Revelation 2:14

But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there some that hold the teachings of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also some that hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans in like manner.

The teaching of Balaam ... "Evidently this error of Balaam was the chief principle of the sect of the Nicolaitans."[66] "The teaching of Balaam is merely John's opprobrious name for the teaching of the Nicolaitans"[67] The nature of their teaching is clear enough. They advocated participation in pagan worship, eating things sacrificed to idols, and committing fornication, essential ingredients of all pagan worship. Significantly it is the "works," the behavior of the Nicolaitans, that is condemned in the Ephesian church; but at Pergamum, the practice of immorality has become an established teaching by some who openly advocated it, perhaps on the basis that some kind of compromise with paganism was inevitable. Balaam, repeatedly mentioned by New Testament writers, is usually held up as an example of evil. His error is set forth in Numbers 25:lff; 31:16. Regarding the Nicolaitans, some have supposedly found a connection between his name and that of Balaam; but Beckwith noted that:

The purely symbolical interpretation of the name based upon a supposed identity of the Greek word [@Nikolaos] with the Hebrew word [Balaam] is not supported by certain etymology and is too artificial.[68]

See further comment on Nicolaitans under Revelation 2:6.

[66] Merrill C. Tenney, op. cit., p. 60.

[67] G. B. Caird, op. cit., p. 39.

[68] Isbon T. Beckwith, op. cit., p. 400.