Jezebel

18Write this to the angel of the church in Thyatira. These are the words of the Son of God. His eyes are like burning fire. His feet shine like polished brass.

And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;

NoteThyatira was another city in the same part of the world. "Fine brass" means shiny, polished metal. It gleams like gold when light hits it.

19I know what you do. I know your love, your faith, your help to others, and how you keep going. You are doing more now than you did at first.

I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.

NoteThe King James word "charity" here means love. It does not mean giving money to poor people.

20But I have something against you. You let that woman Jezebel keep doing what she wants. She calls herself a prophetess, a woman who says she speaks for God. Her teaching leads my servants to do wrong things with sex. It also leads them to eat food offered to idols.

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.

NoteA prophetess is a woman who says she brings God's words. Jezebel was a queen in a much older Bible story. She led people to worship idols. This woman is being called by that queen's name.

21I gave her time to turn back from her sin. She would not turn back.

And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.

22So I will throw her onto a bed. Those who sinned with her will have great trouble too. That will happen unless they turn away from what they did.

Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.

Note"I will cast her into a bed" means she will lie sick in bed.

23I will kill her children. Then all the churches will know that I am the one who looks inside people. I see their deepest thoughts and their hearts. I will give each of you what your deeds deserve.

And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

Note"Her children" means the people who followed her teaching. The King James says he "searcheth the reins and hearts." "Reins" was an old word for deep inside the body. It meant a person's most hidden thoughts.

24Now I speak to the rest of you in Thyatira. Some of you do not follow her teaching. You have not learned what they call the deep things of Satan. I will not put any other load on you.

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.

NoteSome people there bragged about knowing "the depths of Satan," secret things. A burden is a heavy load you carry. Here it means one more hard rule to keep.

25Just hold on tight to what you have until I come.

But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.

26Some will win the fight and keep doing my work to the end. I will give them power over the nations.

And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:

NoteNations means groups of people, like the countries on a map.

27That person will rule them with an iron rod. He will break them into pieces, like clay pots. My Father gave me that same power.

And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

NoteA king carried a rod, a strong stick, to show that he ruled. A potter is someone who makes pots out of clay. Clay pots break easily into little pieces.

28And I will give that person the morning star.

And I will give him the morning star.

NoteThe morning star is the bright star seen just before sunrise. It is really the planet Venus. Seeing it means morning is coming.

29If you have ears, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.