 He describes a certain occasion when Nicolas had been sharply reproved by the apostles as a jealous husband, and he repelled the charge by offering to allow his wife to become the wife of any other person.Clement also writes that Nicolas was in the habit of repeating a saying which is ascribed to the apostle Matthias, "that it is our duty to fight against the flesh and to abuse" (παραχρῆσθαι) "it".His words were perversely interpreted by the Nicolaitans as authority for their immoral practices.