<P> Those who view the account in Revelation 2 as not literal treat the word "Nicolaitan" not as based upon an individual's name, but as a compound descriptive word . Nico - means "victory" in Greek, and laos means "people" or, more specifically, "the laity". Hence they take the word to mean "lay conquerors" or "conquerors of the lay people". </P> <P> However, "Nicolaitan" (Greek: Νικολαϊτῶν; Νικολαΐτης) is the name ostensibly given to followers of the heretic Nicolas (Greek: Νικόλαος). The name itself means "victorious over people" or "victory of the people", but it is a name that a person would have been given at birth . </P> <P> The name Balaam is perhaps capable of being interpreted as a Hebrew equivalent of the Greek Nicolas . Some commentators think that John alludes to this in Revelation 2: 14; and C. Vitringa argues forcibly in support of this opinion . However, Albert Barnes notes: </P> <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 lord of the people, or he destroyed the people; 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>

Who were the nicolaitans and what did they teach