Chapter
Verse

Revelation 2:20

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.
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.
NASB 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.
CSB But I have this against you: You tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and teaches and deceives my servants to commit sexual immorality and to eat meat sacrificed to idols.
NLT '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.
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.
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.

What does Revelation 2:20 mean?

This verse reveals Jesus' complaint against the church at Thyatira: it "tolerated" a false prophet named Jezebel. This dangerous woman was persuading members of the church to practice immorality and idolatry. Apparently, she promoted certain pagan sexual practices. Also, she condoned a common practice at trade union banquets, namely the eating of food dedicated to idols.

Strictly speaking, we do not know who this woman was. The name Jezebel may have been her actual name or simply a pseudonym. In the Old Testament, Jezebel was the wife of King Ahab of Israel. She was a vicious, violent woman, who promoted the worship of Baal, the sun god, and killed many of God's prophets. Also, she sought unsuccessfully to kill the prophet Elijah (1 Kings 16—22). Some Bible scholars believe the Jezebel referred to here, in Jesus' letter to the church of Thyatira, may have even been the wife of the church's pastor. Whatever her role in the church, she was extremely influential.
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