New King James Version
Revelation 2:14
14But 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.
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 Living Translation (NLT)“But I have a few complaints against you. You tolerate some among you whose teaching is like that of Balaam, who showed Balak how to trip up the people of Israel. He taught them to sin by eating food offered to idols and by committing sexual sin.
Context of Revelation 2:14
12“And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, ‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: 13“I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 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. 15Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. 16Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight 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
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 2:4Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
- Numbers 24:14And now, indeed, I am going to my people. Come, I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the latter days.”
- Numbers 25:1Now Israel remained in Acacia Grove, and the people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab.
- Numbers 31:8They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of those who were killed—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. Balaam the son of Beor they also killed with the sword.
- Joshua 24:9Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose to make war against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you.
- 2 Peter 2:15They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
- Jude 1:11Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.
- Isaiah 57:14And one shall say, “Heap it up! Heap it up! Prepare the way, Take the stumbling block out of the way of My people.”
- Jeremiah 6:21Therefore thus says the Lord: “Behold, I will lay stumbling blocks before this people, And the fathers and the sons together shall fall on them. The neighbor and his friend shall perish.”
- Ezekiel 3:20“Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand.
- Ezekiel 44:12Because they ministered to them before their idols and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity, therefore I have raised My hand in an oath against them,” says the Lord God, “that they shall bear their iniquity.
- Matthew 18:7Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!
- Romans 9:32Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone.
- Romans 11:9And David says: “Let their table become a snare and a trap, A stumbling block and a recompense to them.
- Romans 14:13Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.
- 1 Corinthians 1:23but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries