English Standard Version
Revelation 2:21
21I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality.
Revelation 2:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.
- New International Version (NIV)I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent.
- New Living Translation (NLT)I gave her time to repent, but she does not want to turn away from her immorality.
Context of Revelation 2:21
19"'I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. 20But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. 22Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, 23and 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.
Read all of Revelation 2Revelation 2:21 word by word
καὶ ἔδωκα αὐτῇ χρόνον ἵνα μετανοήσῃ καὶ οὐ θέλει μετανοῆσαι ἐκ τῆς πορνείας αὐτῆς.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- I gaveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
- herαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- spaceχρόνοςchronos · timeG5550
- toἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- repentμετανοέωmetanoeō · to repentG3340
- ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- fornicationὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- fornicationπορνείαporneia · sexual sinG4202
- notοὐou · noG3756
Cross-references for Revelation 2:21
- Revelation 9:20The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk,
- Jeremiah 8:4"You shall say to them, Thus says the Lord: When men fall, do they not rise again? If one turns away, does he not return?
- Romans 2:4Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
- Romans 9:22What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,
- 1 Peter 3:20because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.
- 2 Peter 3:9The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
Commentaries on Revelation 2:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21I gave her space to repent - "This alludes to the history of Jezebel. God first sent Elijah to Ahab to pronounce a severe judgment upon him; upon which Ahab showed tokens of repentance, and so God put off his punishment. By these means the like punishment pronounced against Jezebel was also put off. Thus God gave her time to repent, which she did not, but instead of that seduced her sons to the same sins. See 1 Kings 21:1-29. According to the Mosaical…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21And I gave her space to repent of her fornication - Probably after some direct and solemn warning of the evil of her course. The error and sin had been of long standing, but he now resolved to bear with it no longer. It is true of almost every great sinner, that sufficient time is given for repentance, and that vengeance is delayed after crime is committed. But it cannot always be deferred, for the period must arrive when no reason shall exist for longer…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. 21Through messengers like John, Christ gave this false prophet a chance to repent for her wrong teachings and actions. However, like many others, she refused (compare Revelation 9:20–21).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. space--Greek, "time." of her fornication ... she repented not--The three oldest manuscripts read, "and she willeth not to repent of (literally, 'out of,' that is, so as to come out of) her fornication." Here there is a transition from literal to spiritual fornication, as appears from Re 2:22. The idea arose from Jehovah's covenant relation to the Old Testament Church being regarded as a marriage, any transgression against which was, therefore…Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 2:21
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries