[B-Greek] Revelation 2:6 nicolaitans

George F Somsel gfsomsel at juno.com
Sat Dec 24 12:59:35 EST 2005


On Sat, 24 Dec 2005 11:44:35 -0500 john umland <jumland at gmail.com>
writes:
> Revelation 2:6
> αλλα τουτο εχεις οτι μισεις τα εργα των νικολαιτων α καγω μισω
> 
> ALLA TOUTO EXEIS hOTI MISEIS TO ERGA TWV VIKOLAITWV A KAGW MISW
> 
> i checked the archives, but didn't turn up much on VIKOLAITWV. how
> much weight does the suggested interpretation of this word as 
> "people
> oppressors" hold? A.T. Robertson only mentions the historical
> allusions to a heretical sect. in my opinion, if you let this be
> freely translated as "people oppressors" you could equally translate
> it as "victorious people." are there any constraints on translating
> this title?
> 
> Merry Christmas
> --
> God is good
> John Umland
___________

First, the NU is transliterated as 'N' not 'V' even though the 'V'
appears similar to the Greek NU (OK, OK, I have my own idiosycracy).  

Such a rendering of NIKOLAITWN is an etymologizing approach which I would
tend to avoid unless the writer seems to signal that he is doing such
(Cf. the contrast in Phil 3.2 between PERITOMH and KATATOMH which can be
viewed as something of a pun).  There was a Gnostic sect known as the
Nicolaitans which is mentioned by Irenaeus in his "Against Heresies." 
There is some dispute whether these are referenced in the Apocalypse, but
I am inclined to think they are.  Just as Simon Magus is set forth in
church history as the source of Gnosticism, I think Nikolaus is probably
so viewed in the Apocalypse.  This is a totally debateable view, however,
so I wouldn't rely too much upon it.

george
gfsomsel
___________



More information about the B-Greek mailing list