Revelation 9:20

Repented not (ou metenohsan). First aorist active indicative of metanoew. The two-thirds of mankind still spared did not change their creed or their conduct. Of the works (ek twn ergwn). For this use of ek after metanoew see Matthew 2:21 ; Matthew 9:21 ; Matthew 16:11 . By "works" (ergwn) here idolatries are meant, as the next verse shows. That they should not worship (ina mh proskunhsousin). Negative purpose clause with ina mh and the future active of proskunew as in Matthew 9:5 . Devils (ta daimonia). Both in the O.T. ( Deuteronomy 32:17 ; Psalms 96:5 ; Psalms 106:37 ) and in the N.T. ( 1 Corinthians 10:21 ) the worship of idols is called the worship of unclean spirits. Perhaps this is one explanation of the hideous faces given these images. "The idols" (ta eidwla 1 John 5:21 , from eido, form, appearance) represented "demons," whether made of gold (ta crusa) or of silver (ta argura) or of brass (ta calka) or of stone (ta liqina) or of wood (ta xulina). See Daniel 5:23 for this picture of heathen idols. The helplessness of these idols, "which can neither see nor hear nor walk" (a oute blepein dunantai oute akouein oute peripatein), is often presented in the O.T. (Ps 113:12; Psalms 115:4 ).