Behold vs Indeed in Revelation 2:22

by Roderick Barnes Biblical Greek, Prophecy

20Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. 22Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds.

Upon reading this passage in the NKJV I wondered whether the word underlying the Indeed of 2:22 was actually ἰδοὺ. Upon checking the Nestle-Aland United Bible Societies version, my suspicions were confirmed:

22ἰδοὺ βάλλω αὐτὴν εἰς κλίνην καὶ τοὺς μοιχεύοντας μετ̓ αὐτῆς εἰς θλῖψιν μεγάλην, ἐὰν μὴ μετανοήσωσιν ἐκ τῶν ἔργων αὐτῆς,

The rendering in the NKJV makes the statement of Jesus an interjection. However, if it had been translated behold it would have been an imperative and a summons to watch what He was going to do if the wrongdoers did not repent. (ESV, KJV, and NASB have behold, The NET Bible has Look!) It may seem like a small matter. However, without the imperative it is not a call to action or a command that alters the course of that church or the modern reader. Jesus calls me to behold what He will do if there are people in our fellowship that teach immorality and idolatry and will not repent. The Righteous Judge will protect the fellowship from their influence.

In His grip by His grace,
Roderick L. Barnes, Sr.

P.S. It should be noted that the normal translation of ἰδοὺ is behold.

Passage NKJV wording
Revelation 1:7 “Behold, He is coming with clouds…”
Revelation 3:11 “Behold, I am coming quickly!”
Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.”
Revelation 4:1 “I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven…”
Revelation 4:2 “and behold, a throne set in heaven…”
Revelation 5:5 “Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah…”
Revelation 6:2 “And I looked, and behold, a white horse.”
Revelation 6:5 “and behold, a black horse…”
Revelation 6:8 “And I looked, and behold, a pale horse.”
Revelation 6:12 “and behold, there was a great earthquake…”
Revelation 7:9 “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude…”
Revelation 9:12 “Behold, still two more woes are coming…”
Revelation 11:14 “Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.”
Revelation 12:3 “and behold, a great, fiery red dragon…”
Revelation 14:1 “Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion…”
Revelation 14:14 “Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud…”
Revelation 16:15 “Behold, I am coming as a thief.”
Revelation 19:11 “Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse.”
Revelation 21:3 “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men…”
Revelation 21:5 “Behold, I make all things new.”
Revelation 22:7 “Behold, I am coming quickly!”
Revelation 22:12 “And behold, I am coming quickly…”