CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html> <html class="client-nojs vector-feature-language-in-header-enabled vector-feature-language-in-main-page-header-disabled vector-feature-sticky-header-disabled vector-feature-page-tools-pinned-disabled vector-feature-toc-pinned-clientpref-1 vector-feature-main-menu-pinned-disabled vector-feature-limited-width-clientpref-1 vector-feature-limited-width-content-enabled vector-feature-custom-font-size-clientpref-1 vector-feature-appearance-pinned-clientpref-1 vector-feature-night-mode-enabled skin-theme-clientpref-day vector-toc-available" lang="en" dir="ltr"> <head> <meta charset="UTF-8"> <title>Nicolaism - Wikipedia</title> <script>(function(){var className="client-js vector-feature-language-in-header-enabled vector-feature-language-in-main-page-header-disabled vector-feature-sticky-header-disabled vector-feature-page-tools-pinned-disabled vector-feature-toc-pinned-clientpref-1 vector-feature-main-menu-pinned-disabled vector-feature-limited-width-clientpref-1 vector-feature-limited-width-content-enabled vector-feature-custom-font-size-clientpref-1 vector-feature-appearance-pinned-clientpref-1 vector-feature-night-mode-enabled skin-theme-clientpref-day vector-toc-available";var cookie=document.cookie.match(/(?:^|; )enwikimwclientpreferences=([^;]+)/);if(cookie){cookie[1].split('%2C').forEach(function(pref){className=className.replace(new RegExp('(^| )'+pref.replace(/-clientpref-\w+$|[^\w-]+/g,'')+'-clientpref-\\w+( |$)'),'$1'+pref+'$2');});}document.documentElement.className=className;}());RLCONF={"wgBreakFrames":false,"wgSeparatorTransformTable":["",""],"wgDigitTransformTable":["",""],"wgDefaultDateFormat":"dmy", "wgMonthNames":["","January","February","March","April","May","June","July","August","September","October","November","December"],"wgRequestId":"81daed6c-d490-4c69-b2ab-d916c3f7d646","wgCanonicalNamespace":"","wgCanonicalSpecialPageName":false,"wgNamespaceNumber":0,"wgPageName":"Nicolaism","wgTitle":"Nicolaism","wgCurRevisionId":1257977123,"wgRevisionId":1257977123,"wgArticleId":69685,"wgIsArticle":true,"wgIsRedirect":false,"wgAction":"view","wgUserName":null,"wgUserGroups":["*"],"wgCategories":["Articles incorporating a citation from the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia with Wikisource reference","CS1: long volume value","Articles with short description","Short description is different from Wikidata","Wikipedia articles needing clarification from January 2019","All Wikipedia articles needing clarification","Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text","Articles incorporating text from the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia with Wikisource reference","Source attribution", "Wikipedia articles incorporating text from Easton's Bible Dictionary","1st-century Christianity","Book of Revelation","Christian terminology"],"wgPageViewLanguage":"en","wgPageContentLanguage":"en","wgPageContentModel":"wikitext","wgRelevantPageName":"Nicolaism","wgRelevantArticleId":69685,"wgIsProbablyEditable":true,"wgRelevantPageIsProbablyEditable":true,"wgRestrictionEdit":[],"wgRestrictionMove":[],"wgNoticeProject":"wikipedia","wgCiteReferencePreviewsActive":false,"wgFlaggedRevsParams":{"tags":{"status":{"levels":1}}},"wgMediaViewerOnClick":true,"wgMediaViewerEnabledByDefault":true,"wgPopupsFlags":0,"wgVisualEditor":{"pageLanguageCode":"en","pageLanguageDir":"ltr","pageVariantFallbacks":"en"},"wgMFDisplayWikibaseDescriptions":{"search":true,"watchlist":true,"tagline":false,"nearby":true},"wgWMESchemaEditAttemptStepOversample":false,"wgWMEPageLength":30000,"wgRelatedArticlesCompat":[],"wgCentralAuthMobileDomain":false,"wgEditSubmitButtonLabelPublish":true,"wgULSPosition": "interlanguage","wgULSisCompactLinksEnabled":false,"wgVector2022LanguageInHeader":true,"wgULSisLanguageSelectorEmpty":false,"wgWikibaseItemId":"Q605184","wgCheckUserClientHintsHeadersJsApi":["brands","architecture","bitness","fullVersionList","mobile","model","platform","platformVersion"],"GEHomepageSuggestedEditsEnableTopics":true,"wgGETopicsMatchModeEnabled":false,"wgGEStructuredTaskRejectionReasonTextInputEnabled":false,"wgGELevelingUpEnabledForUser":false};RLSTATE={"ext.globalCssJs.user.styles":"ready","site.styles":"ready","user.styles":"ready","ext.globalCssJs.user":"ready","user":"ready","user.options":"loading","ext.cite.styles":"ready","skins.vector.search.codex.styles":"ready","skins.vector.styles":"ready","skins.vector.icons":"ready","jquery.makeCollapsible.styles":"ready","ext.wikimediamessages.styles":"ready","ext.visualEditor.desktopArticleTarget.noscript":"ready","ext.uls.interlanguage":"ready","wikibase.client.init":"ready","ext.wikimediaBadges":"ready"};RLPAGEMODULES=[ "ext.cite.ux-enhancements","site","mediawiki.page.ready","jquery.makeCollapsible","mediawiki.toc","skins.vector.js","ext.centralNotice.geoIP","ext.centralNotice.startUp","ext.gadget.ReferenceTooltips","ext.gadget.switcher","ext.urlShortener.toolbar","ext.centralauth.centralautologin","mmv.bootstrap","ext.popups","ext.visualEditor.desktopArticleTarget.init","ext.visualEditor.targetLoader","ext.echo.centralauth","ext.eventLogging","ext.wikimediaEvents","ext.navigationTiming","ext.uls.interface","ext.cx.eventlogging.campaigns","ext.cx.uls.quick.actions","wikibase.client.vector-2022","ext.checkUser.clientHints","ext.quicksurveys.init","ext.growthExperiments.SuggestedEditSession","wikibase.sidebar.tracking"];</script> <script>(RLQ=window.RLQ||[]).push(function(){mw.loader.impl(function(){return["user.options@12s5i",function($,jQuery,require,module){mw.user.tokens.set({"patrolToken":"+\\","watchToken":"+\\","csrfToken":"+\\"}); }];});});</script> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/w/load.php?lang=en&modules=ext.cite.styles%7Cext.uls.interlanguage%7Cext.visualEditor.desktopArticleTarget.noscript%7Cext.wikimediaBadges%7Cext.wikimediamessages.styles%7Cjquery.makeCollapsible.styles%7Cskins.vector.icons%2Cstyles%7Cskins.vector.search.codex.styles%7Cwikibase.client.init&only=styles&skin=vector-2022"> <script async="" src="/w/load.php?lang=en&modules=startup&only=scripts&raw=1&skin=vector-2022"></script> <meta name="ResourceLoaderDynamicStyles" content=""> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/w/load.php?lang=en&modules=site.styles&only=styles&skin=vector-2022"> <meta name="generator" content="MediaWiki 1.44.0-wmf.4"> <meta name="referrer" content="origin"> <meta name="referrer" content="origin-when-cross-origin"> <meta name="robots" content="max-image-preview:standard"> <meta name="format-detection" content="telephone=no"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=1120"> <meta property="og:title" content="Nicolaism - Wikipedia"> <meta property="og:type" content="website"> <link rel="preconnect" href="//upload.wikimedia.org"> <link rel="alternate" media="only screen and (max-width: 640px)" href="//en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolaism"> <link rel="alternate" type="application/x-wiki" title="Edit this page" href="/w/index.php?title=Nicolaism&action=edit"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png"> <link rel="icon" href="/static/favicon/wikipedia.ico"> <link rel="search" type="application/opensearchdescription+xml" href="/w/rest.php/v1/search" title="Wikipedia (en)"> <link rel="EditURI" type="application/rsd+xml" href="//en.wikipedia.org/w/api.php?action=rsd"> <link rel="canonical" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolaism"> <link rel="license" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en"> <link rel="alternate" type="application/atom+xml" title="Wikipedia Atom feed" href="/w/index.php?title=Special:RecentChanges&feed=atom"> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//meta.wikimedia.org" /> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//login.wikimedia.org"> </head> <body class="skin--responsive skin-vector skin-vector-search-vue mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-0 ns-subject mw-editable page-Nicolaism rootpage-Nicolaism skin-vector-2022 action-view"><a class="mw-jump-link" href="#bodyContent">Jump to content</a> <div class="vector-header-container"> <header class="vector-header mw-header"> <div class="vector-header-start"> <nav class="vector-main-menu-landmark" aria-label="Site"> <div id="vector-main-menu-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown vector-main-menu-dropdown vector-button-flush-left vector-button-flush-right" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-main-menu-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-main-menu-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Main menu" > <label id="vector-main-menu-dropdown-label" for="vector-main-menu-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-menu mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-menu"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Main menu</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-main-menu-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> <div id="vector-main-menu" class="vector-main-menu vector-pinnable-element"> <div class="vector-pinnable-header vector-main-menu-pinnable-header vector-pinnable-header-unpinned" data-feature-name="main-menu-pinned" data-pinnable-element-id="vector-main-menu" data-pinned-container-id="vector-main-menu-pinned-container" data-unpinned-container-id="vector-main-menu-unpinned-container" > <div class="vector-pinnable-header-label">Main menu</div> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-pin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-main-menu.pin">move to sidebar</button> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-unpin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-main-menu.unpin">hide</button> </div> <div id="p-navigation" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-navigation" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Navigation </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="n-mainpage-description" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Main_Page" title="Visit the main page [z]" accesskey="z"><span>Main page</span></a></li><li id="n-contents" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Contents" title="Guides to browsing Wikipedia"><span>Contents</span></a></li><li id="n-currentevents" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Portal:Current_events" title="Articles related to current events"><span>Current events</span></a></li><li id="n-randompage" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:Random" title="Visit a randomly selected article [x]" accesskey="x"><span>Random article</span></a></li><li id="n-aboutsite" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:About" title="Learn about Wikipedia and how it works"><span>About Wikipedia</span></a></li><li id="n-contactpage" class="mw-list-item"><a href="//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contact_us" title="How to contact Wikipedia"><span>Contact us</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-interaction" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-interaction" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Contribute </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="n-help" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Help:Contents" title="Guidance on how to use and edit Wikipedia"><span>Help</span></a></li><li id="n-introduction" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Help:Introduction" title="Learn how to edit Wikipedia"><span>Learn to edit</span></a></li><li id="n-portal" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Community_portal" title="The hub for editors"><span>Community portal</span></a></li><li id="n-recentchanges" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:RecentChanges" title="A list of recent changes to Wikipedia [r]" accesskey="r"><span>Recent changes</span></a></li><li id="n-upload" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:File_upload_wizard" title="Add images or other media for use on Wikipedia"><span>Upload file</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <a href="/wiki/Main_Page" class="mw-logo"> <img class="mw-logo-icon" src="/static/images/icons/wikipedia.png" alt="" aria-hidden="true" height="50" width="50"> <span class="mw-logo-container skin-invert"> <img class="mw-logo-wordmark" alt="Wikipedia" src="/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-wordmark-en.svg" style="width: 7.5em; height: 1.125em;"> <img class="mw-logo-tagline" alt="The Free Encyclopedia" src="/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-tagline-en.svg" width="117" height="13" style="width: 7.3125em; height: 0.8125em;"> </span> </a> </div> <div class="vector-header-end"> <div id="p-search" role="search" class="vector-search-box-vue vector-search-box-collapses vector-search-box-show-thumbnail vector-search-box-auto-expand-width vector-search-box"> <a href="/wiki/Special:Search" class="cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only search-toggle" title="Search Wikipedia [f]" accesskey="f"><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-search mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-search"></span> <span>Search</span> </a> <div class="vector-typeahead-search-container"> <div class="cdx-typeahead-search cdx-typeahead-search--show-thumbnail cdx-typeahead-search--auto-expand-width"> <form action="/w/index.php" id="searchform" class="cdx-search-input cdx-search-input--has-end-button"> <div id="simpleSearch" class="cdx-search-input__input-wrapper" data-search-loc="header-moved"> <div class="cdx-text-input cdx-text-input--has-start-icon"> <input class="cdx-text-input__input" type="search" name="search" placeholder="Search Wikipedia" aria-label="Search Wikipedia" autocapitalize="sentences" title="Search Wikipedia [f]" accesskey="f" id="searchInput" > <span class="cdx-text-input__icon cdx-text-input__start-icon"></span> </div> <input type="hidden" name="title" value="Special:Search"> </div> <button class="cdx-button cdx-search-input__end-button">Search</button> </form> </div> </div> </div> <nav class="vector-user-links vector-user-links-wide" aria-label="Personal tools"> <div class="vector-user-links-main"> <div id="p-vector-user-menu-preferences" class="vector-menu mw-portlet emptyPortlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-vector-user-menu-userpage" class="vector-menu mw-portlet emptyPortlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> </ul> </div> </div> <nav class="vector-appearance-landmark" aria-label="Appearance"> <div id="vector-appearance-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown " title="Change the appearance of the page's font size, width, and color" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-appearance-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-appearance-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Appearance" > <label id="vector-appearance-dropdown-label" for="vector-appearance-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-appearance mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-appearance"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Appearance</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-appearance-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <div id="p-vector-user-menu-notifications" class="vector-menu mw-portlet emptyPortlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-vector-user-menu-overflow" class="vector-menu mw-portlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="pt-sitesupport-2" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item user-links-collapsible-item"><a data-mw="interface" href="https://donate.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FundraiserRedirector?utm_source=donate&utm_medium=sidebar&utm_campaign=C13_en.wikipedia.org&uselang=en" class=""><span>Donate</span></a> </li> <li id="pt-createaccount-2" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item user-links-collapsible-item"><a data-mw="interface" href="/w/index.php?title=Special:CreateAccount&returnto=Nicolaism" title="You are encouraged to create an account and log in; however, it is not mandatory" class=""><span>Create account</span></a> </li> <li id="pt-login-2" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item user-links-collapsible-item"><a data-mw="interface" href="/w/index.php?title=Special:UserLogin&returnto=Nicolaism" title="You're encouraged to log in; however, it's not mandatory. [o]" accesskey="o" class=""><span>Log in</span></a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <div id="vector-user-links-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown vector-user-menu vector-button-flush-right vector-user-menu-logged-out" title="Log in and more options" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-user-links-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-user-links-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Personal tools" > <label id="vector-user-links-dropdown-label" for="vector-user-links-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-ellipsis mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-ellipsis"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Personal tools</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="p-personal" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-personal user-links-collapsible-item" title="User menu" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="pt-sitesupport" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="https://donate.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FundraiserRedirector?utm_source=donate&utm_medium=sidebar&utm_campaign=C13_en.wikipedia.org&uselang=en"><span>Donate</span></a></li><li id="pt-createaccount" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:CreateAccount&returnto=Nicolaism" title="You are encouraged to create an account and log in; however, it is not mandatory"><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-userAdd mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-userAdd"></span> <span>Create account</span></a></li><li id="pt-login" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:UserLogin&returnto=Nicolaism" title="You're encouraged to log in; however, it's not mandatory. [o]" accesskey="o"><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-logIn mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-logIn"></span> <span>Log in</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-user-menu-anon-editor" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-user-menu-anon-editor" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Pages for logged out editors <a href="/wiki/Help:Introduction" aria-label="Learn more about editing"><span>learn more</span></a> </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="pt-anoncontribs" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:MyContributions" title="A list of edits made from this IP address [y]" accesskey="y"><span>Contributions</span></a></li><li id="pt-anontalk" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:MyTalk" title="Discussion about edits from this IP address [n]" accesskey="n"><span>Talk</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </header> </div> <div class="mw-page-container"> <div class="mw-page-container-inner"> <div class="vector-sitenotice-container"> <div id="siteNotice"></div> </div> <div class="vector-column-start"> <div class="vector-main-menu-container"> <div id="mw-navigation"> <nav id="mw-panel" class="vector-main-menu-landmark" aria-label="Site"> <div id="vector-main-menu-pinned-container" class="vector-pinned-container"> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="vector-sticky-pinned-container"> <nav id="mw-panel-toc" aria-label="Contents" data-event-name="ui.sidebar-toc" class="mw-table-of-contents-container vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-toc-pinned-container" class="vector-pinned-container"> <div id="vector-toc" class="vector-toc vector-pinnable-element"> <div class="vector-pinnable-header vector-toc-pinnable-header vector-pinnable-header-pinned" data-feature-name="toc-pinned" data-pinnable-element-id="vector-toc" > <h2 class="vector-pinnable-header-label">Contents</h2> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-pin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-toc.pin">move to sidebar</button> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-unpin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-toc.unpin">hide</button> </div> <ul class="vector-toc-contents" id="mw-panel-toc-list"> <li id="toc-mw-content-text" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a href="#" class="vector-toc-link"> <div class="vector-toc-text">(Top)</div> </a> </li> <li id="toc-Bible_passages" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Bible_passages"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1</span> <span>Bible passages</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Bible_passages-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Isidore_of_Seville" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Isidore_of_Seville"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2</span> <span>Isidore of Seville</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Isidore_of_Seville-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Insight_into_Church_history" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Insight_into_Church_history"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3</span> <span>Insight into Church history</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Insight_into_Church_history-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Interpretations" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Interpretations"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4</span> <span>Interpretations</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Interpretations-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Interpretations subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Interpretations-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-John_Henry_Blunt's_antinomian_interpretation" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#John_Henry_Blunt's_antinomian_interpretation"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.1</span> <span>John Henry Blunt's antinomian interpretation</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-John_Henry_Blunt's_antinomian_interpretation-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Irenaeus'_polemic_on_Cerinthus" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Irenaeus'_polemic_on_Cerinthus"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.2</span> <span>Irenaeus' polemic on Cerinthus</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Irenaeus'_polemic_on_Cerinthus-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Victorinus_of_Pettau:_food_for_idols" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Victorinus_of_Pettau:_food_for_idols"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.3</span> <span>Victorinus of Pettau: food for idols</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Victorinus_of_Pettau:_food_for_idols-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Polygamy" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Polygamy"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.4</span> <span>Polygamy</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Polygamy-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Origin_of_the_name" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Origin_of_the_name"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5</span> <span>Origin of the name</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Origin_of_the_name-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Origin of the name subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Origin_of_the_name-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Nicolaus_of_Antioch" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Nicolaus_of_Antioch"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5.1</span> <span>Nicolaus of Antioch</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Nicolaus_of_Antioch-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Irenaeus_and_Hippolytus" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Irenaeus_and_Hippolytus"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5.1.1</span> <span>Irenaeus and Hippolytus</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Irenaeus_and_Hippolytus-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Epiphanius" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Epiphanius"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5.1.2</span> <span>Epiphanius</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Epiphanius-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Jerome" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Jerome"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5.1.3</span> <span>Jerome</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Jerome-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Clement_of_Alexandria" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Clement_of_Alexandria"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5.1.4</span> <span>Clement of Alexandria</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Clement_of_Alexandria-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Eusebius_of_Caesarea" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Eusebius_of_Caesarea"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5.1.5</span> <span>Eusebius of Caesarea</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Eusebius_of_Caesarea-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-In_modern_criticism" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#In_modern_criticism"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5.1.6</span> <span>In modern criticism</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-In_modern_criticism-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Balaam" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Balaam"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5.2</span> <span>Balaam</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Balaam-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-See_also" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#See_also"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6</span> <span>See also</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-See_also-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7</span> <span>References</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-References-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Sources" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Sources"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">8</span> <span>Sources</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Sources-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-External_links" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#External_links"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">9</span> <span>External links</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-External_links-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="mw-content-container"> <main id="content" class="mw-body"> <header class="mw-body-header vector-page-titlebar"> <nav aria-label="Contents" class="vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-titlebar-toc vector-button-flush-left" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Toggle the table of contents" > <label id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-label" for="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-listBullet mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-listBullet"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Toggle the table of contents</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading mw-first-heading"><span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicolaism</span></h1> <div id="p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown mw-portlet mw-portlet-lang" > <input type="checkbox" id="p-lang-btn-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox mw-interlanguage-selector" aria-label="Go to an article in another language. Available in 18 languages" > <label id="p-lang-btn-label" for="p-lang-btn-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive mw-portlet-lang-heading-18" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-language-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-language-progressive"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">18 languages</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ca mw-list-item"><a href="https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolaisme" title="Nicolaisme – Catalan" lang="ca" hreflang="ca" data-title="Nicolaisme" data-language-autonym="Català" data-language-local-name="Catalan" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Català</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-de mw-list-item"><a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolait" title="Nikolait – German" lang="de" hreflang="de" data-title="Nikolait" data-language-autonym="Deutsch" data-language-local-name="German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Deutsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-es mw-list-item"><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicola%C3%ADtas" title="Nicolaítas – Spanish" lang="es" hreflang="es" data-title="Nicolaítas" data-language-autonym="Español" data-language-local-name="Spanish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Español</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-eo mw-list-item"><a href="https://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolaismo" title="Nikolaismo – Esperanto" lang="eo" hreflang="eo" data-title="Nikolaismo" data-language-autonym="Esperanto" data-language-local-name="Esperanto" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Esperanto</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-it mw-list-item"><a href="https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolaismo" title="Nicolaismo – Italian" lang="it" hreflang="it" data-title="Nicolaismo" data-language-autonym="Italiano" data-language-local-name="Italian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Italiano</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-he mw-list-item"><a href="https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%A7%D7%95%D7%9C%D7%90%D7%99%D7%96%D7%9D" title="ניקולאיזם – Hebrew" lang="he" hreflang="he" data-title="ניקולאיזם" data-language-autonym="עברית" data-language-local-name="Hebrew" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>עברית</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-la mw-list-item"><a href="https://la.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolaismus" title="Nicolaismus – Latin" lang="la" hreflang="la" data-title="Nicolaismus" data-language-autonym="Latina" data-language-local-name="Latin" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Latina</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-mg mw-list-item"><a href="https://mg.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nik%C3%B4laisma" title="Nikôlaisma – Malagasy" lang="mg" hreflang="mg" data-title="Nikôlaisma" data-language-autonym="Malagasy" data-language-local-name="Malagasy" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Malagasy</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-arz mw-list-item"><a href="https://arz.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%86%D9%8A%D9%82%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%88%D8%B3" title="نيقولاوس – Egyptian Arabic" lang="arz" hreflang="arz" data-title="نيقولاوس" data-language-autonym="مصرى" data-language-local-name="Egyptian Arabic" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>مصرى</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-nl mw-list-item"><a href="https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola%C3%AFeten" title="Nikolaïeten – Dutch" lang="nl" hreflang="nl" data-title="Nikolaïeten" data-language-autonym="Nederlands" data-language-local-name="Dutch" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Nederlands</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pl mw-list-item"><a href="https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolaici" title="Nikolaici – Polish" lang="pl" hreflang="pl" data-title="Nikolaici" data-language-autonym="Polski" data-language-local-name="Polish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Polski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pt mw-list-item"><a href="https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicola%C3%ADsmo" title="Nicolaísmo – Portuguese" lang="pt" hreflang="pt" data-title="Nicolaísmo" data-language-autonym="Português" data-language-local-name="Portuguese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Português</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ro mw-list-item"><a href="https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolai%C8%9Bi" title="Nicolaiți – Romanian" lang="ro" hreflang="ro" data-title="Nicolaiți" data-language-autonym="Română" data-language-local-name="Romanian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Română</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ru mw-list-item"><a href="https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9D%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%B8%D1%82%D1%8B" title="Николаиты – Russian" lang="ru" hreflang="ru" data-title="Николаиты" data-language-autonym="Русский" data-language-local-name="Russian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Русский</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sr mw-list-item"><a href="https://sr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9D%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B8" title="Николаити – Serbian" lang="sr" hreflang="sr" data-title="Николаити" data-language-autonym="Српски / srpski" data-language-local-name="Serbian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Српски / srpski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fi mw-list-item"><a href="https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolaiitat" title="Nikolaiitat – Finnish" lang="fi" hreflang="fi" data-title="Nikolaiitat" data-language-autonym="Suomi" data-language-local-name="Finnish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Suomi</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-tr mw-list-item"><a href="https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolac%C4%B1lar" title="Nikolacılar – Turkish" lang="tr" hreflang="tr" data-title="Nikolacılar" data-language-autonym="Türkçe" data-language-local-name="Turkish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Türkçe</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-uk mw-list-item"><a href="https://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9D%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%B0%D1%97%D1%82%D0%B8" title="Николаїти – Ukrainian" lang="uk" hreflang="uk" data-title="Николаїти" data-language-autonym="Українська" data-language-local-name="Ukrainian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Українська</span></a></li> </ul> <div class="after-portlet after-portlet-lang"><span class="wb-langlinks-edit wb-langlinks-link"><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:EntityPage/Q605184#sitelinks-wikipedia" title="Edit interlanguage links" class="wbc-editpage">Edit links</a></span></div> </div> </div> </div> </header> <div class="vector-page-toolbar"> <div class="vector-page-toolbar-container"> <div id="left-navigation"> <nav aria-label="Namespaces"> <div id="p-associated-pages" class="vector-menu vector-menu-tabs mw-portlet mw-portlet-associated-pages" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="ca-nstab-main" class="selected vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Nicolaism" title="View the content page [c]" accesskey="c"><span>Article</span></a></li><li id="ca-talk" class="vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Talk:Nicolaism" rel="discussion" title="Discuss improvements to the content page [t]" accesskey="t"><span>Talk</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="vector-variants-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown emptyPortlet" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-variants-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-variants-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Change language variant" > <label id="vector-variants-dropdown-label" for="vector-variants-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">English</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="p-variants" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-variants emptyPortlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> <div id="right-navigation" class="vector-collapsible"> <nav aria-label="Views"> <div id="p-views" class="vector-menu vector-menu-tabs mw-portlet mw-portlet-views" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="ca-view" class="selected vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Nicolaism"><span>Read</span></a></li><li id="ca-edit" class="vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nicolaism&action=edit" title="Edit this page [e]" accesskey="e"><span>Edit</span></a></li><li id="ca-history" class="vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nicolaism&action=history" title="Past revisions of this page [h]" accesskey="h"><span>View history</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> <nav class="vector-page-tools-landmark" aria-label="Page tools"> <div id="vector-page-tools-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-tools-dropdown" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-page-tools-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-page-tools-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Tools" > <label id="vector-page-tools-dropdown-label" for="vector-page-tools-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Tools</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-page-tools-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> <div id="vector-page-tools" class="vector-page-tools vector-pinnable-element"> <div class="vector-pinnable-header vector-page-tools-pinnable-header vector-pinnable-header-unpinned" data-feature-name="page-tools-pinned" data-pinnable-element-id="vector-page-tools" data-pinned-container-id="vector-page-tools-pinned-container" data-unpinned-container-id="vector-page-tools-unpinned-container" > <div class="vector-pinnable-header-label">Tools</div> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-pin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-page-tools.pin">move to sidebar</button> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-unpin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-page-tools.unpin">hide</button> </div> <div id="p-cactions" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-cactions emptyPortlet vector-has-collapsible-items" title="More options" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Actions </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="ca-more-view" class="selected vector-more-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Nicolaism"><span>Read</span></a></li><li id="ca-more-edit" class="vector-more-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nicolaism&action=edit" title="Edit this page [e]" accesskey="e"><span>Edit</span></a></li><li id="ca-more-history" class="vector-more-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nicolaism&action=history"><span>View history</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-tb" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-tb" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> General </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="t-whatlinkshere" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:WhatLinksHere/Nicolaism" title="List of all English Wikipedia pages containing links to this page [j]" accesskey="j"><span>What links here</span></a></li><li id="t-recentchangeslinked" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:RecentChangesLinked/Nicolaism" rel="nofollow" title="Recent changes in pages linked from this page [k]" accesskey="k"><span>Related changes</span></a></li><li id="t-upload" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:File_Upload_Wizard" title="Upload files [u]" accesskey="u"><span>Upload file</span></a></li><li id="t-specialpages" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:SpecialPages" title="A list of all special pages [q]" accesskey="q"><span>Special pages</span></a></li><li id="t-permalink" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nicolaism&oldid=1257977123" title="Permanent link to this revision of this page"><span>Permanent link</span></a></li><li id="t-info" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nicolaism&action=info" title="More information about this page"><span>Page information</span></a></li><li id="t-cite" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:CiteThisPage&page=Nicolaism&id=1257977123&wpFormIdentifier=titleform" title="Information on how to cite this page"><span>Cite this page</span></a></li><li id="t-urlshortener" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:UrlShortener&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FNicolaism"><span>Get shortened URL</span></a></li><li id="t-urlshortener-qrcode" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:QrCode&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FNicolaism"><span>Download QR code</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-coll-print_export" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-coll-print_export" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Print/export </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="coll-download-as-rl" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:DownloadAsPdf&page=Nicolaism&action=show-download-screen" title="Download this page as a PDF file"><span>Download as PDF</span></a></li><li id="t-print" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nicolaism&printable=yes" title="Printable version of this page [p]" accesskey="p"><span>Printable version</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-wikibase-otherprojects" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-wikibase-otherprojects" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> In other projects </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="t-wikibase" class="wb-otherproject-link wb-otherproject-wikibase-dataitem mw-list-item"><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:EntityPage/Q605184" title="Structured data on this page hosted by Wikidata [g]" accesskey="g"><span>Wikidata item</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> </div> <div class="vector-column-end"> <div class="vector-sticky-pinned-container"> <nav class="vector-page-tools-landmark" aria-label="Page tools"> <div id="vector-page-tools-pinned-container" class="vector-pinned-container"> </div> </nav> <nav class="vector-appearance-landmark" aria-label="Appearance"> <div id="vector-appearance-pinned-container" class="vector-pinned-container"> <div id="vector-appearance" class="vector-appearance vector-pinnable-element"> <div class="vector-pinnable-header vector-appearance-pinnable-header vector-pinnable-header-pinned" data-feature-name="appearance-pinned" data-pinnable-element-id="vector-appearance" data-pinned-container-id="vector-appearance-pinned-container" data-unpinned-container-id="vector-appearance-unpinned-container" > <div class="vector-pinnable-header-label">Appearance</div> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-pin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-appearance.pin">move to sidebar</button> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-unpin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-appearance.unpin">hide</button> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div id="bodyContent" class="vector-body" aria-labelledby="firstHeading" data-mw-ve-target-container> <div class="vector-body-before-content"> <div class="mw-indicators"> </div> <div id="siteSub" class="noprint">From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</div> </div> <div id="contentSub"><div id="mw-content-subtitle"></div></div> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">Early Christian sect mentioned twice in the Book of Revelation</div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1251242444">.mw-parser-output .ambox{border:1px solid #a2a9b1;border-left:10px solid #36c;background-color:#fbfbfb;box-sizing:border-box}.mw-parser-output .ambox+link+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+link+style+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+link+link+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+.mw-empty-elt+link+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+.mw-empty-elt+link+style+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+.mw-empty-elt+link+link+.ambox{margin-top:-1px}html body.mediawiki .mw-parser-output .ambox.mbox-small-left{margin:4px 1em 4px 0;overflow:hidden;width:238px;border-collapse:collapse;font-size:88%;line-height:1.25em}.mw-parser-output .ambox-speedy{border-left:10px solid #b32424;background-color:#fee7e6}.mw-parser-output .ambox-delete{border-left:10px solid #b32424}.mw-parser-output .ambox-content{border-left:10px solid #f28500}.mw-parser-output .ambox-style{border-left:10px solid #fc3}.mw-parser-output .ambox-move{border-left:10px solid #9932cc}.mw-parser-output .ambox-protection{border-left:10px solid #a2a9b1}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-text{border:none;padding:0.25em 0.5em;width:100%}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-image{border:none;padding:2px 0 2px 0.5em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-imageright{border:none;padding:2px 0.5em 2px 0;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-empty-cell{border:none;padding:0;width:1px}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-image-div{width:52px}@media(min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .ambox{margin:0 10%}}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .ambox{display:none!important}}</style><table class="box-Confusing plainlinks metadata ambox ambox-style ambox-confusing" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td class="mbox-image"><div class="mbox-image-div"><span typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f2/Edit-clear.svg/40px-Edit-clear.svg.png" decoding="async" width="40" height="40" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f2/Edit-clear.svg/60px-Edit-clear.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f2/Edit-clear.svg/80px-Edit-clear.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="48" data-file-height="48" /></span></span></div></td><td class="mbox-text"><div class="mbox-text-span">This article <b>may be <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Vagueness" title="Wikipedia:Vagueness">confusing or unclear</a> to readers</b>.<span class="hide-when-compact"> Please help <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_clarify" title="Wikipedia:Please clarify">clarify the article</a>. There might be a discussion about this on <a href="/wiki/Talk:Nicolaism" title="Talk:Nicolaism">the talk page</a>.</span> <span class="date-container"><i>(<span class="date">January 2019</span>)</i></span><span class="hide-when-compact"><i> (<small><a href="/wiki/Help:Maintenance_template_removal" title="Help:Maintenance template removal">Learn how and when to remove this message</a></small>)</i></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ul{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist .mw-empty-li{display:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dt::after{content:": "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li::after{content:" · ";font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li:last-child::after{content:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:first-child::before{content:" (";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:last-child::after{content:")";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol{counter-reset:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li{counter-increment:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li::before{content:" "counter(listitem)"\a0 "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li ol>li:first-child::before{content:" ("counter(listitem)"\a0 "}</style><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1246091330">.mw-parser-output .sidebar{width:22em;float:right;clear:right;margin:0.5em 0 1em 1em;background:var(--background-color-neutral-subtle,#f8f9fa);border:1px solid var(--border-color-base,#a2a9b1);padding:0.2em;text-align:center;line-height:1.4em;font-size:88%;border-collapse:collapse;display:table}body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .sidebar{display:table!important;float:right!important;margin:0.5em 0 1em 1em!important}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-subgroup{width:100%;margin:0;border-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-left{float:left;clear:left;margin:0.5em 1em 1em 0}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-none{float:none;clear:both;margin:0.5em 1em 1em 0}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-outer-title{padding:0 0.4em 0.2em;font-size:125%;line-height:1.2em;font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-top-image{padding:0.4em}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-top-caption,.mw-parser-output .sidebar-pretitle-with-top-image,.mw-parser-output .sidebar-caption{padding:0.2em 0.4em 0;line-height:1.2em}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-pretitle{padding:0.4em 0.4em 0;line-height:1.2em}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-title,.mw-parser-output .sidebar-title-with-pretitle{padding:0.2em 0.8em;font-size:145%;line-height:1.2em}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-title-with-pretitle{padding:0.1em 0.4em}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-image{padding:0.2em 0.4em 0.4em}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-heading{padding:0.1em 0.4em}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-content{padding:0 0.5em 0.4em}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-content-with-subgroup{padding:0.1em 0.4em 0.2em}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-above,.mw-parser-output .sidebar-below{padding:0.3em 0.8em;font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-collapse .sidebar-above,.mw-parser-output .sidebar-collapse .sidebar-below{border-top:1px solid #aaa;border-bottom:1px solid #aaa}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-navbar{text-align:right;font-size:115%;padding:0 0.4em 0.4em}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-list-title{padding:0 0.4em;text-align:left;font-weight:bold;line-height:1.6em;font-size:105%}.mw-parser-output .sidebar-list-title-c{padding:0 0.4em;text-align:center;margin:0 3.3em}@media(max-width:640px){body.mediawiki .mw-parser-output .sidebar{width:100%!important;clear:both;float:none!important;margin-left:0!important;margin-right:0!important}}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .sidebar a>img{max-width:none!important}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-list-title,html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle{background:transparent!important}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle a{color:var(--color-progressive)!important}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-list-title,html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle{background:transparent!important}html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle a{color:var(--color-progressive)!important}}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .sidebar{display:none!important}}</style><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r886047488">.mw-parser-output .nobold{font-weight:normal}</style><table class="sidebar sidebar-collapse nomobile nowraplinks collapsible"><tbody><tr><th class="sidebar-title" style="font-size:92%;"><span style="padding-left:2.25em;"> </span> <div style="font-size:120%;line-height:1.2em; padding-bottom:0.4em;"> <span class="nobold">Part of <a href="/wiki/Category:Gnosticism" title="Category:Gnosticism">a series</a> on</span><br /><span style="font-size:150%;"><a href="/wiki/Gnosticism" title="Gnosticism">Gnosticism</a></span></div></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-image skin-invert-image"><span class="notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Abraxas_gem_scan.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/Abraxas_gem_scan.svg/100px-Abraxas_gem_scan.svg.png" decoding="async" width="100" height="131" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/Abraxas_gem_scan.svg/150px-Abraxas_gem_scan.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/Abraxas_gem_scan.svg/200px-Abraxas_gem_scan.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="280" data-file-height="366" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content hlist"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="text-align:center;color: var(--color-base)">Gnostic concepts</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Adam_kasia" class="mw-redirect" title="Adam kasia">Adam kasia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Adam_pagria" class="mw-redirect" title="Adam pagria">Adam pagria</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Aeon_(Gnosticism)" title="Aeon (Gnosticism)">Aeon</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Anima_mundi" title="Anima mundi">Anima mundi</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Archon_(Gnosticism)" title="Archon (Gnosticism)">Archon</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Barbelo" title="Barbelo">Barbelo</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Demiurge" title="Demiurge">Demiurge</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Five_Seals" title="Five Seals">Five Seals</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gnosis" title="Gnosis">Gnosis</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kenoma" title="Kenoma">Kenoma</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Luminary_(Gnosticism)" title="Luminary (Gnosticism)">Luminary</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Manda_(Mandaeism)" title="Manda (Mandaeism)">Manda</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Monad_(Gnosticism)" title="Monad (Gnosticism)">Monad</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ogdoad_(Gnosticism)" title="Ogdoad (Gnosticism)">Ogdoad</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pleroma" title="Pleroma">Pleroma</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sophia_(Gnosticism)" title="Sophia (Gnosticism)">Sophia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Uthra" title="Uthra">Uthra</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/World_of_Light" title="World of Light">World of Light</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/World_of_Darkness_(Mandaeism)" title="World of Darkness (Mandaeism)">World of Darkness</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Yaldabaoth" title="Yaldabaoth">Yaldabaoth</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content hlist"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="text-align:center;color: var(--color-base)"><a href="/wiki/List_of_Gnostic_sects" title="List of Gnostic sects">Gnostic sects</a> and founders</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Gnostic_sects" title="List of Gnostic sects">List of Gnostic sects</a></li></ul> <hr /> <dl><dt><a href="/wiki/Proto-Gnosticism" title="Proto-Gnosticism">Proto-Gnosticism</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Magh%C4%81riya" class="mw-redirect" title="Maghāriya">Maghāriya</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Thomasines" title="Thomasines">Thomasines</a></li></ul> <dl><dt>Judean / Israelite</dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Adam" title="Adam">Adam</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Mandaeism" title="Mandaeism">Mandaeism</a></li></ul></li> <li>Elksai <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Elkasaites" class="mw-redirect" title="Elkasaites">Elkasaites</a></li></ul></li> <li>Samaritan Baptist <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Dositheos_(Samaritan)" title="Dositheos (Samaritan)">Dositheos</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Simon_Magus" title="Simon Magus">Simon Magus</a> (<a href="/wiki/Simonians" title="Simonians">Simonians</a>)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Menander_(gnostic)" class="mw-redirect" title="Menander (gnostic)">Menander</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Quqites" title="Quqites">Quqites</a></li></ul></li></ul> <dl><dt>Christian Gnosticism</dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Apelles_(gnostic)" class="mw-redirect" title="Apelles (gnostic)">Apelles</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cerinthus" title="Cerinthus">Cerinthus</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Justin_(gnostic)" class="mw-redirect" title="Justin (gnostic)">Justin</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Marcion_of_Sinope" title="Marcion of Sinope">Marcion</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Marcionism" title="Marcionism">Marcionism</a></li></ul></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Nicolaism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Perates" title="Perates">Perates</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Saturninus_of_Antioch" title="Saturninus of Antioch">Saturninus</a></li></ul> <dl><dt>Syrian-Egyptian</dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Ophites" title="Ophites">Ophites</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sethianism" title="Sethianism">Sethianism</a></li></ul> <dl><dt>Alexandrian</dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Basilides" title="Basilides">Basilides</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Basilideans" title="Basilideans">Basilideans</a></li></ul></li></ul> <dl><dt>Roman</dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Valentinus_(Gnostic)" title="Valentinus (Gnostic)">Valentinus</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Valentinianism" title="Valentinianism">Valentinianism</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Marcus_(Marcosian)" title="Marcus (Marcosian)">Marcus</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Marcosians" title="Marcosians">Marcosians</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Florinus_(Gnostic)" title="Florinus (Gnostic)">Florinus</a></li></ul> <dl><dt>Persian Gnosticism</dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Mani_(prophet)" title="Mani (prophet)">Mani</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Manichaeism" title="Manichaeism">Manichaeism</a></li></ul></li></ul> <dl><dt>Chinese Gnosticism</dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Chinese_Manichaeism" title="Chinese Manichaeism">Chinese Manichaeism</a></li></ul> <dl><dt>Islamic Gnosticism</dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Druze" title="Druze">Druze</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nusayrism" class="mw-redirect" title="Nusayrism">Nusayrism</a></li></ul> <dl><dt>Modern</dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Gnosticism_in_modern_times" title="Gnosticism in modern times">Modern schools</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content hlist"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="text-align:center;color: var(--color-base)"><a href="/wiki/List_of_Gnostic_texts" title="List of Gnostic texts">Scriptures</a></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Gnostic_texts" title="List of Gnostic texts">List of Gnostic texts</a></li></ul> <hr /> <dl><dt>Texts</dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Nag_Hammadi_library" title="Nag Hammadi library">Nag Hammadi library</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pseudo-Abdias" title="Pseudo-Abdias">Pseudo-Abdias</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Clementine_literature" title="Clementine literature">Clementine literature</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gnosticism_and_the_New_Testament" class="mw-redirect" title="Gnosticism and the New Testament">Gnosticism and the New Testament</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Mandaean_texts" class="mw-redirect" title="List of Mandaean texts">Mandaean scriptures</a></li></ul> <dl><dt><a href="/wiki/Codex" title="Codex">Codices</a></dt></dl> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Codex_Tchacos" title="Codex Tchacos">Codex Tchacos</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cologne_Mani-Codex" title="Cologne Mani-Codex">Cologne Mani-Codex</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Askew_Codex" title="Askew Codex">Askew Codex</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bruce_Codex" title="Bruce Codex">Bruce Codex</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Berlin_Codex" title="Berlin Codex">Berlin Codex</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ginza_Rabba" title="Ginza Rabba">Codex Nasaraeus</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content hlist"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="text-align:center;color: var(--color-base)">Influenced by</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Apocalyptic_literature" title="Apocalyptic literature">Apocalyptic literature</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gnosticism#Relation_with_early_Christianity" title="Gnosticism">Early Christianity</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Christology" title="Christology">Christology</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Docetism" title="Docetism">Docetism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gnosticism#Paul_and_Gnosticism" title="Gnosticism">Paul and Gnosticism</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Merkabah_mysticism" title="Merkabah mysticism">Merkabah mysticism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Middle_Platonism" title="Middle Platonism">Middle Platonism</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Philo" title="Philo">Philo</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wisdom_(personification)" title="Wisdom (personification)">Wisdom (personification)</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content hlist"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="text-align:center;color: var(--color-base)">Influence on</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Carl_Jung" title="Carl Jung">Carl Jung</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Esoteric_Christianity" title="Esoteric Christianity">Esoteric Christianity</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Christian_theosophy" title="Christian theosophy">Christian theosophy</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gnosticism_in_modern_times" title="Gnosticism in modern times">Gnosticism in modern times</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Neoplatonism_and_Gnosticism" title="Neoplatonism and Gnosticism">Neoplatonism and Gnosticism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Perennial_philosophy" title="Perennial philosophy">Perennial philosophy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Thelema" title="Thelema">Thelema</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Theosophy" title="Theosophy">Theosophy (Blavatskian)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Western_esotericism" title="Western esotericism">Western esotericism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ren%C3%A9_Gu%C3%A9non" title="René Guénon">René Guénon</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rudolf_Steiner" title="Rudolf Steiner">Rudolf Steiner</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-navbar"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239400231">.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar ul{display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::before{margin-right:-0.125em;content:"[ "}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::after{margin-left:-0.125em;content:" ]"}.mw-parser-output .navbar li{word-spacing:-0.125em}.mw-parser-output .navbar a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}</style><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Gnosticism" title="Template:Gnosticism"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Gnosticism" title="Template talk:Gnosticism"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Gnosticism" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Gnosticism"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <p><b>Nicolaism</b> (also called <b>Nicholaism</b>, <b>Nicolaitism</b>, <b>Nicolationism</b> or <b>Nicolaitanism</b>) was an <a href="/wiki/Early_Christian" class="mw-redirect" title="Early Christian">early Christian</a> sect mentioned twice in the <a href="/wiki/Book_of_Revelation" title="Book of Revelation">Book of Revelation</a> of the <a href="/wiki/New_Testament" title="New Testament">New Testament</a>. The adherents were called Nicolaitans, Nicolaitanes, or Nicolaites. They were considered <a href="/wiki/Heretical" class="mw-redirect" title="Heretical">heretical</a> by the mainstream early Christian Church. According to Revelation 2:6 and 15,<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> they were known in the cities of <a href="/wiki/Ephesus" title="Ephesus">Ephesus</a> and <a href="/wiki/Pergamum" class="mw-redirect" title="Pergamum">Pergamum</a>. In this chapter, the church at Ephesus is endorsed for "[hating] the works of the Nicolaites, which I also hate"; and the church in Pergamos is rebuked: "So thou hast also some [worshiping in their midst] who hold the teaching of the Nicolaites". In the <a href="/wiki/Koine_Greek" title="Koine Greek">original Greek</a>, they are called, in genitive, <span title="Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text"><span lang="grc">Νικολαϊτῶν</span></span> (<i>Nikolaïtōn</i>).<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Several of the early <a href="/wiki/Church_Fathers" title="Church Fathers">Church Fathers</a> mentioned this group, including <a href="/wiki/Irenaeus" title="Irenaeus">Irenaeus</a>, <a href="/wiki/Tertullian" title="Tertullian">Tertullian</a>, <a href="/wiki/Clement_of_Alexandria" title="Clement of Alexandria">Clement of Alexandria</a>, <a href="/wiki/Hippolytus_of_Rome" title="Hippolytus of Rome">Hippolytus</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Epiphanius_of_Salamis" title="Epiphanius of Salamis">Epiphanius</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Theodoret" title="Theodoret">Theodoret</a>, stating that <b>Nicolas the Deacon</b>, one of the <a href="/wiki/Seven_Deacons" title="Seven Deacons">Seven Deacons</a>, was the author of the heresy and the sect. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Bible_passages">Bible passages</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nicolaism&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Bible passages"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The New Testament mentions the Nicolaites in the second chapter of the <a href="/wiki/Book_of_Revelation" title="Book of Revelation">Book of Revelation</a>. </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1244412712">.mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 32px}.mw-parser-output .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;margin-top:0}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .templatequotecite{padding-left:1.6em}}</style><blockquote class="templatequote"><p> Yet this is to your credit [the church of Ephesus]: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I [Jesus] also hate. </p><div class="templatequotecite">— <cite>Revelation 2:6 NRSV</cite></div></blockquote> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1244412712"><blockquote class="templatequote"><p> But I have a few things against you [the church of Pergamos]: you have some there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the people of Israel, so that they would eat food sacrificed to idols and practice fornication. So you also have some who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Repent then. If not, I will come to you soon and make war against them with the sword of my mouth. </p><div class="templatequotecite">— <cite>Revelation 2:14–16 NRSV</cite></div></blockquote> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Isidore_of_Seville">Isidore of Seville</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nicolaism&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Isidore of Seville"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The last Western Church Father was <a href="/wiki/Isidore_of_Seville" title="Isidore of Seville">Isidore of Seville</a>, who finished the <i><a href="/wiki/Etymologiae" title="Etymologiae">Etymologies</a></i>, in AD 636. In Book VIII titled "The Church and sects (De ecclesia et secta)" he wrote, "The Nicolaites (Nicolaita) are so called from Nicolaus, deacon of the church of Jerusalem, who, along with Stephen and the others, was ordained by Peter. He abandoned his wife because of her beauty, so that whoever wanted to might enjoy her; the practice turned into debauchery, with partners being exchanged in turn. Jesus condemns them in the book of Revelation, saying (2:6): "But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaites."<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Insight_into_Church_history">Insight into Church history</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nicolaism&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Insight into Church history"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p><a href="/wiki/John_Henry_Blunt" title="John Henry Blunt">John Henry Blunt</a> points out that the Bible (if taken at face value) condemns the false teachings, and the use of a name to describe a group "shows that there was a distinct heretical party which held the doctrine." The letters which Jesus dictates for the churches in Revelation 2 "show that these heretics had neither formally separated themselves from the church nor had been excommunicated."<sup id="cite_ref-Blunt_6-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Blunt-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Interpretations">Interpretations</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nicolaism&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Interpretations"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="John_Henry_Blunt's_antinomian_interpretation"><span id="John_Henry_Blunt.27s_antinomian_interpretation"></span>John Henry Blunt's antinomian interpretation</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nicolaism&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: John Henry Blunt's antinomian interpretation"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>A common view holds that the Nicolaitans held the <a href="/wiki/Antinomianism" title="Antinomianism">antinomian</a> heresy of <a href="/wiki/1_Corinthians_6" class="mw-redirect" title="1 Corinthians 6">1 Corinthians 6</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-CE1913_7-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CE1913-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> One scholar who espouses this interpretation, <a href="/wiki/John_Henry_Blunt" title="John Henry Blunt">John Henry Blunt</a>, maintains that the comparison between the Nicolaitans and <a href="/wiki/Balaam" title="Balaam">Balaam</a> "proves that the fornication spoken of is not that crime under ordinary circumstances, but fornication connected with religious rites".<sup id="cite_ref-Blunt_6-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Blunt-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Blunt points out that the Hebrews had a long history of preaching against or alternatively using cult prostitutes (Genesis 38:21–22; Deuteronomy 23:17–18; 1 Kings 14:24, 15:12, 22:46; 2 Kings 23:7; Ezekiel 16:16; Hosea 4:14). He also points out that the early Christians lived in a pagan culture where the worship of <a href="/wiki/Aphrodite#Cult_of_Aphrodite" title="Aphrodite">Aphrodite</a> included <i>hierodoule</i> who engaged in <a href="/wiki/Ritual_prostitution" class="mw-redirect" title="Ritual prostitution">ritual prostitution</a> in her shrines and temples, and that the <a href="/wiki/Dionysian_Mysteries" title="Dionysian Mysteries">Dionysian Mysteries</a> used intoxicants and other trance-inducing techniques to remove inhibitions and social constraints of believers to enter into an animalistic state of mind. </p><p>Blunt holds that the Nicolaitans either believed that the command against ritual sex was part of the <a href="/wiki/Law_of_Moses" title="Law of Moses">Mosaic law</a> and it was licit for them, or that they went too far during Christian "<a href="/wiki/Agape_feast" title="Agape feast">love-feasts</a>". Blunt sees echoes of this behavior in the admonitions which Paul gives the Corinthians, though he does not name them as such. Blunt also believes that similar echoes can be found in the admonitions of Jude 4-16 (which invokes both "Balaam's error" and "love feasts") and 2 Peter 2:2-21 (which repeats much of Jude's statements, including invoking Balaam).<sup id="cite_ref-Blunt_6-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Blunt-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The trend began early in Christianity of applying the term "Nicolaitans" to describe other antinomian groups with no attachment to the historical Nicolaitans. <a href="/wiki/Tertullian" title="Tertullian">Tertullian</a> in his <i>Prescription Against Heretics</i>, 33, is such an example: "John, however, in the Apocalypse is charged to chastise those 'who eat things sacrificed to idols,' and 'who commit sexual immorality.' There are even now another sort of Nicolaitans. Theirs is called the <a href="/wiki/Cainites" title="Cainites">Gaian heresy</a>." </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Irenaeus'_polemic_on_Cerinthus"><span id="Irenaeus.27_polemic_on_Cerinthus"></span>Irenaeus' polemic on Cerinthus</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nicolaism&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Irenaeus' polemic on Cerinthus"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p><a href="/wiki/Irenaeus" title="Irenaeus">Irenaeus</a> in <i><a href="/wiki/Adversus_Haereses" title="Adversus Haereses">Adversus Haereses</a></i> III. xi. 1; I. xxvi. 3 holds that the <a href="/wiki/Gospel_of_John" title="Gospel of John">Gospel of John</a> was written to counter the teachings of <a href="/wiki/Cerinthus" title="Cerinthus">Cerinthus</a>, which he holds was influenced by the Nicolaitans. Later, <a href="/wiki/Augustine_of_Hippo" title="Augustine of Hippo">Augustine of Hippo</a> ascribed to them Cerinthian doctrines concerning the creation of the world (in his <i>De haeresibus ad Quodvultdeum</i>, v). </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Victorinus_of_Pettau:_food_for_idols">Victorinus of Pettau: food for idols</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nicolaism&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Victorinus of Pettau: food for idols"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p><a href="/wiki/Victorinus_of_Pettau" title="Victorinus of Pettau">Victorinus of Pettau</a> held that the error of the Nicolaitans was that they considered it necessary to exorcise things offered to idols before eating, and that there was no sin of fornication after seven days had passed. </p> <blockquote><p>"But the works of the Nicolaitanes in that time were false and troublesome men, who, as ministers under the name of Nicolas, had made for themselves an heresy, to the effect that whatever had been offered to idols might be exorcised and eaten, and that whoever had committed fornication might receive peace on the eighth day."<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></p></blockquote> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Polygamy">Polygamy</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nicolaism&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Polygamy"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p><a href="/wiki/Bede" title="Bede">Bede</a> states that Nicolas allowed other men to marry his wife.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Thomas_Aquinas" title="Thomas Aquinas">Thomas Aquinas</a> believed that Nicolas supported either polygamy or the holding of wives in common.<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Eusebius" title="Eusebius">Eusebius</a> claimed that the sect was short-lived.<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Origin_of_the_name">Origin of the name</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nicolaism&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Origin of the name"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Nicolaus_of_Antioch">Nicolaus of Antioch</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nicolaism&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Nicolaus of Antioch"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Several Church Fathers derive the term <i>Nicolaitans</i> from Nicolaus (Νικόλαος) a native of Antioch and one of the first <a href="/wiki/Seven_Deacons" title="Seven Deacons">Seven Deacons</a> mentioned in <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Acts%206:5&version=nrsv">Acts 6:5</a>. The nature of the link between Nicolaus and Nicolaitans was questionable. </p><p>Some scholars believe<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> that it was another Nicolas, rather than Nicolas the Deacon himself becoming an apostate. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Irenaeus_and_Hippolytus">Irenaeus and Hippolytus</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nicolaism&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: Irenaeus and Hippolytus"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p><a href="/wiki/Irenaeus" title="Irenaeus">Irenaeus</a> was of the opinion that Nicolas was their founder. </p> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1244412712"><blockquote class="templatequote"><p>The Nicolaitanes are the followers of that Nicolas who was one of the seven first ordained to the diaconate by the apostles. They lead lives of unrestrained indulgence. The character of these men is very plainly pointed out in the Apocalypse of John, [when they are represented] as teaching that it is a matter of indifference to practice adultery, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.</p><div class="templatequotecite">— <cite><a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Ante-Nicene_Fathers/Volume_I/IRENAEUS/Against_Heresies:_Book_I/Chapter_XXVI." class="extiw" title="s:Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume I/IRENAEUS/Against Heresies: Book I/Chapter XXVI.">Irenaeus, <i> Adversus haereses</i>, i. 26, §3</a><sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></cite></div></blockquote> <p><a href="/wiki/Hippolytus_of_Rome" title="Hippolytus of Rome">Hippolytus of Rome</a> shared the opinion that Nicolas became a heresiarch (in <i><a href="/wiki/Refutation_of_All_Heresies" title="Refutation of All Heresies">Refutation of All Heresies</a></i> vii. 24).<sup id="cite_ref-Blunt_6-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Blunt-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In other writings of the early church this connection is disputed and the Nicolaitans are said to be "falsely so called" (ψευδώνυμοι).<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Clement_of_Alexandria" title="Clement of Alexandria">Clement of Alexandria</a> put forward a defense of Nicolas (in <i><a href="/wiki/Stromata" title="Stromata">Stromata</a></i> ii. 20, iii. 4) which <a href="/wiki/Eusebius" title="Eusebius">Eusebius</a> accepts and repeats (in <i><a href="/wiki/Church_History_(Eusebius)" class="mw-redirect" title="Church History (Eusebius)">Historia Ecclesiastica</a></i> iii. 29).<sup id="cite_ref-Blunt_6-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Blunt-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The description of Nicolas as celibate was used by 16th century Protestant apologists to argue against the practice of mandatory clerical celibacy by suggesting it originated within Nicolaism first before spreading into Christianity.<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Epiphanius">Epiphanius</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nicolaism&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: Epiphanius"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p><a href="/wiki/Epiphanius_of_Salamis" title="Epiphanius of Salamis">Epiphanius</a> relates some details of the life of Nicolas the deacon, and describes him as gradually sinking into the grossest impurity, and becoming the originator of the Nicolaitans and other libertine Gnostic sects: </p> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1244412712"><blockquote class="templatequote"><p>[Nicolas] had an attractive wife, and had refrained from intercourse as though in imitation of those whom he saw to be devoted to God. He endured this for a while but in the end could not bear to control his incontinence.... But because he was ashamed of his defeat and suspected that he had been found out, he ventured to say, "Unless one copulates every day, he cannot have eternal life."<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></p><div class="templatequotecite">— <cite>Epiphanius, <i><a href="/wiki/Panarion" title="Panarion">Panarion</a></i>, xxv. 1</cite></div></blockquote> <p>Hippolytus agreed with Epiphanius in his unfavourable view of Nicolas.<sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Jerome">Jerome</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nicolaism&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: Jerome"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p><a href="/wiki/Jerome" title="Jerome">Jerome</a> believes the account of Nicolas succumbing to heresy, at least to some extent.<sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> This was also the opinion of the unknown Christian author (writing around 435) of <i><a href="/wiki/Praedestinatus" title="Praedestinatus">Praedestinatus</a></i> (in i. 4.),<sup id="cite_ref-Blunt_6-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Blunt-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> as well as other writers in the 4th century. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Clement_of_Alexandria">Clement of Alexandria</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nicolaism&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: Clement of Alexandria"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>This view of Nicolas is irreconcilable with the traditional account of his character given by Clement of Alexandria,<sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> an earlier writer than Epiphanius. He states that Nicolas led a chaste life and brought up his children in purity. He describes a certain occasion when Nicolas had been sharply reproved by the apostles as a jealous husband, and he repelled the charge by offering to allow his wife to become the wife of any other person. Clement also writes that Nicolas was in the habit of repeating a saying which is ascribed to the apostle <a href="/wiki/Matthew_the_Evangelist" class="mw-redirect" title="Matthew the Evangelist">Matthias</a>, <i>that it is our duty to fight against the flesh and to abuse</i> (παραχρῆσθαι) <i>it</i>. His words were perversely interpreted by the Nicolaitans as authority for their immoral practices.<sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Theodoret repeats the foregoing statement of Clement in his account of the sect, and charges the Nicolaitans with false dealing in borrowing the name of the deacon.<sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-22"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Clement (in <i>Stromata</i> 3, 2) does condemn heretics whose views on sex he sees as licentious, but he does not associate them with Nicolas: </p> <dl><dd>But the followers of <a href="/wiki/Carpocrates" title="Carpocrates">Carpocrates</a> and Epiphanes think that wives should be common property. Through them the worst calumny has become current against the Christian name. ...he [Epiphanes] says [in his book <i>Concerning Righteousness</i>] that the idea of Mine and Thine came into existence through the [Mosaic] laws so that the earth and money were no longer put to common use. And so also with marriage. 'For God has made vines for all to use in common, since they are not protected against sparrows and a thief; and similarly corn and the other fruits. But the abolition, contrary to divine law, of community of use and equality begat the thief of domestic animals and fruits. He brought female to be with male and in the same way united all animals. He thus showed righteousness to be a universal fairness and equality. But those who have been born in this way have denied the universality which is the corollary of their birth and say, "Let him who has taken one woman keep her," whereas all alike can have her, just as the other animals do.' After this, which is quoted word for word, he again continues in the same spirit as follows: 'With a view to the permanence of the race, he has implanted in males a strong and ardent desire which neither law nor custom nor any other restraint is able to destroy. For it is God's decree. ...Consequently one must understand the saying "Thou shalt not covet" as if the lawgiver was making a jest, to which he added the even more comic words "thy neighbor's goods". For he himself who gave the desire to sustain the race orders that it is to be suppressed, though he removes it from no other animals. And by the words "thy neighbor's wife" he says something even more ludicrous, since he forces what should be common property to be treated as a private possession.'</dd></dl> <p>Clement asks: </p> <dl><dd>And how can this man still be reckoned among our number when he openly abolishes both law and gospel by these words...Carpocrates fights against God, and Epiphanes likewise. ...These, so they say, and certain other enthusiasts for the same wickedness, gather together for feasts (I would not call their meeting an <i><a href="/wiki/Agape" title="Agape">Agape</a></i>), men and women together. After they have sated their appetites ('on repletion <a href="/wiki/Horae#The_ten_or_twelve_Hours" title="Horae">Cypris</a>, the goddess of love, enters,' as it is said), then they overturn the lamps and so extinguish the light that the shame of their adulterous 'righteousness' is hidden, and they have intercourse where they will and with whom they will. After they have practiced community of use in this love-feast, they demand by daylight of whatever women they wish that they will be obedient to the law of Carpocrates-it would not be right to say the law of God. ...Of these and other similar sects Jude, I think, spoke prophetically in his letter - 'In the same way also these dreamers'[Jude 1:8] (for they do not seek to find the truth in the light of day) as far as the words 'and their mouth speaks arrogant things.' [Jude 1:16]</dd></dl> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Eusebius_of_Caesarea">Eusebius of Caesarea</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nicolaism&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: Eusebius of Caesarea"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Eusebius of Caesarea speaks directly about the Nicolaitans and Nicolas (in his <i>Church History</i> iii, 29), saying "At this time the so-called sect of the Nicolaitans made its appearance and lasted for a very short time. Mention is made of it in the Apocalypse of John. They boasted that the author of their sect was Nicolaus, one of the deacons who, with Stephen, were appointed by the apostles for the purpose of ministering to the poor." </p><p>Eusebius repeats Clement's story about Nicolas and his wife and holds that those he decries as heretics are claiming his name for their sect because they misunderstand the context of his presentation of his wife to the apostles and are "imitating blindly and foolishly that which was done and said, [in order to] commit fornication without shame. But I understand that Nicolaus had to do with no other woman than her to whom he was married, and that, so far as his children are concerned, his daughters continued in a state of virginity until old age, and his son remained uncorrupt. If this is so, when he brought his wife, whom he jealously loved, into the midst of the apostles, he was evidently renouncing his passion; and when he used the expression, 'to abuse the flesh,' he was inculcating self-control in the face of those pleasures that are eagerly pursued. For I suppose that, in accordance with the command of the Savior, he did not wish to serve two masters, pleasure and the Lord [Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13]. ...So much concerning those who then attempted to pervert the truth, but in less time than it has taken to tell it became entirely extinct." </p><p><a href="/wiki/Eusebius" title="Eusebius">Eusebius</a> (in his <i>Church History</i>, iv, 7) held that as <a href="/wiki/Satan" title="Satan">Satan</a> was shut off from using persecution against Christians "he devised all sorts of plans, and employed other methods in his conflict with the church, using base and deceitful men as instruments for the ruin of souls and as ministers of destruction. Instigated by him, impostors and deceivers, assuming the name of our religion, brought to the depth of ruin such of the believers as they could win over, and at the same time, by means of the deeds which they practiced, turned away from the path which leads to the word of salvation those who were ignorant of the faith." He traces heresy from the biblical figure of <a href="/wiki/Simon_Magus" title="Simon Magus">Simon Magus</a> (Acts 8:9-29) through <a href="/wiki/Menander_(gnostic)" class="mw-redirect" title="Menander (gnostic)">Menander</a> to both <a href="/wiki/Saturninus_of_Antioch" title="Saturninus of Antioch">Saturnius of Antioch</a> and <a href="/wiki/Basilides" title="Basilides">Basilides</a> of Alexandria. Following Irenaeus, Eusebius says "Basilides, under the pretext of unspeakable mysteries, invented monstrous fables, and carried the fictions of his impious heresy quite beyond bounds." He reports that Christian author <a href="/wiki/Agrippa_Castor" title="Agrippa Castor">Agrippa Castor</a> "While exposing his mysteries he says that Basilides wrote twenty-four books upon the Gospel, and that he invented prophets for himself named Barcabbas and Barcoph, and others that had no existence, and that he gave them barbarous names in order to amaze those who marvel at such things; that he taught also that the eating of meat offered to idols and the unguarded renunciation of the faith in times of persecution were matters of indifference; and that he enjoined upon his followers, like Pythagoras, a silence of five years. ...Thus it came to pass that the malignant demon, making use of these ministers, on the one hand enslaved those that were so pitiably led astray by them to their own destruction, while on the other hand he furnished to the unbelieving heathen abundant opportunities for slandering the divine word, inasmuch as the reputation of these men brought infamy upon the whole race of Christians. In this way, therefore, it came to pass that there was spread abroad in regard to us among the unbelievers of that age, the infamous and most absurd suspicion that we practiced unlawful commerce with mothers and sisters, and enjoyed impious feasts." Here a doctrine of indifference concerning eating meat sacrificed to idols is put forward along with a doctrine of licentious sex, but no mention of Nicolaitanes is made nor blame assigned to Nicolas. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="In_modern_criticism">In modern criticism</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nicolaism&action=edit&section=16" title="Edit section: In modern criticism"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Among later critics, <a href="/wiki/Cotelerius" class="mw-redirect" title="Cotelerius">Cotelerius</a> seems to lean towards the favourable view of the character of Nicolas in a note on <i><a href="/wiki/Apostolic_Constitutions" title="Apostolic Constitutions">Constit. Apost</a>.</i> vi. 8, after reciting the various authorities. <a href="/wiki/Edward_Burton_(theologian)" title="Edward Burton (theologian)">Edward Burton</a><sup id="cite_ref-23" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-23"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> was of opinion that the origin of the term Nicolaitans is uncertain, and that, "though Nicolas the deacon has been mentioned as their founder, the evidence is extremely slight which would convict that person himself of any immoralities." </p><p><a href="/wiki/Tillemont" class="mw-redirect" title="Tillemont">Tillemont</a><sup id="cite_ref-24" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-24"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>24<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> was possibly influenced by the fact that no honour is paid to the memory of Nicolas by any branch of the church. He allows more weight to the testimony against him, and peremptorily rejects Cassian's statement (to which <a href="/wiki/August_Neander" title="August Neander">Neander</a><sup id="cite_ref-25" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-25"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>25<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> adheres) that some other Nicolas was the founder of the sect. Tillemont concludes that, if not the actual founder, he was so unfortunate as to give occasion to the formation of the sect by his indiscreet speaking. <a href="/wiki/Grotius" class="mw-redirect" title="Grotius">Grotius</a>' view is given in a note on Revelation 2:6<sup id="cite_ref-26" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-26"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>26<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and is substantially the same as that of Tillemont. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Balaam">Balaam</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nicolaism&action=edit&section=17" title="Edit section: Balaam"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Other scholars think that the group's name was not based upon an individual's name, but as a compound descriptive word. <i>Nico-</i> means "victory" in Greek, and <i>laos</i> means "people" or, more specifically, "the laity". Hence they take the word to mean "lay conquerors" or "conquerors of the lay people". </p><p>The name <a href="/wiki/Balaam" title="Balaam">Balaam</a> is perhaps capable of being interpreted as a Hebrew equivalent of the Greek Nicolas. Some commentators<sup id="cite_ref-27" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-27"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>27<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> think that John alludes to this in Revelation 2:14;<sup id="cite_ref-28" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-28"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>28<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and <a href="/wiki/Campegius_Vitringa" title="Campegius Vitringa">C. Vitringa</a><sup id="cite_ref-29" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-29"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>29<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> argues forcibly in support of this opinion. However, Albert Barnes notes: </p> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1244412712"><blockquote class="templatequote"><p>Vitringa supposes that the word is derived from νικος, victory, and λαος, people, and that thus it corresponds with the name Balaam, as meaning either <i>lord of the people</i>, or <i>he destroyed the people</i>; and that, as the same effect was produced by their doctrines as by those of Balaam, that the people were led to commit fornication and to join in idolatrous worship, they might be called Balaamites or Nicolaitanes—that is, corrupters of the people. But to this it may be replied, </p><p>(a) that it is far-fetched, and is adopted only to remove a difficulty; </p><p>(b) that there is every reason to suppose that the word here used refers to a class of people who bore that name, and who were well known in the two churches specified; </p><p> (c) that, in Rev 2:15 , they are expressly distinguished from those who held the doctrine of Balaam, Rev 2:14—"So hast thou also (και) those that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes."</p><div class="templatequotecite">— <cite>Albert Barnes, <i>New Testament Notes</i><sup id="cite_ref-30" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-30"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>30<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></cite></div></blockquote> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nicolaism&action=edit&section=18" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Borborites" title="Borborites">Borborites</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Didache" title="Didache">Didache</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nicolaism&action=edit&section=19" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap mw-references-columns"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Revelation%202&version=nrsv">Revelation 2</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://biblehub.com/revelation/2-6.htm">"Revelation 2:6 - To the Church in Ephesus"</a>. <i>Bible Hub</i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Bible+Hub&rft.atitle=Revelation+2%3A6+-+To+the+Church+in+Ephesus&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbiblehub.com%2Frevelation%2F2-6.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANicolaism" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://biblehub.com/revelation/2-15.htm">"Revelation 2:15 - To the Church in Pergamum"</a>. <i>Bible Hub</i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Bible+Hub&rft.atitle=Revelation+2%3A15+-+To+the+Church+in+Pergamum&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbiblehub.com%2Frevelation%2F2-15.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANicolaism" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i><a href="/wiki/Philosophumena" class="mw-redirect" title="Philosophumena">Philosophumena</a></i>, vii. 26.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Stephen A. Barney, W. J. Lewis, J. A. Beach and Oliver Berghof (ed.) <i>The Etymologies of Isidore of Seville</i>, Cambridge University Press, 2006, p. 175.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Blunt-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Blunt_6-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Blunt_6-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Blunt_6-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Blunt_6-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Blunt_6-4"><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Blunt_6-5"><sup><i><b>f</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFJohn_Henry_Blunt_M.A.,_F.S.A.1874" class="citation book cs1">John Henry Blunt M.A., F.S.A., ed. (1874). <i>Dictionary of Sects, Heresies, Ecclesiastical Parties, and Schools of Religious Thought</i>. London: Rivingtons.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Dictionary+of+Sects%2C+Heresies%2C+Ecclesiastical+Parties%2C+and+Schools+of+Religious+Thought&rft.place=London&rft.pub=Rivingtons&rft.date=1874&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANicolaism" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-CE1913-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-CE1913_7-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFHealy1913" class="citation encyclopaedia cs1">Healy, Patrick Joseph (1913). <span class="cs1-ws-icon" title="s:Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Nicolaites"><a class="external text" href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Catholic_Encyclopedia_(1913)/Nicolaites">"Nicolaites" </a></span>. In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). <i><a href="/wiki/Catholic_Encyclopedia" title="Catholic Encyclopedia">Catholic Encyclopedia</a></i>. New York: Robert Appleton Company.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=Nicolaites&rft.btitle=Catholic+Encyclopedia&rft.place=New+York&rft.pub=Robert+Appleton+Company&rft.date=1913&rft.aulast=Healy&rft.aufirst=Patrick+Joseph&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANicolaism" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-8">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">St. Victorinus of Pettau, <i>Commentary on the Apocalypse</i>, 2.1</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-9">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Bede, <i>Explanation of the Apocalypse</i>, 2.16</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-10">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i><a href="/wiki/Summa_contra_Gentiles" title="Summa contra Gentiles">S. C. G.</a></i> iii. 124.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-11">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i>H. E</i>. iii. 29.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-12">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Daniel Denison Whedon "A popular commentary on the New Testament" New York: Phillips & Hunt (1880) Vol.V Titus-Revelation, Page 342: "Later, and so less trustworthy, authorities exculpate Nicolas, under excuse either that he was misunderstood by his followers or that they claimed his authority falsely, or that it was another Nicolas, a bishop of Samaria, who was their real founder."</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-13"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-13">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">James Hastings "Encyclopædia of Religion and Ethics" New York: Charles Scribner's Sons (1917) Vol. 9 Page 364: "Another Nicolas than the deacon must in consequence be sought as the founder of the immoral party at Pergamum. The name was not uncommon, and exact identification is not at present possible. According to pseudo-Dorotheus, there was a Nicolas, bishop of Samaria, who fell into heresy and evil ways under the influence of Simon Magus."</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-14"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-14">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i><a href="/wiki/On_the_Detection_and_Overthrow_of_the_So-Called_Gnosis" class="mw-redirect" title="On the Detection and Overthrow of the So-Called Gnosis">Adversus haereses</a></i>, i. 26, §3; iii. 11, §1.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-15"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-15">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Wikisource-logo.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png" decoding="async" width="12" height="13" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/18px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/24px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="410" data-file-height="430" /></a></span> <a href="/wiki/Ignatius_of_Antioch" title="Ignatius of Antioch">Ignat</a>. <a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Ante-Nicene_Fathers/Volume_I/IGNATIUS/Epistle_to_the_Trallians:_Shorter_and_Longer_Versions/Chapter_XI." class="extiw" title="s:Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume I/IGNATIUS/Epistle to the Trallians: Shorter and Longer Versions/Chapter XI."><i>ad Trall</i>. xi</a>. (longer version): "Flee also the impure <b>Nicolaitanes, falsely so called</b>, who are lovers of pleasure, and given to calumnious speeches." Cf. <span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Wikisource-logo.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png" decoding="async" width="12" height="13" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/18px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/24px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="410" data-file-height="430" /></a></span> <a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Ante-Nicene_Fathers/Volume_I/IGNATIUS/Epistle_to_the_Philadelphians:_Shorter_and_Longer_Versions/Chapter_VI." class="extiw" title="s:Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume I/IGNATIUS/Epistle to the Philadelphians: Shorter and Longer Versions/Chapter VI."><i>ad Phil</i>. vi</a>. (longer version): "If any one ... affirms that unlawful unions are a good thing, and places the highest happiness in pleasure, as does the man who is <b>falsely called a Nicolaitan</b>, this person can neither be a lover of God, nor a lover of Christ, but is a corrupter of his own flesh, and therefore void of the Holy Spirit, and a stranger to Christ." <span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Wikisource-logo.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png" decoding="async" width="12" height="13" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/18px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/24px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="410" data-file-height="430" /></a></span> <a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Ante-Nicene_Fathers/Volume_VII/Constitutions_of_the_Holy_Apostles/Book_VI/Sec._II" class="extiw" title="s:Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume VII/Constitutions of the Holy Apostles/Book VI/Sec. II"><i>Const. Apost.</i> vi</a>.: "... some are impudent in uncleanness, such as those who are <b>falsely called Nicolaitans</b>."</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-16"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-16">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">For example, see <a href="/wiki/Martin_Chemnitz" title="Martin Chemnitz">Martin Chemnitz</a>'s <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=UtRTAAAAcAAJ&q=editions:WavRe78tBJ8C">Examen, Volumes III-IV</a>: Volume III, which gives this argument begins on page 13 of the Latin edition on Google books</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-17"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-17">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFWilliams1987" class="citation book cs1 cs1-prop-long-vol">Williams, Frank (1987). <i>The Panarion of Epiphanius of Salamis</i>. Vol. Book I (Sects 1-46). Leiden; New York; København; Köln: E.J. Brill. p. 77.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Panarion+of+Epiphanius+of+Salamis&rft.place=Leiden%3B+New+York%3B+K%C3%B8benhavn%3B+K%C3%B6ln&rft.pages=77&rft.pub=E.J.+Brill&rft.date=1987&rft.aulast=Williams&rft.aufirst=Frank&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANicolaism" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-18"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-18">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Stephen Gobar, Photii <i>Biblioth</i>. §232, p. 291, ed. 1824; <i><a href="/wiki/Philosophumena" class="mw-redirect" title="Philosophumena">Philosophumena</a></i>, bk. vii. §36.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-19"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-19">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i>Ep.</i> 147, t. i. p. 1082, ed. Vallars. &c.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-20"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-20">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">"Such also are those (who say that they follow Nicolaus, quoting an adage of the man, which they pervert, 'that the flesh must be abused.' But the worthy man showed that it was necessary to check pleasures and lusts, and by such training to waste away the impulses and propensities of the flesh. But they, abandoning themselves to pleasure like goats, as if insulting the body, lead a life of self-indulgence; not knowing that the body is wasted, being by nature subject to dissolution; while their soul is buried in the mire of vice; following as they do the teaching of pleasure itself, not of the apostolic man" (Clement of Alexandria, <i><a href="/wiki/Stromata" title="Stromata">Stromata</a></i>, ii. 20).</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-21"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-21">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">"But when we spoke about the saying of Nicolaus we omitted to say this. Nicolaus, they say, had a lovely wife. When after the Saviour's ascension he was accused before the apostles of jealousy, he brought his wife into the concourse and allowed anyone who so desired to marry her. For, they say, this action was appropriate to the saying: 'One must abuse the flesh.' ... I am informed, however, that Nicolaus never had relations with any woman other than the wife he married, and that of his children his daughters remained virgins to their old age, and his son remained uncorrupted. In view of this it was an act of suppression of passion when he brought before the apostles the wife on whose account he was jealous. He taught what it meant to 'abuse the flesh' by restraining the distracting passions. For, as the Lord commanded, he did not wish to serve two masters, pleasure and God. It is said that Matthias also taught that one should fight the flesh and abuse it, never allowing it to give way to licentious pleasure, so that the soul might grow by faith and knowledge" (Clement of Alexandria, <i>Stromata</i>, iii. 4, §§25-26; and <i>apud</i> <a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Nicene_and_Post-Nicene_Fathers:_Series_II/Volume_I/Church_History_of_Eusebius/Book_III/Chapter_29" class="extiw" title="s:Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series II/Volume I/Church History of Eusebius/Book III/Chapter 29">Euseb. <i>H. E</i>. iii. 29</a>; see also <a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Nicene_and_Post-Nicene_Fathers:_Series_II/Volume_I/Church_History_of_Eusebius/Book_III/Chapter_25" class="extiw" title="s:Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series II/Volume I/Church History of Eusebius/Book III/Chapter 25">footnote 31 in Chapter 25 of <i>NPNF</i></a>).</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-22"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-22">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i>Haeret. Fab.</i> iii. 1.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-23"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-23">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i>Lectures on Ecclesiastical History</i>, Lect. xii. p. 364, ed. 1833.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-24"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-24">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i>H. E.</i> ii. 47.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-25"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-25">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i>Planting of the Church</i>, bk. v. p. 390, ed. Bonn.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-26"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-26">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Revelation%202:6&version=nrsv">Revelation 2:6</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-27"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-27">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="/wiki/Johannes_Cocceius" title="Johannes Cocceius">Cocceius</a> (<i>Cogitat. in Rev</i>. ii. 6) has the credit of being the first to suggest this identification of the Nicolaitans with the followers of Balaam. He has been followed by the elder <a href="/wiki/Campegius_Vitringa" title="Campegius Vitringa">Vitringa</a> (<i>Dissertatatio de Argumentum Epistola Petri posterior</i> in Hase's <i>Thesaurus,</i> ii. 987), <a href="/wiki/Hengstenberg" class="mw-redirect" title="Hengstenberg">Hengstenberg</a> (<i>in loc</i>.), Stier (<i>Words of the Risen Lord</i>, p. 125 Eng. transl.), and others. <a href="/wiki/Joseph_Barber_Lightfoot" class="mw-redirect" title="Joseph Barber Lightfoot">Lightfoot</a> (<i>Hor. Heb.</i>, in Act. Apost. vi. 5) suggests another and more startling <i><a href="/wiki/Paronomasia" class="mw-redirect" title="Paronomasia">paronomasia</a></i>. The word, in his view, was chosen, as identical in sound with ניכולה, <i>Nicolah</i>, "let us eat", and as thus marking out the special characteristic of the sect.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-28"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-28">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Bible_(King_James)/Revelation#2:14" class="extiw" title="s:Bible (King James)/Revelation">Revelation 2:14</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-29"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-29">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i>Obs. Sacr.</i> iv. 9.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-30"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-30">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.ccel.org/ccel/barnes/ntnotes.html">"Work info: Barnes' New Testament Notes - Christian Classics Ethereal Library"</a>. <i>www.ccel.org</i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=www.ccel.org&rft.atitle=Work+info%3A+Barnes%27+New+Testament+Notes+-+Christian+Classics+Ethereal+Library&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ccel.org%2Fccel%2Fbarnes%2Fntnotes.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANicolaism" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Sources">Sources</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nicolaism&action=edit&section=20" title="Edit section: Sources"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png" decoding="async" width="12" height="13" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/18px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/24px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="410" data-file-height="430" /></span></span> This article incorporates text from a publication now in the <a href="/wiki/Public_domain" title="Public domain">public domain</a>: <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFHerbermann1913" class="citation encyclopaedia cs1">Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "<a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Catholic_Encyclopedia_(1913)/Nicolaites" class="extiw" title="s:Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Nicolaites">Nicolaites</a>". <i><a href="/wiki/Catholic_Encyclopedia" title="Catholic Encyclopedia">Catholic Encyclopedia</a></i>. New York: Robert Appleton Company.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=Nicolaites&rft.btitle=Catholic+Encyclopedia&rft.place=New+York&rft.pub=Robert+Appleton+Company&rft.date=1913&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANicolaism" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="Public Domain" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/62/PD-icon.svg/12px-PD-icon.svg.png" decoding="async" width="12" height="12" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/62/PD-icon.svg/18px-PD-icon.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/62/PD-icon.svg/24px-PD-icon.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="196" data-file-height="196" /></span></span> This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the <a href="/wiki/Public_domain" title="Public domain">public domain</a>: <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBullock1863" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/William_Thomas_Bullock" title="William Thomas Bullock">Bullock, William Thomas</a> (1863). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=xnA_AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA536">"Nicolas"</a>. In <a href="/wiki/William_Smith_(lexicographer)" title="William Smith (lexicographer)">Smith, William</a> (ed.). <i><a href="/wiki/Smith%27s_Bible_Dictionary" title="Smith's Bible Dictionary">A Dictionary of the Bible</a></i>. Vol. II. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company. pp. 536–537.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=Nicolas&rft.btitle=A+Dictionary+of+the+Bible&rft.place=Boston&rft.pages=536-537&rft.pub=Little%2C+Brown%2C+and+Company&rft.date=1863&rft.aulast=Bullock&rft.aufirst=William+Thomas&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DxnA_AAAAYAAJ%26pg%3DPA536&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANicolaism" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="Wikisource" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png" decoding="async" width="12" height="13" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/18px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/24px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="410" data-file-height="430" /></span></span> This article incorporates text from a publication now in the <a href="/wiki/Public_domain" title="Public domain">public domain</a>: <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFEaston1897" class="citation encyclopaedia cs1"><a href="/wiki/Matthew_George_Easton" title="Matthew George Easton">Easton, Matthew George</a> (1897). "<a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Easton%27s_Bible_Dictionary_(1897)/Nicolaitanes" class="extiw" title="s:Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)/Nicolaitanes">Nicolaitanes</a>". <i><a href="/wiki/Easton%27s_Bible_Dictionary" title="Easton's Bible Dictionary">Easton's Bible Dictionary</a></i> (New and revised ed.). T. Nelson and Sons.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=Nicolaitanes&rft.btitle=Easton%27s+Bible+Dictionary&rft.edition=New+and+revised&rft.pub=T.+Nelson+and+Sons&rft.date=1897&rft.aulast=Easton&rft.aufirst=Matthew+George&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ANicolaism" class="Z3988"></span></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Nicolaism&action=edit&section=21" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.danielrjennings.org/AncientAndMedievalReferencesToTheNicolaitanes.html">Ancient & Medieval References to the Nicolaitanes</a> An extensive listing of references by 25 ancient and medieval writers to the Nicolaitanes.</li></ul> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236075235">.mw-parser-output .navbox{box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #a2a9b1;width:100%;clear:both;font-size:88%;text-align:center;padding:1px;margin:1em auto 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbox{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox-styles+.navbox{margin-top:-1px}.mw-parser-output .navbox-inner,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{width:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-title,.mw-parser-output .navbox-abovebelow{padding:0.25em 1em;line-height:1.5em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group{white-space:nowrap;text-align:right}.mw-parser-output .navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{background-color:#fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-list{line-height:1.5em;border-color:#fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-list-with-group{text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid}.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-group,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-image,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-list{border-top:2px solid #fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-title{background-color:#ccf}.mw-parser-output .navbox-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-title{background-color:#ddf}.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-abovebelow{background-color:#e6e6ff}.mw-parser-output .navbox-even{background-color:#f7f7f7}.mw-parser-output .navbox-odd{background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ul,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ul{padding:0.125em 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbar{display:block;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-title .navbar{float:left;text-align:left;margin-right:0.5em}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .navbox-image img{max-width:none!important}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .navbox{display:none!important}}</style></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox authority-control" aria-label="Navbox" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks hlist navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Help:Authority_control" title="Help:Authority control">Authority control databases</a>: National <span class="mw-valign-text-top noprint" typeof="mw:File/Frameless"><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q605184#identifiers" title="Edit this at Wikidata"><img alt="Edit this at Wikidata" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8a/OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg/10px-OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg.png" decoding="async" width="10" height="10" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8a/OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg/15px-OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8a/OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg/20px-OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="20" data-file-height="20" /></a></span></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"><ul><li><span class="uid"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://d-nb.info/gnd/1170605095">Germany</a></span></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>    </div><noscript><img src="https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; position: absolute;"></noscript> <div class="printfooter" data-nosnippet="">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nicolaism&oldid=1257977123">https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nicolaism&oldid=1257977123</a>"</div></div> <div id="catlinks" class="catlinks" data-mw="interface"><div id="mw-normal-catlinks" class="mw-normal-catlinks"><a href="/wiki/Help:Category" title="Help:Category">Categories</a>: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:1st-century_Christianity" title="Category:1st-century Christianity">1st-century Christianity</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Book_of_Revelation" title="Category:Book of Revelation">Book of Revelation</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Christian_terminology" title="Category:Christian terminology">Christian terminology</a></li></ul></div><div id="mw-hidden-catlinks" class="mw-hidden-catlinks mw-hidden-cats-hidden">Hidden categories: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Articles_incorporating_a_citation_from_the_1913_Catholic_Encyclopedia_with_Wikisource_reference" title="Category:Articles incorporating a citation from the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia with Wikisource reference">Articles incorporating a citation from the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia with Wikisource reference</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:CS1:_long_volume_value" title="Category:CS1: long volume value">CS1: long volume value</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Articles_with_short_description" title="Category:Articles with short description">Articles with short description</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Short_description_is_different_from_Wikidata" title="Category:Short description is different from Wikidata">Short description is different from Wikidata</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Wikipedia_articles_needing_clarification_from_January_2019" title="Category:Wikipedia articles needing clarification from January 2019">Wikipedia articles needing clarification from January 2019</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:All_Wikipedia_articles_needing_clarification" title="Category:All Wikipedia articles needing clarification">All Wikipedia articles needing clarification</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Articles_containing_Ancient_Greek_(to_1453)-language_text" title="Category:Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text">Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Articles_incorporating_text_from_the_1913_Catholic_Encyclopedia_with_Wikisource_reference" title="Category:Articles incorporating text from the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia with Wikisource reference">Articles incorporating text from the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia with Wikisource reference</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Source_attribution" title="Category:Source attribution">Source attribution</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Wikipedia_articles_incorporating_text_from_Easton%27s_Bible_Dictionary" title="Category:Wikipedia articles incorporating text from Easton's Bible Dictionary">Wikipedia articles incorporating text from Easton's Bible Dictionary</a></li></ul></div></div> </div> </main> </div> <div class="mw-footer-container"> <footer id="footer" class="mw-footer" > <ul id="footer-info"> <li id="footer-info-lastmod"> This page was last edited on 17 November 2024, at 14:01<span class="anonymous-show"> (UTC)</span>.</li> <li id="footer-info-copyright">Text is available under the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Text_of_the_Creative_Commons_Attribution-ShareAlike_4.0_International_License" title="Wikipedia:Text of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License">Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License</a>; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the <a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Terms_of_Use" class="extiw" title="foundation:Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Terms of Use">Terms of Use</a> and <a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy_policy" class="extiw" title="foundation:Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy">Privacy Policy</a>. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://wikimediafoundation.org/">Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.</a>, a non-profit organization.</li> </ul> <ul id="footer-places"> <li id="footer-places-privacy"><a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy_policy">Privacy policy</a></li> <li id="footer-places-about"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:About">About Wikipedia</a></li> <li id="footer-places-disclaimers"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:General_disclaimer">Disclaimers</a></li> <li id="footer-places-contact"><a href="//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contact_us">Contact Wikipedia</a></li> <li id="footer-places-wm-codeofconduct"><a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Universal_Code_of_Conduct">Code of Conduct</a></li> <li id="footer-places-developers"><a href="https://developer.wikimedia.org">Developers</a></li> <li id="footer-places-statslink"><a href="https://stats.wikimedia.org/#/en.wikipedia.org">Statistics</a></li> <li id="footer-places-cookiestatement"><a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Cookie_statement">Cookie statement</a></li> <li id="footer-places-mobileview"><a href="//en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nicolaism&mobileaction=toggle_view_mobile" class="noprint stopMobileRedirectToggle">Mobile view</a></li> </ul> <ul id="footer-icons" class="noprint"> <li id="footer-copyrightico"><a href="https://wikimediafoundation.org/" class="cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button--enabled"><img src="/static/images/footer/wikimedia-button.svg" width="84" height="29" alt="Wikimedia Foundation" loading="lazy"></a></li> <li id="footer-poweredbyico"><a href="https://www.mediawiki.org/" class="cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button--enabled"><img src="/w/resources/assets/poweredby_mediawiki.svg" alt="Powered by MediaWiki" width="88" height="31" loading="lazy"></a></li> </ul> </footer> </div> </div> </div> <div class="vector-settings" id="p-dock-bottom"> <ul></ul> </div><script>(RLQ=window.RLQ||[]).push(function(){mw.config.set({"wgHostname":"mw-web.codfw.main-697b7966c5-npl6h","wgBackendResponseTime":144,"wgPageParseReport":{"limitreport":{"cputime":"0.538","walltime":"0.708","ppvisitednodes":{"value":2390,"limit":1000000},"postexpandincludesize":{"value":49299,"limit":2097152},"templateargumentsize":{"value":6720,"limit":2097152},"expansiondepth":{"value":13,"limit":100},"expensivefunctioncount":{"value":2,"limit":500},"unstrip-depth":{"value":1,"limit":20},"unstrip-size":{"value":59394,"limit":5000000},"entityaccesscount":{"value":1,"limit":400},"timingprofile":["100.00% 628.440 1 -total"," 23.04% 144.765 1 Template:Reflist"," 16.54% 103.966 1 Template:Gnosticism"," 15.60% 98.042 1 Template:Lang"," 14.38% 90.360 1 Template:Sidebar_with_collapsible_lists"," 14.13% 88.787 3 Template:Cite_web"," 13.57% 85.294 1 Template:Short_description"," 7.83% 49.221 1 Template:Authority_control"," 7.50% 47.152 1 Template:Confusing"," 7.41% 46.562 5 Template:Blockquote"]},"scribunto":{"limitreport-timeusage":{"value":"0.353","limit":"10.000"},"limitreport-memusage":{"value":15996190,"limit":52428800}},"cachereport":{"origin":"mw-web.codfw.main-6b7f745dd4-hjwn4","timestamp":"20241125142728","ttl":2592000,"transientcontent":false}}});});</script> <script type="application/ld+json">{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"Article","name":"Nicolaism","url":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Nicolaism","sameAs":"http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q605184","mainEntity":"http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q605184","author":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Contributors to Wikimedia projects"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.wikimedia.org\/static\/images\/wmf-hor-googpub.png"}},"datePublished":"2002-08-09T05:47:07Z","dateModified":"2024-11-17T14:01:10Z","headline":"Christian sect mentioned in the Book of Revelation 2:6 and 15, known in Ephesus and Pergamum (for the heresy of allowing priests to marry, use Q2049864)"}</script> </body> </html>