Bible Strands
Revelation 2:20
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.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jesus addresses the church in Thyatira, placing this specific rebuke between his commendation of their increasing works and his warning that he has granted the offending woman time to repent.
The words — The term ἀφεῖς (apheis) literally means "you permit" or "you tolerate," indicating active allowance rather than mere observation of the woman's influence.
The thread — The text echoes the name Jezebel from 1 Kings 16:31, parallels the false teaching warning in Revelation 2:14 regarding Balaam, and connects to the warning about participation in idol feasts in 1 Corinthians 10:18.
Why it lands — The passage demands immediate separation from tolerated false teaching that actively leads believers into sexual immorality and idolatrous compromise.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
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.
Cross-references
- 1 Kings 16:31 And as if it were not enough for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, he even married Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and he then proceeded to serve and worship Baal.
- Revelation 2:14 But I have a few things against you, because some of you hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block before the Israelites so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality.
- 1 Corinthians 10:18 Consider the people of Israel: Are not those who eat the sacrifices fellow partakers in the altar?
- 2 Kings 9:7 And you are to strike down the house of your master Ahab, so that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets and the blood of all the servants of the LORD shed by the hand of Jezebel.
- Acts 15:20 Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals, and from blood.
- Acts 15:29 You must abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.
- 1 Kings 21:23 And the LORD also speaks concerning Jezebel: ‘The dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’
- 2 Kings 9:30 Now when Jehu arrived in Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it. So she painted her eyes, adorned her head, and looked down from a window.
- Revelation 2:4 But I have this against you: You have abandoned your first love.
- Exodus 34:15 Do not make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, for when they prostitute themselves to their gods and sacrifice to them, they will invite you, and you will eat their sacrifices.