God’s Word Translation
Revelation 2:23
23I will kill her children. Then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches hearts and minds. I will reward each of you for what you have done.
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 turn to me and change the way she thinks and acts, but she refuses to turn away from her sexual sins. 22Watch me! I’m going to throw her into a sickbed. Those who commit sexual sins with her will also suffer a lot, unless they turn away from what she is doing. I will kill her children. Then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches hearts and minds. I will reward each of you for what you have done. 24But the rest of you in Thyatira—all who don’t hold on to Jezebel’s teaching, who haven’t learned what are called the deep things of Satan—I won’t burden you with anything else. 25Just hold on to what you have until I come.
Read all of Revelation 2Revelation 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 6:8I looked, and there was a pale horse, and its rider’s name was Death. Hell followed him. They were given power over one-fourth of the earth to kill people using wars, famines, plagues, and the wild animals on the earth.
- Revelation 2:7“Let the person who has ears listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. I will give the privilege of eating from the tree of life, which stands in the paradise of God, to everyone who wins the victory.
- Deuteronomy 13:11All Israel will hear about it and be afraid. Then no one among you will ever do such a wicked thing again.
- Deuteronomy 17:13When all the people hear about it, they will be afraid and will never defy ⌞God’s law⌟ again.
- Deuteronomy 19:20When the rest of the people hear about this, they will be afraid. Never again will such an evil thing be done among you.
- Deuteronomy 21:21All the men of the city should stone him to death. You must get rid of this evil. When all Israel hears about it, they will be afraid.
- Zephaniah 1:11“Howl, inhabitants of the Mortar, because all the merchants will be destroyed and all who handle money will be killed.
- 1 Samuel 16:7But the Lord told Samuel, “Don’t look at his appearance or how tall he is, because I have rejected him. God does not see as humans see. Humans look at outward appearances, but the Lord looks into the heart.”
- 1 Chronicles 28:9“And you, my son Solomon, learn to know your father’s God. Serve the Lord wholeheartedly and willingly because he searches every heart and understands every thought ⌞we have⌟. If you dedicate your life to serving him, he will accept you. But if you abandon him, he will reject you from then on.
- 1 Chronicles 29:17I know, my God, that you examine hearts and delight in honesty. With an honest heart I have willingly offered all these things. I’ve been overjoyed to see your people here offering so willingly to you.
- 2 Chronicles 6:30Hear ⌞them⌟ in heaven, where you live. Forgive ⌞them⌟, and give each person the proper reply. (You know what is in their hearts, because you alone know what is in people’s hearts.)
- Psalms 7:9Let the evil within wicked people come to an end, but make the righteous person secure, O righteous God who examines thoughts and emotions.
- Psalms 44:21wouldn’t God find out, since he knows the secrets in our hearts?
- Jeremiah 11:20O Lord of Armies, you judge fairly and test motives and thoughts. I want to see you take revenge on them, because I’ve brought my case to you.
- Jeremiah 17:10I, the Lord, search minds and test hearts. I will reward each person for what he has done. I will reward him for the results of his actions.
- Jeremiah 20:12But the Lord of Armies examines the righteous. He sees their motives and thoughts. I want to see you take revenge on them, because I’ve brought my case to you.
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
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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