Revelation 2:24
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Even though these believers are being called out for tolerating false teaching, Christ emphasizes that He's not adding any new requirements or burdens to them. The "deep things of Satan" weren't obscure philosophical secrets, but rather the seducer's own proud claims about their knowledge, which Christ ironically exposes as the very opposite of divine wisdom.
But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is addressing the faithful remnant in the Thyatiran church, distinguishing them from those who tolerate or follow the teachings of the "prophetess Jezebel." While condemning the corrupting influence within the church, Christ reassures the faithful that He will not burden them with additional commands or trials beyond what they are already enduring. They are praised for resisting these deceptive "deep things of Satan," which their detractors boast about but which are, in reality, destructive falsehoods.
Some in Thyatira claimed to possess profound spiritual knowledge. But what was it really?
Jesus contrasts the genuine spiritual insights that come from God with what some in Thyatira were embracing. These weren't 'deep things' of God, but rather the 'deep things of Satan.' This highlights a crucial spiritual discernment: not all that sounds profound or mysterious is godly. The false teachers in Thyatira, possibly influenced by Gnostic ideas, boasted of secret knowledge. They likely used phrases like 'the depths' to sound wise, but Jesus calls them out, revealing their true origin and character – they were tools of Satan's deception, designed to lead people astray with subtle errors and sin, rather than guide them to truth. They were 'deep' in their deceit, not in divine wisdom.
While the false teachers were burdened by their deception, Jesus offers a different kind of 'burden' to the faithful.
Jesus tells the faithful in Thyatira, 'I will put on you no other burden.' This isn't about removing all challenges, but about the nature of the burden. Unlike the heavy, deceptive doctrines of Satan that weigh down the soul and lead to ruin, the 'burden' Jesus lays on His followers is the call to faithfulness and resistance to evil. It's the task of holding onto sound doctrine and living a pure life, even amidst opposition. This is often referred to in Scripture as a 'burden' in the sense of a responsibility or a charge, like the decree from the Jerusalem council in Acts 15. It’s a light burden because it’s supported by Christ Himself, and it leads to life, not destruction.
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Understand the original words
Satanas · Greek Noun
The adversary of God and humanity; the chief fallen angel who actively opposes God's kingdom through deception, sin, and the promotion of evil.
The phrase 'depths of Satan' likely alludes to the deceptive, hidden teachings of Gnostic-like groups, contrasting their supposed secret knowledge with the straightforward 'burden' of obedience Christ asks of His faithful followers, a concept echoing the Apostolic Council's decision to avoid imposing undue regulations.
c. 1st century AD
Early Gnostic Movements
Various Gnostic groups emerged, teaching complex dualistic philosophies and claiming secret knowledge ('Gnosis') for salvation, often reinterpreting biblical narratives and figures.
c. 50-60 AD
Apostolic Council in Jerusalem
The early church leaders convened to address issues of Gentile inclusion and Jewish law, ultimately deciding to impose 'no further burden' on new believers beyond abstaining from food sacrificed to idols, sexual immorality, and eating blood.
c. 95 AD— this verse
Writing of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is composed by the Apostle John during his exile on the island of Patmos, addressing the historical churches of Asia Minor with messages of encouragement, warning, and prophecy.
c. 3rd-4th Century AD
Rise of Montanism
A prophetic movement emphasizing ecstatic prophecy and rigorous asceticism, some of whose teachings and practices were seen by mainstream churches as bordering on fanaticism or even heresy.
c. 530 AD
Justinian's Laws Against Ophites
The Emperor Justinian enacted laws against the Ophites (a serpent-worshipping Gnostic sect), indicating their continued, albeit often hidden, existence and practice into the Byzantine era.
This passage speaks of 'the deep things of God' revealed by the Spirit, providing a clear contrast to the 'deep things of Satan' mentioned in Revelation, highlighting how heresy can twist divine concepts into something destructive.
2 Peter 2:1-3This passage warns against false prophets who secretly bring destructive heresies and greed, paralleling the deceptive 'deep things' that threatened the church in Thyatira and the warning against them.
Acts 15:28The term 'burden' used in Revelation likely alludes to the 'no greater burden' decreed by the Jerusalem council. This connects the idea of imposing or refraining from imposing spiritual or doctrinal requirements on believers.
Proverbs 24:12This verse states, 'If you say, 'Surely you knew nothing of this,' does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?' This echoes the idea that God sees the truth of what people 'know' or claim not to know, even when they dismiss dangerous doctrines as simply 'deep things'.
gillRevelation 2:24: "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."
But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira,.... The copulative and is left out in the Alexandrian copy and Complutensian edition, and if retained, it may be rendered thus, "even unto the rest"; the persons spoken to are the same, the pastor of this church, with his colleagues, and all t…
pooleRevelation 2:24: "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."
But unto you I say; you that are the ministers, for they are distinguished from the rest in Thyatira. The word again is plural, which lets us know these epistles were directed to no single persons. And unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine; the rest of the members of the…
Even though these believers are being called out for tolerating false teaching, Christ emphasizes that He's not adding any new requirements or burdens to them. The "deep things of Satan" weren't obscure philosophical secrets, but rather the seducer's own proud claims about their knowledge, which Christ ironically exposes as the very opposite of divine wisdom.
Jesus is addressing the faithful remnant in the Thyatiran church, distinguishing them from those who tolerate or follow the teachings of the "prophetess Jezebel." While condemning the corrupting influence within the church, Christ reassures the faithful that He will not burden them with additional commands or trials beyond what they are already enduring. They are praised for resisting these deceptive "deep things of Satan," which their detractors boast about but which are, in reality, destructive falsehoods.
Jesus is addressing the faithful remnant in the Thyatiran church, distinguishing them from those who tolerate or follow the teachings of the "prophetess Jezebel." While condemning the corrupting influence within the church, Christ reassures the faithful that He will not burden them with additional commands or trials beyond what they are already enduring. They are praised for resisting these deceptive "deep things of Satan," which their detractors boast about but which are, in reality, destructive falsehoods.
"But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden." — Even though these believers are being called out for tolerating false teaching, Christ emphasizes that He's not adding any new requirements or burdens to them. The "deep things of Satan" weren't obsc…
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Last reviewed October 2026
