourth part of the earth, to kill with the sword and with famine and with plague (pestilence, disease) and by the wild beasts of the earth.
• Revelation 2:7He who has an ear, let him hear and heed what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes [the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God], I will grant [the privilege] to eat [the fruit] from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.’
• Deuteronomy 13:11Then all Israel will hear and be afraid, and will never again do such a wicked thing among you.
• Deuteronomy 17:13Then all the people will hear and be afraid, and will not act presumptuously again.
• Deuteronomy 19:20Those who remain will hear and be afraid, and will never again do such an evil thing among you.
• Deuteronomy 21:21Then all the men of his city shall stone him to death; so you shall remove the evil from among you, and all Israel will hear of it and be afraid.
• Zephaniah 1:11Wail [in anguish], you inhabitants of the Mortar (Valley of Siloam), For all the merchants of Canaan will be silenced and destroyed; All who weigh out silver will be cut off.
• 1 Samuel 16:7But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
• 1 Chronicles 28:9“As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father [have personal knowledge of Him, be acquainted with, and understand Him; appreciate, heed, and cherish Him] and serve Him with a blameless heart and a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and minds, and understands every intent and inclination of the thoughts. If you seek Him [inquiring for and of Him and requiring Him as your first and vital necessity] He will let you find Him; but if you abandon (turn away from) Him, He will reject you forever.
• 1 Chronicles 29:17I know also, my God, that You test the heart and delight in uprightness and integrity. In the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things. So now with joy I have seen Your people who are present here, make their offerings willingly and freely to You.
• 2 Chronicles 6:30then hear from heaven, Your dwelling place, and forgive, and render to each in accordance with all his ways, whose heart You know; for You alone know the hearts of the sons of men,
• Psalms 7:9Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous [those in right standing with You]; For the righteous God tries the hearts and minds.
• Psalms 44:21Would not God discover this? For He knows the secrets of the heart.
• Jeremiah 11:20But, O Lord of hosts, who judges righteously, Who tests the feelings and the heart (mind), Let me see Your vengeance on them, For to You I have committed my cause.
• Jeremiah 17:10I, the Lord, search and examine the mind, I test the heart, To give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds.
• Jeremiah 20:12But, O Lord of hosts, You who examine the righteous, Who see the heart and the mind, Let me see Your vengeance on them; For to You I have committed my cause.

Commentaries on Revelation 2:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23And I will kill her children with death - "That is, I will certainly destroy her offspring and memory, and thereby ruin her designs. Jezebel's two sons, being both kings were both slain; and after that, all the seventy sons of Ahab; ( 2 Kings 10:1;); in all which the hand of God was very visible. In the same manner God predicts the destruction of the heretics and heresies referred to; see Revelation 2:16. It should seem by the expression, I am he which…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23And I will kill her children with death - A strong Hebraistic mode of expression, meaning that he would certainly destroy them. It has been made a question whether the word “children” here is to be taken literally or figuratively. The word itself would admit of either interpretation; and there is nothing in the connection by which its meaning here can be determined. If it is to be taken literally, it is in accordance with what is often threatened in the…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-29Verses 18-29 Even when the Lord knows the works of his people to be wrought in love, faith, zeal, and patience; yet if his eyes, which are as a flame of fire, observe them committing or allowing what is evil, he will rebuke, correct, or punish them. Here is praise of the ministry and people of Thyatira, by One who knew the principles from which they acted. They grew wiser and better. All Christians should earnestly desire that their last works may be…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 22-23Christ’s judgment on this “Jezebel” and on those who follow her takes place in three stages: Jezebel will suffer on a sickbed; her followers will experience great suffering; and her children will die (compare Acts 5:5, 10; 1 Corinthians 11:30). This judgment is similar to the plagues on Egypt, which ended with the deaths of Egypt's firstborn sons (see Exodus 12:29–30). God knows people's thoughts and intentions (see Jeremiah 17:10; Acts 1:24; Hebrews…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. her children--(Is 57:3; Eze 23:45, 47). Her proper adherents; not those who suffer her, but those who are begotten of her. A distinct class from the last in Re 2:22 (compare Note, see on Re 2:22), whose sin was less direct, being that only of connivance. kill ... with death--Compare the disaster that overtook the literal Jezebel's votaries of Baal, and Ahab's sons, 1Ki 18:40; 2Ki 10:6, 7, 24, 25. Kill with death is a Hebraism for slay with most sure…Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 2:23

• Church
• Fellowship
• Heart
• Jesus Continued
• Judgment
• Judgments
• Lukewarmness
• Minister, Christian
• Responsibility
• Sin
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Angel
• Bed
• Faithful
• Thyatira
• Apostolic Age
• Asia Minor
• Church Government
• Commandment, the New
• Ear
• Ephesians, Epistle to the

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