The followers of the Lamb are depicted as holy warriors who have “not defiled themselves with women” (14:4). Traditionally, abstaining from sexual relations was expected of soldiers in battle (Deut. 23:9–10; 1 Sam. 21:5). John invokes this idea in his description of a war of religious commitments. Earlier, his references to “fornication” (Rev. 2:14, 20–21), “adultery” (2:22), and becoming unclean (3:4) had to do with engaging in practices linked to the gods of the empire. Later, the notion of sexual