Revelation 2:22

New Testament Apocalyptic ASV (1901)

What does Revelation 2:22 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Behold, I cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of her works.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Behold, I cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of her works.
Revelation 2:22 — American Standard Version

Context — Revelation 2

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
22Behold, I cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of her works.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Behold, I will cast her into a bed, etc.] Of sickness and languishing; and which denotes the sickly, pining, and languishing state of the church of Rome, as a just retaliation for her bed of luxury and deliciousness, adultery and idolatry, she had indulged herself in; this was threatened, and was yet to come, and began at the time of the Reformation, signified by the next church state; and, ever since, the whore of Rome has been visibly sickening and decaying. The Alexandrian copy reads, “into a prison”: and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation: the kings of the earth, and their subjects, who have joined in the idolatries and corruptions of the Romish church,…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Behold--calling attention to her awful doom to come. I will--Greek present, "I cast her." a bed--The place of her sin shall be the place of her punishment. The bed of her sin shall be her bed of sickness and anguish. Perhaps a pestilence was about to be sent. Or the bed of the grave, and of the hell beyond, where the worm dieth not. them that commit adultery with her--spiritually; including both the eating of idol-meats and fornication. "With her," in the Greek, implies participation with her in her adulteries, namely, by suffering her (Rev 2:20), or letting her alone, and so virtually encouraging her. Her punishment is distinct from theirs; she is to be cast into a bed, and her children to…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Behold, I will cast her into a bed - Not into a bed of ease, but a bed of pain. There is evidently a purpose to contrast this with her former condition. The harlot’s bed and a sick-bed are thus brought together, as they are often, in fact, in the dispensations of Providence and the righteous judgments of God. One cannot be indulged without leading on, sooner or later, to the horrid sufferings of the other: and how soon no one knows. And them that commit adultery with her - Those who are seduced by her doctrines into this sin; either they who commit it with her literally, or who are led into the same kind of life. Into great tribulation - Great suffering; disease of body or tortures of the…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“I will cast her into a bed - into great affliction - and them that commit either carnal or spiritual adultery with her, unless they repent - She had her time before. Of her works - Those to which she had enticed their and which she had committed with them. It is observable, the angel of the church at Thyatira was only blamed for suffering her. This fault ceased when God took vengeance on her. Therefore he is not expressly exhorted to repent, though it is implied. Revelation 2:23”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“2:22-23 Christ’s judgment on this “Jezebel” and her followers comes in three stages: (1) Jezebel is on a bed of suffering; (2) her followers will suffer greatly; and (3) her children will die (cp. Acts 5:5, 10; 1 Cor 11:30). This judgment echoes the plagues on Egypt that ended with the deaths of Egypt’s firstborn sons (see Exod 12:29-30). • God sees thoughts and intentions (see Jer 17:10; Acts 1:24; Heb 4:12-13), and he gives whatever sentence people deserve (see Rev 22:12; Jer 17:10; Matt 16:27).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“and them: Rev 17:2, Rev 18:3, Rev 18:9, Rev 19:18-21; Eze 16:37-41, Eze 23:29, Eze 23:45-48 except: Jer 36:3; Eze 18:30-32, Eze 33:11; Zep 3:7; Luk 13:3, Luk 13:5; Co2 12:21; Ti2 2:25, Ti2 2:26 Revelation 2:23”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification