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“To the messenger of the church in Pergamum, write: The one who holds the sharp two-edged sword says: 13I know where you live. Satan’s throne is there. You hold on to my name and have not denied your belief in me, even in the days of Antipas. He was my faithful witness who was killed in your presence, where Satan lives. But I have a few things against you: You have among you those who follow what Balaam taught Balak. Balak trapped the people of Israel by ⌞encouraging⌟ them to eat food sacrificed to idols and to sin sexually. 15You also have some who follow what the Nicolaitans teach. 16So return to me and change the way you think and act, or I will come to you quickly and wage war against them with the sword from my mouth.

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 2:4However, I have this against you: The love you had at first is gone.
• Numbers 24:14Even though I’m going back to my people, I’ll give you some advice. I’ll tell you what these people will do to your people in the days to come.”
• Numbers 25:1While Israel was staying at Shittim, the men began to have sex with Moabite women
• Numbers 31:8Among those killed were the five kings of Midian—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba. They also killed Balaam, son of Beor, in battle.
• Joshua 24:9Then Balak, son of King Zippor of Moab, fought Israel. He summoned Balaam, son of Beor, to curse you.
• 2 Peter 2:15These false teachers have left the straight path and wandered off to follow the path of Balaam, son of Beor. Balaam loved what his wrongdoing earned him.
• Jude 1:11How horrible it will be for them! They have followed the path of Cain. They have rushed into Balaam’s error to make a profit. They have rebelled like Korah and destroyed themselves.
• Isaiah 57:14It will be said: “Build a road! Build a road! Prepare the way! Remove every obstacle in the way of my people!”
• Jeremiah 6:21This is what the Lord says: I’m going to lay stumbling blocks in front of these people. Parents and children will stumble over them. Neighbors and their friends will die.
• Ezekiel 3:20If righteous people turn from living the right way and do wrong, I will make them stumble, and they will die. If you don’t warn them, they will die because of their sin, and the right things they did will not be remembered. I will hold you responsible for their deaths.
• Ezekiel 44:12But they served the people by standing in front of their idols and by making Israel fall into sin. So I raised my hand and swore that they would be punished for their sins, declares the Lord.
• Matthew 18:7How horrible it will be for the world because it causes people to lose their faith. Situations that cause people to lose their faith will arise. How horrible it will be for the person who causes someone to lose his faith!
• Romans 9:32Why? They didn’t rely on faith to gain God’s approval, but they relied on their own efforts. They stumbled over the rock that trips people.
• Romans 11:9And David says, “Let the table set for them become a trap and a net, a snare and a punishment for them.
• Romans 14:13So let’s stop criticizing each other. Instead, you should decide never to do anything that would make other Christians have doubts or lose their faith.
• 1 Corinthians 1:23but our message is that Christ was crucified. This offends Jewish people and makes no sense to people who are not Jewish.

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