Berean Standard Bible
Revelation 2:14
14But I have a few things against you, because some of you hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block before the Israelites so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality.
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
12To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of the One who holds the sharp, double-edged sword. 13I know where you live, where the throne of Satan sits, yet you hold fast to My name. You did not deny your faith in Me, even in the days of My faithful witness Antipas, who was killed among you where Satan dwells. But I have a few things against you, because some of you hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block before the Israelites so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality. 15In the same way, some of you also hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16Therefore repent! Otherwise I will come to you shortly and wage war against them with the sword of My mouth.
Read all of Revelation 2Revelation 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
- Butἀλλάalla · butG235
- I haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- a few thingsὀλίγοςoligos · little/fewG3641
- againstκατάkata · according toG2596
- youσύsu · youG4771
- becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
- ·ἐκεῖekei · thereG1563
- holdκρατέωkrateō · to grasp/seizeG2902
- to theὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- teachingδιδαχήdidachē · teachingG1322
- of BalaamΒαλαάμBalaam · BalaamG903
- whoὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- taughtδιδάσκωdidaskō · to teachG1321
- BalakΒαλάκBalak · BalakG904
- to placeβάλλωballō · to throw: putG906
- a stumbling blockσκάνδαλονskandalon · stumbling blockG4625
- beforeἐνώπιονenōpion · beforeG1799
- Israelitesυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
- IsraelitesἸσραήλIsraēl · IsraelG2474
- so they would eatφαγεῖνphagō · to eatG5315
- food sacrificed to idolsεἰδωλόθυτοςeidōlothuton · sacrificed to idolsG1494
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- commit sexual immoralityπορνεύωporneuō · to sin sexuallyG4203
Cross-references for Revelation 2:14
- Revelation 2:4But I have this against you: You have abandoned your first love.
- Numbers 24:14Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you what this people will do to your people in the days to come.”
- Numbers 25:1While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab,
- Numbers 31:8Among the slain were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba—the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.
- Joshua 24:9Then Balak son of Zippor, the king of Moab, set out to fight against Israel. He sent for Balaam son of Beor to curse you,
- 2 Peter 2:15They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness.
- Jude 1:11Woe to them! They have traveled the path of Cain; they have rushed for profit into the error of Balaam; they have perished in Korah’s rebellion.
- Isaiah 57:14And it will be said, “Build it up, build it up, prepare the way, take every obstacle out of the way of My people.”
- Jeremiah 6:21Therefore this is what the LORD says: “I will lay stumbling blocks before this people; fathers and sons alike will be staggered; friends and neighbors will perish.”
- Ezekiel 3:20Now if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I put a stumbling block before him, he will die. If you did not warn him, he will die in his sin, and the righteous acts he did will not be remembered. And I will hold you responsible for his blood.
- Ezekiel 44:12Because they ministered before their idols and became a stumbling block of iniquity to the house of Israel, therefore I swore with an uplifted hand concerning them that they would bear the consequences of their iniquity, declares the Lord GOD.
- Matthew 18:7Woe to the world for the causes of sin. These stumbling blocks must come, but woe to the man through whom they come!
- Romans 9:32Why not? Because their pursuit was not by faith, but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,
- Romans 11:9And David says: “May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution to them.
- Romans 14:13Therefore let us stop judging one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.
- 1 Corinthians 1:23but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
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
In the dictionaries
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
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