"a Nicolaitan, or follower of Nicolaus, a heresy of the Apostolic age, Rev. 2:6, 15*"
Definition and meaning
a Nicolaitan, or follower of Nicolaus, a heresy of the Apostolic age, Rev. 2:6, 15*
In the original Greek the word is written: Νικολαίτης
Historical context
Domitian required people across the empire to address him as Dominus et Deus — Lord and God. Christians who refused to burn incense before the emperor's image faced economic exclusion and imprisonment. The book was written in apocalyptic imagery that believers would recognize but Roman authorities would not — a letter of resistance written to people being crushed by the most powerful empire on earth.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of nikolaites (G3531) across the King James Bible.
But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.
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Common questions
Strong's G3531 (nikolaites) is a Greek word that means: a Nicolaitan, or follower of Nicolaus, a heresy of the Apostolic age, Rev. 2:6, 15* It appears 2 times in the King James Bible.
The word nikolaites (G3531) appears 2 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G3531 is nikolaites, a Greek word defined as: a Nicolaitan, or follower of Nicolaus, a heresy of the Apostolic age, Rev. 2:6, 15*. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
nikolaites is a Greek word found in the New Testament.