Revelation 2:24 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden.

NIV: Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan's so-called deep secrets, 'I will not impose any other burden on you,

NASB: But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them—I place no other burden on you.

CSB: I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who haven't known "the so-called secrets of Satan"--as they say--I am not putting any other burden on you.

NLT: 'But I also have a message for the rest of you in Thyatira who have not followed this false teaching (‘deeper truths,’ as they call them — depths of Satan, actually). I will ask nothing more of you

KJV: But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.

NKJV: “Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden.

Jesus recognized that at least some members of the church at Thyatira had resisted Jezebel's corrupt teaching and behavior. He addresses those individuals in this verse. The teaching they had renounced was presented as secret and profound, but it came from Satan and had snared many undiscerning members of the church. Jesus promises in this verse to spare the remnant of faithful believers any other burden. The Greek word for "burden" here is baros, referring to a load that would slow down a runner in a race. For example, a heavy robe or boots would be this type of "burden" to a runner.

In every period of history, even when evil was prevalent, a remnant has opposed evil, resisted the Devil, and honored the Lord. Noah was a remnant when the human race was thoroughly evil (Genesis 6:5). The patriarchs from Abraham to Moses were each a remnant in the pagan world. When the vast majority of Israelites worshiped Baal in the time of Queen Jezebel, a remnant of 7,000 remained faithful to the Lord (1 Kings 19:18). Daniel and his three friends were a godly remnant in pagan Babylon (Daniel 1:1–7). And when Jesus was born, a tiny remnant had been hoping for the Messiah and therefore welcomed Jesus' birth (Luke 1:5–7; 39–45).

This is the third of four direct references to Satan in the letters to the seven churches in Revelation (Revelation 2:9, 13; 3:9).

Revelation 2:18–29 reveals what Jesus instructed John to write to the church at Thyatira. Although the church exhibited commendable virtues, it allowed an evil woman—here referred to as Jezebel—to lead its members into immorality and idolatry. Jesus predicted strict punishment for her and her followers. The churches would know by Jesus' action that He searches the mind and heart and deals with everyone according to his or her works. Those who did not follow Jezebel's teachings would not be punished, but Jesus encouraged them to stay loyal to Him until His return, when He will rule the nations and permit the faithful to rule with Him.

The contents of Revelation 2 are miniature letters to four churches, dictated by Jesus to John. Ephesus and Smyrna were coastal cities, whereas Pergamum and Thyatira were inland cities. Three more such letters are in Revelation 3. Each of these messages contains a unique description of Jesus, a command, a promise. All but one—the church in Laodicea—receive some commendation. All but two of the seven letters—those to the churches in Smyrna and Philadelphia—also contain a critical rebuke. Like churches today, most of the congregations addressed by Jesus had both good characteristics and at least one point which needed correction.

In chapter 1, John introduced his order from Jesus Christ: to write out a message to seven churches in Asia (Revelation 1:9–11). Here in this chapter, John writes to the church in Ephesus, the church in Smyrna, the church in Pergamum, and the church in Thyatira. Chapter 3 will continue with messages to the other three churches. The rest of Revelation will explain future events connected to the ''end times.''

The word ''revelation'' means ''an unveiling or disclosure.'' This writing unveils future events such as the rapture, three series of judgments that will fall on the earth during the tribulation, the emergence of the Antichrist, the persecution of Israel and her amazing revival, as well as Jesus' second coming with His saints to the earth, the judgment of Satan and his followers, and finally, the eternal state. This content, combined with the original Greek term apokalypsis, is why we now refer to an end-of-the-world scenario as ''an apocalypse.''