Revelation 2:20

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible

Nevertheless, I have against thee, that thou sufferest the woman Jezebel, she who calleth herself a prophetess, and is teaching and leading astray my own servants to commit lewdness and to eat idol-sacrifices;

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
But I have this against you: You let that woman Jezebel do what she wants. She says that she is a prophet, but she is leading my people away with her teaching. Jezebel leads my people to commit sexual sins and to eat food that is offered to idols.

Revised Standard Version
But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jez'ebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and beguiling my servants to practice immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Notwitstondinge I have a feawe thynges agaynst the that thou sofferest that woman Iesabell which called her sylfe a prophetes to teache and to deceave my servauntes to make them commyt fornicacion and to eate meates offered vppe vnto ydoles.

Hebrew Names Version
But I have this against you, that you tolerate your woman, Izevel, who calls herself a prophetess. She teaches and seduces my servants to commit sexual immorality, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.

New American Standard Bible
'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 sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.

New Century Version
"But I have this against you: You let that woman Jezebel spread false teachings. She says she is a prophetess, but by her teaching she leads my people to take part in sexual sins and to eat food that is offered to idols.

Update Bible Version
But I have [this] against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess; and she teaches and seduces my slaves to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.

Webster's Bible Translation
Notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit lewdness, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.

World English Bible
But I have this against you, that you tolerate your woman, Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. She teaches and seduces my servants to commit sexual immorality, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But I have against thee, that thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, who callest herself a prophetess, and teacheth and seduceth my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.

Weymouth's New Testament
Yet I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and by her teaching leads astray My servants, so that they commit fornication and eat what has been sacrificed to idols.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But Y haue ayens thee a fewe thingis; for thou suffrist the womman Jesabel, which seith that sche is a prophetesse, to teche and disseyue my seruauntis, to do letcherie, and to ete of thingis offrid to idols.

English Revised Version
But I have this against thee, that thou sufferest the woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess; and she teacheth and seduceth my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.

Berean Standard Bible
But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads My servants to be sexually immoral and to eat food sacrificed to idols.

Contemporary English Version
But I still have something against you because of that woman Jezebel. She calls herself a prophet, and you let her teach and mislead my servants to do immoral things and to eat food offered to idols.

Amplified Bible
'But I have this [charge] against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess [claiming to be inspired], and she teaches and misleads My bond-servants so that they commit [acts of sexual] immorality and eat food sacrificed to idols.

American Standard Version
But I have this against thee, that thou sufferest the woman Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess; and she teacheth and seduceth my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.

Bible in Basic English
But I have this against you, that you let the woman Jezebel say she is a prophet and give false teaching, making my servants go after the desires of the flesh and take food offered to false gods.

Complete Jewish Bible
But I have this against you: you continue to tolerate that Izevel woman, the one who claims to be a prophet, but is teaching and deceiving my servants to commit sexual sin and eat food that has been sacrificed to idols.

Darby Translation
But I have against thee that thou permittest the woman Jezebel, she who calls herself prophetess, and she teaches and leads astray my servants to commit fornication and eat of idol sacrifices.

International Standard Version
But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet and who teaches and leads my servants to practice immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.Exodus 34:15; 1 Kings 16:31; 21:25; 2 Kings 9:7; Acts 15:20,29; 1 Corinthians 10:19-20; Revelation 2:14;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
But I have against thee that thou permittest thy wife Izabel, who calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat what the sons of idols [fn] (eat).

Murdock Translation
But I have [fn] against thee, because thou sufferest thy woman Jezabel, who saith she is a prophetess, and teacheth, and seduceth my servants to whoredom, and to eating of the sacrifices of idols.

King James Version (1611)
Notwithstanding, I haue a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Iezebel, which calleth herselfe a Prophetesse, to teach and to seduce my seruants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed vnto idoles.

New Living Translation
"But I have this complaint against you. You are permitting that woman—that Jezebel who calls herself a prophet—to lead my servants astray. She teaches them to commit sexual sin and to eat food offered to idols.

New Life Bible
But I have this against you: You are allowing Jezebel who calls herself a preacher to teach my servants. She is leading them in the wrong way and they are doing sex sins. And they are eating food that has been given as a gift in worship to false gods.

New Revised Standard
But I have this against you: you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet and is teaching and beguiling my servants to practice fornication and to eat food sacrificed to idols.

English Standard Version
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.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Notwithstanding, I haue a few things against thee, that thou sufferest the woman Iezabel, which calleth her selfe a prophetesse, to teache and to deceiue my seruants to make them commit fornication, and to eate meates sacrificed vnto idoles.

George Lamsa Translation
Notwithstanding I have a few things against you, because you allowed that woman of yours Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed to idols.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But I have against thee a few things: because thou sufferest the woman Jezabel, who calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants, to commit fornication and to eat of things sacrificed to idols.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Notwithstandyng, I haue a fewe thynges agaynst thee, because thou sufferest that woman Iesabel, which called her selfe a prophetisse, to teache, and to deceaue my seruauntes, to make them commit fornication, and to eate meates offred vp vnto idols.

Good News Translation
But this is what I have against you: you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a messenger of God. By her teaching she misleads my servants into practicing sexual immorality and eating food that has been offered to idols.

Christian Standard Bible®
But I have this against you: You tolerate the woman Jezebel,

King James Version
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.

Lexham English Bible
But I have against you that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, the one who calls herself a prophetess, and teaches and deceives my slaves to commit sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.

Literal Translation
But I have a few things against you, that you allow the woman Jezebel to teach, she saying herself to be a prophetess, and to cause My slaves to go astray, and to commit fornication, and to eat idol sacrifices.

Young's Literal Translation
`But I have against thee a few things: That thou dost suffer the woman Jezebel, who is calling herself a prophetess, to teach, and to lead astray, my servants to commit whoredom, and idol-sacrifices to eat;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Not withstondinge I haue a feawe thinges agaynst the, that thou sufferest that woman Iesabell (which called her selfe a prophetisse) to teache and to deceaue my seruauntes, to make them committ fornicacion, and to eate meates offered vp vnto ydoles.

Mace New Testament (1729)
notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezabel, who stiles herself a prophetess, and teaches and seduces my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.

THE MESSAGE
"But why do you let that Jezebel who calls herself a prophet mislead my dear servants into Cross-denying, self-indulging religion? I gave her a chance to change her ways, but she has no intention of giving up a career in the god-business. I'm about to lay her low, along with her partners, as they play their sex-and-religion games. The bastard offspring of their idol-whoring I'll kill. Then every church will know that appearances don't impress me. I x-ray every motive and make sure you get what's coming to you.

New English Translation
But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and by her teaching deceives my servants to commit sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.

New King James Version
Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow [fn] that woman [fn] Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce [fn] My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.

Simplified Cowboy Version
But there is one thing I need to point out, you've let Jezebel have free rein. She calls herself a prophet and teaches my cowboys to have nasty sexual relations and even eat food that was sacrificed to false gods.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
'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.

Contextual Overview

¹⁸ And, unto the messenger of the assembly, in Thyatira, write: - These things, saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet like unto glowing copper: ¹⁹ I know thy works, and thy love, and faith, and ministry, and endurance, - and that, thy last works, are more than the first. ²⁰ Nevertheless, I have against thee, that thou sufferest the woman Jezebel, she who calleth herself a prophetess, and is teaching and leading astray my own servants to commit lewdness and to eat idol-sacrifices; ²¹ and I gave her time, that she might repent, and she willeth not to repent out of her lewdness. ²² Lo! I cast her into a bed, and them who are committing adultery with her, into great tribulation, - except they repent out of her works; ²³ and, her children, will I slay with death; - and all the assemblies shall get to know, that, I, am he that searcheth reins and hearts, and will give unto you, each one, according to your works. ²⁴ But, unto you, I say, - the rest who are in Thyatira, as many as have not this teaching, such as have not come to know the deep things of Satan, as they say, I do not cast upon you any other burden; ²⁵ nevertheless, what ye have, hold fast, till I shall have come. ²⁶ And, he that overcometh, and keepeth throughout my works, I will, give unto him, authority over the nations; ²⁷ and he shall shepherd them with a sceptre of iron, - as, vessels of earthenware, are dashed in pieces: - as, I also, have received from my Father.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I have: Revelation 2:4, Revelation 2:14

that woman: 1 Kings 16:31, 1 Kings 17:4, 1 Kings 17:13, 1 Kings 19:1, 1 Kings 19:2, 1 Kings 21:7-15, 1 Kings 21:23-25, 2 Kings 9:7, 2 Kings 9:30-37

and to seduce: Revelation 2:14, Exodus 34:15, Numbers 25:1, Numbers 25:2, Acts 15:20, Acts 15:29, 1 Corinthians 8:10-12, 1 Corinthians 10:18-21, 1 Corinthians 10:28

Reciprocal: Leviticus 14:40 - take away 1 Samuel 2:24 - ye make 1 Kings 18:19 - eat at Jezebel's table 2 Kings 9:22 - the whoredoms 2 Kings 10:6 - your master's sons 2 Kings 21:9 - seduced 2 Chronicles 21:11 - caused 2 Chronicles 24:7 - that wicked Proverbs 7:13 - she Ezekiel 13:10 - seduced Ezekiel 13:17 - out of Daniel 11:34 - cleave Hosea 2:5 - their mother Micah 1:13 - she Micah 6:16 - the works Matthew 5:19 - shall teach Matthew 13:25 - men Matthew 18:7 - but Matthew 22:10 - both Mark 10:21 - One thing Luke 17:1 - It is Acts 21:9 - which 1 Corinthians 5:2 - might 1 Corinthians 5:11 - fornicator 2 Corinthians 2:17 - which 2 Corinthians 11:13 - false 2 Corinthians 11:29 - and I burn Galatians 1:7 - pervert Galatians 3:1 - who 1 Timothy 1:3 - charge 2 Timothy 3:8 - resist Titus 2:3 - teachers Hebrews 12:16 - any fornicator Revelation 2:2 - how

Cross-References

Genesis 2:18
And Yahweh God said, It is, not good, that the man should remain alone, - I will make for him a helper as his counterpart.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee,.... By way of complaint; so the Arabic version renders it, "I have a certain complaint against thee". The impartiality of Christ may be observed in taking notice of the bad deeds, as well as of the good ones of his people, and his tenderness in representing them as few; and these things he had against them not in a judicial way to their condemnation, but in a providential way, in order to chastise them for them, for their good; and they are as follow:

because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel; or "thy wife Jezebel", as the Complutensian edition and Syriac version read; the name of King Ahab's wife, who seduced him, in the Hebrew language is "Izebel", but is read by the Septuagint in 1 Kings 16:31, Jezebel, as here; and by Josephus a Jezabela; she had her name from זבל, "Zebel", "dung", to which Elijah has reference in 2 Kings 9:37; the Ethiopic version calls her "Elzabel". By her is meant the apostate church of Rome, comparable to Jezebel, the wife of Ahab; as she was the daughter of an Heathen, so is Rome Papal the daughter of Rome Pagan; and as she was the wife of Ahab, and therefore a queen, so the whore of Babylon calls herself; and as Jezebel was famous for her paintings, so the church of Rome for her pretensions to religion and holiness, and for the gaudiness of her worship; and as she was remarkable for her idolatry, whoredoms, witchcrafts, and cruel persecution of the prophets of the Lord, and for murder, and innocent blood she shed; so the church of Rome, for her idolatrous worship of images, for her whoredoms, both in a literal and spiritual sense, and for the witchcrafts, magic, and devilish arts many of her popes have been addicted to, and especially for her barbarities and cruelties exercised upon the true professors of Christ, and for the blood of the martyrs, with which she has been drunk; and as Jezebel stirred up Ahab against good and faithful men, is has this church stirred up the secular powers, emperors, kings, and princes, against the true followers of Christ: and the end of both of them is much alike; as scarce anything was left of Jezebel, so Babylon the great, the mother of harlots, shall be cast into the sea, and be found no more at all: compare 2 Kings 9:7 with Revelation 17:1;

which calleth herself a prophetess; as perhaps Jezebel might do, since she was such a favourer of the prophets of Baal, and so familiarly conversed with them, and kept them, even a hundred of them, at her table: and certain it is, that the antitype of her pretends to an infallible interpretation of the Scriptures, and to have a bulk of unwritten traditions; and which interpretations and traditions are to be regarded as an infallible rule of faith and practice. Now what is complained of in the true members and followers of Christ is, that they suffered this woman

to teach; when it was insufferable for a woman to teach, and especially such a strumpet:

and to seduce my servants to commit fornication; to deceive such who called themselves the servants of Christ, and draw them into the commission of spiritual fornication, which is idolatry; as the idolatrous worship of the Mass, and of images and saints departed:

and to eat things sacrificed unto idols; as Balaam, or the pope, before had done, Revelation 2:14. This may have respect to the latter part of this period, when the eyes of many began to be opened to see these false doctrines and idolatrous practices, and yet had not courage enough to oppose them as they should.

a Antiqu. l. 8. c. 13. sect. 1. 4, 7.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Notwithstanding, 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 of vast influence over her husband - an influence which was uniformly exerted for evil. She was a daughter of Ethbaal, king of Tyre and Sidon, and lived about 918 years before Christ. She was an idolater, and induced her weak husband not only to connive at her introducing the worship of her native idols, but to become an idolater himself, and to use all the means in his power to establish the worship of idols instead of the worship of the true God. She was highly gifted, persuasive, and artful; was resolute in the accomplishment of her purposes; ambitious of extending and perpetuating her power, and unscrupulous in the means which she employed to execute her designs. See 1 Kings 16:31 ff.

The kind of character, therefore, which would be designated by the term as used here, would be that of a woman who was artful and persuasive in her manner; who was capable of exerting a wide influence over others; who had talents of a high order; who was a thorough advocate of error; who was unscrupulous in the means which she employed for accomplishing her ends; and the tendency of whose influence was to lead the people into the abominable practices of idolatry. The opinions which she held, and the practices into which she led others, appear to have been the same which are referred to in Revelation 2:6 and Revelation 2:14-15 of this chapter. The difference was, that the teacher in this case was a woman - a circumstance which by no means lessened the enormity of the offence; for, besides the fact that it was contrary to the whole genius of Christianity that a woman should be a public teacher, there was a special incongruity that she should be an advocate of such abominable opinions and practices. Every sentiment of our nature makes us feel that it is right to expect that if a woman teaches at all in a public manner, she should inculcate only what is true and holy - she should be an advocate of a pure life. We are shocked; we feel that there is a violation of every principle of our nature, and an insult done to our common humanity, if it is otherwise. We have in a manner become accustomed to the fact that man should be a teacher of pollution and error, so that we do not shrink from it with horror; we never can be reconciled to the fact that a woman should.

Which calleth herself a prophetess - Many persons set up the claim to be prophets in the times when the gospel was first preached, and it is not improbable that many females would lay claim to such a character, after the example of Miriam, Deborah, Huldah, etc.

To teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication - Compare Revelation 2:14. Whether she herself practiced what she taught is not expressly affirmed, but seems to be implied in Revelation 2:22. It is not often that persons teach these doctrines without practicing what they teach; and the fact that they desire and design to live in this manner will commonly account for the fact that they inculcate such views.

And to eat things sacrificed unto idols - See the notes on Revelation 2:14. The custom of attending on the festivals of idols led commonly to licentiousness, and they who were gross and sensual in their lives were fit subjects to be persuaded to attend on idol feasts - for nowhere else would they find more unlimited toleration for the indulgence of their passions.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Revelation 2:20. That woman Jezebel — There is an allusion here to the history of Ahab and Jezebel, as given in 2 Kings 9:1-36; 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, την γυναικα ιεζαβηλ, many excellent MSS., and almost all the ancient versions, read την γυναικα σου ιεζαβηλ, THY WIFE Jezebel; which intimates, indeed asserts, that this bad woman was the wife of the bishop of the Church, and his criminality in suffering her was therefore the greater. This reading Griesbach has received into the text. She called herself a prophetess, i.e., set up for a teacher; taught the Christians that fornication, and eating things offered to idols, were matters of indifference, and thus they were seduced from the truth. But it is probable that by fornication here is meant idolatry merely, which is often its meaning in the Scriptures. It is too gross to suppose that the wife of the bishop of this Church could teach fornication literally. The messenger or bishop of this Church, probably her husband, suffered this: he had power to have cast her and her party out of the Church, or, as his wife, to have restrained her; but he did not do it, and thus she had every opportunity of seducing the faithful. This is what Christ had against the messenger of this Church.