complete verse (Revelation 2:15)

Following are a number of back-translations of Revelation 2:15:

  • Uma: “So also, there are some of you who hold the teachings of the followers of Nikolaus.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Likewise, there are also some there among you who follow the teaching of Nikolai.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “There are also some of you who believe the teachings of Nicolaitan people.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “So also with you, because there are those among you who are following what the Nicolaita teach.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “There are also some among you there who follow the teaching of the Nicolaita.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Another word is that some of your companions follow the word taught by Nicholas. And that word he teaches I do not look even a bit well upon.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Revelation 2:15

So you also: this means that the situation in the church in Pergamum was similar to the sins committed by the ancient Hebrews, and it will be appropriate in some languages to say “So, like those Israelites, you also….” It seems that the Nicolaitans were trying to lead Christians to worship idols, that is, to pay homage to the Roman emperor as a god, and to indulge in immoral sexual conduct. See comments on the Nicolaitans at Rev. 2.6.

The verb hold is the same as the one used in verse 13, “you hold fast my name,” and also in verse 14, “hold the teachings,” which means “to follow the teachings.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Revelation to John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Revelation 2:15

2:15

In the same way: The people obeying the teaching of the Nicolaitans sinned in ways similar to the sinful ways of those obeying the teaching of Balaam (2:14b). For example:

Likewise (New International Version)
-or-
In a similar way (New Living Translation (2004))

some of you also hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans:
This clause indicates that some of the people in the church in Pergamum followed the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Other ways to translate this clause are:

there are also some among you who follow the teaching of the Nicolaitans (NET Bible)
-or-
You also have some who follow what the Nicolaitans teach. (God’s Word)
-or-
among your number are some who hold just as closely to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

See how you spelled the name Nicolaitans in 2:6.

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