Revelation 2:20

Revelation 2:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
• New International Version (NIV)Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But 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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.

Context of Revelation 2:20

18“And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this: 19‘I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first. But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality. 22Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds.

Revelation 2:20 word by word

ἀλλ᾽ ἔχω κατὰ σοῦ ὅτι ἀφεῖς τὴν γυναῖκα Ἰεζάβελ, ἡ λέγουσα ἑαυτὴν προφῆτιν καὶ διδάσκει καὶ πλανᾷ τοὺς ἐμοὺς δούλους πορνεῦσαι καὶ φαγεῖν εἰδωλόθυτα.Read the interlinear

• I haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• againstκατάkata · according toG2596
• you, that you tolerateἀφίημιaphiēmi · to release: permitG863
• the womanγυνήgunē · womanG1135
• JezebelἸεζαβήλIezabēl · JezebelG2403
• who callsλέγωlegō · to say: callG3004
• herselfἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
• a prophetessπροφῆτιςprophētis · prophetessG4398
• and she teachesδιδάσκωdidaskō · to teachG1321
• and leadsπλανάωplanaō · to lead astrayG4105
• My bond-servantsδοῦλοςdoulos · slaveG1401
• commitπορνεύωporneuō · to sin sexuallyG4203
• and eatἐσθίωesthiō · to eatG2068
• thingsεἰδωλόθυτοςeidōlothuton · sacrificed to idolsG1494

Cross-references for Revelation 2:20

• Revelation 2:4But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
• 1 Kings 16:31It came about, as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he married Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went to serve Baal and worshiped him.
• 1 Kings 17:4It shall be that you will drink of the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to provide for you there.”
• 1 Kings 19:1Now Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.
• 1 Kings 21:7Jezebel his wife said to him, “Do you now reign over Israel? Arise, eat bread, and let your heart be joyful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”
• 2 Kings 9:7You shall strike the house of Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, at the hand of Jezebel.
• Revelation 2:14But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality.
• Exodus 34:15otherwise you might make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land and they would play the harlot with their gods and sacrifice to their gods, and someone might invite you to eat of his sacrifice,
• Numbers 25:1While Israel remained at Shittim, the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab.
• Acts 15:20but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood.
• 1 Corinthians 8:10For if someone sees you, who have knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols?
• 1 Corinthians 10:18Look at the nation Israel; are not those who eat the sacrifices sharers in the altar?

Commentaries on Revelation 2:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20That woman Jezebel - There is an allusion here to the history of Ahab and Jezebel, as given in 2 Kings 9:1-10:36; and although we do not know who this Jezebel was, yet from the allusion we may take it for granted she was a woman of power and influence in Thyatira, who corrupted the true religion, and harassed the followers of God in that city, as Jezebel did in Israel. Instead of that woman Jezebel, , many excellent MSS., and almost all the ancient…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee - Compare notes on Revelation 2:4. Because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel - Thou dost tolerate, or countenance her. Compare the notes on Revelation 2:14. Who the individual here referred to by the name Jezebel was, is not known. It is by no means probable that this was her real name, but seems to have been given to her as expressive of her character and influence. Jezebel was the wife of Ahab; a woman…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. 20-21The mention of Jezebel, who led Israel into idol worship and immoral behavior (1 Kings 16:31–33; 21:5–26), highlights a serious issue. Like the Old Testament queen who led the worship of Baal (see 1 Kings 16:31; 18:4; 19:1–3), this unknown Jezebel claimed to be a prophet but was leading God's people into immorality. This included sexual misconduct and forming idolatrous alliances and actions (Exodus 34:15–16; Psalm 106:39; Isaiah 57:7–8).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. a few things--omitted in the three oldest manuscripts. Translate then, "I have against thee that," &c. sufferest--The three oldest manuscripts read, "lettest alone." that woman--Two oldest manuscripts read, "THY wife"; two omit it. Vulgate and most ancient versions read as English Version. The symbolical Jezebel was to the Church of Thyatira what Jezebel, Ahab's "wife," was to him. Some self-styled prophetess (or as the feminine in Hebrew is often…Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 2:20

• Adultery
• Affections
• Backsliders
• Church
• Idolatry
• Jezebel
• Lukewarmness
• Minister, Christian
• Prophetesses

In the dictionaries

• Jezebel
• Angel
• Bed
• Faithful
• Thyatira
• Apostolic Age
• Asia Minor
• Church Government
• Commandment, the New
• Crime; Crimes

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