Wahyu 2:20

2:20 But I have this against you: You tolerate that ¹  woman ²  Jezebel, ³  who calls herself a prophetess, and by her teaching deceives ⁴  my servants ⁵  to commit sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. ⁶ 

Wahyu 11:18

11:18 The ⁷  nations ⁸  were enraged,

but ⁹  your wrath has come,

and the time has come for the dead to be judged,

and the time has come to give to your servants, ¹⁰ 

the prophets, their reward,

as well as to the saints

and to those who revere ¹¹  your name, both small and great,

and the time has come ¹²  to destroy those who destroy ¹³  the earth.”

Wahyu 19:2

19:2 because his judgments are true and just. ¹⁴ 

For he has judged ¹⁵  the great prostitute

who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality,

and has avenged the blood of his servants ¹⁶  poured out by her own hands!” ¹⁷ 

Wahyu 19:5

19:5 Then ¹⁸  a voice came from the throne, saying:

“Praise our God

all you his servants,

and all you who fear Him,

both the small and the great!”

[2:20]  ¹ tn The Greek article has been translated here with demonstrative force.

[2:20]  ² tc The ms evidence for γυναῖκα (gunaika, “woman”) alone includes {א C P 1611 2053 pc lat}. The ms evidence for the addition of “your” (σου, sou) includes A 1006 2351 Ï^K pc sy. With the pronoun, the text reads “your wife, Jezebel” instead of “that woman, Jezebel.” In Revelation, A C are the most important mss, along with א Ì⁴⁷ (which only reads in portions of chapters 9-17) 1006 1611 2053; in this instance, the external evidence slightly favors the shorter reading. But internally, it gains strength. The longer reading implies the idea that the angel in 2:18 is the bishop or leader of the church in Thyatira. The pronoun “your” (σου) is used four times in vv. 19-20 and may have been the cause for the scribe copying it again. Further, once the monarchical episcopate was in vogue (beginning in the 2nd century) scribes might have been prone to add “your” here.

[2:20]  ³ sn Jezebel was the name of King Ahab’s idolatrous and wicked queen in 1 Kgs 16:31; 18:1-5; 19:1-3; 21:5-24. It is probable that the individual named here was analogous to her prototype in idolatry and immoral behavior, since those are the items singled out for mention.

[2:20]  ⁴ tn Grk “teaches and deceives” (διδάσκει καὶ πλανᾷ, didaskei kai plana), a construction in which the first verb appears to specify the means by which the second is accomplished: “by her teaching, deceives…”

[2:20]  ⁵ tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.

[2:20]  ⁶ sn To commit sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. Note the conclusions of the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15:29, which specifically prohibits Gentile Christians from engaging in these activities.

[11:18]  ⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[11:18]  ⁸ tn Or “The Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).

[11:18]  ⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[11:18]  ¹⁰ tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.

[11:18]  ¹¹ tn Grk “who fear.”

[11:18]  ¹² tn The words “the time has come” do not occur except at the beginning of the verse; the phrase has been repeated for emphasis and contrast. The Greek has one finite verb (“has come”) with a compound subject (“your wrath,” “the time”), followed by three infinitive clauses (“to be judged,” “to give,” “to destroy”). The rhetorical power of the repetition of the finite verb in English thus emulates the rhetorical power of its lone instance in Greek.

[11:18]  ¹³ tn Or “who deprave.” There is a possible wordplay here on two meanings for διαφθείρω (diafqeirw), with the first meaning “destroy” and the second meaning either “to ruin” or “to make morally corrupt.” See L&N 20.40.

[19:2]  ¹⁴ tn Compare the similar phrase in Rev 16:7.

[19:2]  ¹⁵ tn Or “has punished.” See BDAG 568 s.v. κρίνω 5.b.α, describing the OT background which involves both the vindication of the innocent and the punishment of the guilty.

[19:2]  ¹⁶ tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.

[19:2]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “from her hand” (referring to her responsibility in causing the blood of God’s followers to be shed).

[19:5]  ¹⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.