Revelation 2:20

Revelation 2:20

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.

a. ASV: 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.

  

b. YLT: '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;

d. Amplified Bible Classic: But I have this against you: that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess [claiming to be inspired], and who is teaching and leading astray my servants and beguiling them into practicing sexual vice and eating food sacrificed to idols.

1. “Notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee... ”

a. Notwithstanding [Strong: 235 allá, al-lah'; neuter plural of G243; properly, other things, i.e. (adverbially) contrariwise (in many relations):—and, but (even), howbeit, indeed, nay, nevertheless, no, notwithstanding, save, therefore, yea, yet.]

b. [I] have [this] [Strong: 2192 échō, ekh'-o; a primary verb; to hold (used in very various applications, literally or figuratively, direct or remote; such as possession; ability, contiuity, relation, or condition):—be (able, × hold, possessed with), accompany, + begin to amend, can(+ -not), × conceive, count, diseased, do + eat, + enjoy, + fear, following, have, hold, keep, + lack, + go to law, lie, + must needs, + of necessity, + need, next, +recover, + reign, + rest, + return, × sick, take for, + tremble, + uncircumcised, use.]

c. [a] few things [Strong: 3641 olígos, ol-ee'-gos; of uncertain affinity; puny (in extent, degree, number, duration or value); especially neuter (adverbially) somewhat:—+ almost, brief(-ly), few, (a) little, + long, a season, short, small, a while.]

against [Strong: 2596 katá, kat-ah'; a primary particle; (prepositionally) down (in place or time), in varied relations (according to the case (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined):—about, according as (to), after, against, (when they were) × alone, among, and, × apart, (even, like) as (concerning, pertaining to touching), × aside, at, before, beyond, by, to the charge of, (charita-)bly, concerning, + covered, (dai-)ly, down, every, (+ far more) exceeding, × more excellent, for, from … to, godly, in(-asmuch, divers, every, -to, respect of), … by, after the manner of, + by any means, beyond (out of) measure, X mightily, more, × natural, of (up-)on (X part), out (of every), over against, (+ your) × own, + particularly, so, through(-oughout, -oughout every), thus, (un-)to(-gether, -ward), × uttermost, where(-by), with.]

d. you [Strong: 4675 soû, soo; genitive case of G4771; of thee, thy:—X home, thee, thine (own), thou, thy.]

2. “... because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess…”

a. because [Strong: 3754 hóti, hot'-ee; neuter of G3748 as conjunction; demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because:—as concerning that, as though, because (that), for (that), how (that), (in) that, though, why.]

b. [thou] sufferest [Strong: 1439  eáō, eh-ah'-o; of uncertain affinity; to let be, i.e. permit or leave alone:—commit, leave, let (alone), suffer.]

1). “The Bible describes a God who loves the entire world but does not tolerate sin. In fact, in the few instances when words that could be translated as tolerance or intolerance occur in the Biblical text, they generally occur in contexts that condemn tolerance of wickedness and immorality in the midst of God’s people. Revelation 2:20 is a case in point. “But I have this against you: you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet and is teaching and beguiling my servant to practice fornication and to eat food sacrificed to idols.”[New Revised Standard Version]…Toleration of immoral sexual practices was a vice, not a virtue.” The Bible and Homosexual Practice, Robert A. J. Gagnon.

2). In Matthew 11:20-24 Jesus declares that it will be more tolerable in the judgment for Tyre, Sidon and Sodom than for Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum because more light was shown to the later cities than for the former. Greater light requires more responsibility.

a). Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:

11:21 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

11:22 But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.

11:23 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

11:24 But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

b. that [Strong: 3754 hóti, hot'-ee; neuter of G3748 as conjunction; demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because:—as concerning that, as though, because (that), for (that), how (that), (in) that, though, why.]

c. [that] woman [Strong: 1135 gynḗ, goo-nay'; probably from the base of   G1096; a woman; specially, a wife:—wife, woman.]

d. Jezebel [Strong: 2403 Iezabḗl, ee-ed-zab-ale'; of Hebrew origin (H348); Jezabel (i.e. Jezebel), a Tyrian woman (used as a synonym of a termagant or false teacher):—Jezabel.]

e. which [Strong: 3588 ho, ho; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):—the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

f. calleth [Strong: 3004 légō, leg'-o; a primary verb; properly, to "lay" forth, i.e. (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas G2036 and G5346 generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while G4483 is properly to break silence merely, and G2980 means an extended or random harangue)); by implication, to mean:—ask, bid, boast, call, describe, give out, name, put forth, say(-ing, on), shew, speak, tell, utter.]

  

g. herself [Strong: 1438 heautoû, heh-ow-too'; from a reflexive pronoun otherwise obsolete and the genitive case (dative case or accusative case) of G846; him- (her-, it-, them-, also (in conjunction with the personal pronoun of the other persons) my-, thy-, our-, your-) self (selves), etc.:—alone, her (own, -self), (he) himself, his (own), itself, one (to) another, our (thine) own(-selves), + that she had, their (own, own selves), (of) them(-selves), they, thyself, you, your (own, own conceits, own selves, -selves).]

h. [a] prophetess [Strong: 4398 prophētis, prof-ay'-tis; feminine of G4396; a female foreteller or an inspired woman:—prophetess.]

3.  “...to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication…”

a. [to] teach [Strong: 1321 didáskō, did-as'-ko; a prolonged (causative) form of a primary verb δάω dáō (to learn); to teach (in the same broad application):—teach.]

b. and [Strong: 2532 kaí, kahee; apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:—and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

c. [to] seduce [Strong: 4105  planáō, plan-ah'-o; from G4106; to (properly, cause to) roam (from safety, truth, or virtue):—go astray, deceive, err, seduce, wander, be out of the way.]

d. my [Strong: 1699 emós, em-os'; from the oblique cases of G1473 (G1698, G1700, G1691); my:—of me, mine (own), my.]

e. servants [Strong: 1401 doûlos, doo'-los; from G1210; a slave (literal or figurative, involuntary or voluntary; frequently, therefore in a qualified sense of subjection or subserviency):—bond(-man), servant.]

  

g. [to commit] fornication [Strong: 4203  porneúō, porn-yoo'-o; from G4204; to act the harlot, i.e. (literally) indulge unlawful lust (of either sex), or (figuratively) practise idolatry:—commit (fornication).]

4. “...and to eat things sacrificed to idols.”

a.  and [Strong: 2532 kaí, kahee; apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:—and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

b. [to] eat [Strong: 5315 phágō, fag'-o; a primary verb (used as an alternate of G2068 in certain tenses); to eat (literally or figuratively):—eat, meat.]

c. [things] sacrificed to idols [Strong: 1494 eidōlóthyton, i-do-loth'-oo-ton; neuter of a compound of G1497and a presumed derivative of G2380; an image-sacrifice, i.e. part of an idolatrous offering:—(meat, thing that is) offered (in sacrifice, sacrificed) to (unto) idols.]