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22 Then he showed me the river whose waters give life, sparkling like crystal, flowing out from the throne of God and of the Lamb

Through the middle of the broadway of the city; also, on either side of the river was the tree of life with its twelve varieties of fruit, yielding each month its fresh crop; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing and the restoration of the nations.(A)

There shall no longer exist there anything that is accursed (detestable, foul, offensive, impure, hateful, or horrible). But the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall worship Him [pay divine honors to Him and do Him holy service].(B)

They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.(C)

And there shall be no more night; they have no need for lamplight or sunlight, for the Lord God will illuminate them and be their light, and they shall reign [as kings] forever and ever (through the eternities of the eternities).

And he [of the seven angels further] said to me, These statements are reliable (worthy of confidence) and genuine (true). And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent His messenger (angel) to make known and exhibit to His servants what must soon come to pass.

And behold, I am coming speedily. Blessed (happy and [a]to be envied) is he who observes and lays to heart and keeps the truths of the prophecy (the predictions, consolations, and warnings) contained in this [little] book.

And I, John, am he who heard and witnessed these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell prostrate before the feet of the messenger (angel) who showed them to me, to worship him.

But he said to me, Refrain! [You must not do that!] I am [only] a fellow servant along with yourself and with your brethren the prophets and with those who are mindful of and practice [the truths contained in] the messages of this book. Worship God!

10 And he [further] told me, Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book and make no secret of them, for the time [b]when things are brought to a crisis and the period of their fulfillment is near.

11 He who is unrighteous (unjust, wicked), let him be unrighteous still; and he who is filthy (vile, impure), let him be filthy still; and he who is righteous (just, upright, in right standing with God), let him do right still; and he who is holy, let him be holy still.(D)

12 Behold, I am coming soon, and I shall bring My wages and rewards with Me, to repay and render to each one just what his own actions and his own work merit.(E)

13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last (the Before all and the End of all).(F)

14 Blessed (happy and [c]to be envied) are those who cleanse their garments, that they may have the authority and right to [approach] the tree of life and to enter through the gates into the city.(G)

15 [But] without are the dogs and those who practice sorceries (magic arts) and impurity [the lewd, adulterers] and the murderers and idolaters and everyone who loves and deals in falsehood (untruth, error, deception, cheating).

16 I, Jesus, have sent My messenger (angel) to you to witness and to give you assurance of these things for the churches (assemblies). I am the Root (the Source) and the Offspring of David, the radiant and brilliant Morning Star.(H)

17 The [Holy] Spirit and the bride (the church, the true Christians) say, Come! And let him who is listening say, Come! And let everyone come who is thirsty [who is painfully conscious of his need [d]of those things by which the soul is refreshed, supported, and strengthened]; and whoever [earnestly] desires to do it, let him come, take, appropriate, and drink the water of Life without cost.(I)

18 I [personally solemnly] warn everyone who listens to the statements of the prophecy [the [e]predictions and the consolations and admonitions pertaining to them] in this book: If anyone shall add anything to them, God will add and lay upon him the plagues (the afflictions and the calamities) that are recorded and described in this book.

19 And if anyone cancels or takes away from the statements of the book of this prophecy [these [f]predictions relating to Christ’s kingdom and its speedy triumph, together with the consolations and admonitions or warnings pertaining to them], God will cancel and take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the city of holiness (purity and hallowedness), which are described and promised in this book.

20 He Who gives this warning and affirms and testifies to these things says, Yes (it is true). [Surely] I am coming quickly (swiftly, speedily). Amen (so let it be)! Yes, come, Lord Jesus!

21 The grace (blessing and favor) of the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) be [g]with all the saints (God’s holy people, [h]those set apart for God, to be, as it were, exclusively His). Amen (so let it be)!

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 22:7 Alexander Souter, Pocket Lexicon.
  2. Revelation 22:10 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  3. Revelation 22:14 Alexander Souter, Pocket Lexicon.
  4. Revelation 22:17 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  5. Revelation 22:18 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  6. Revelation 22:19 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  7. Revelation 22:21 Some manuscripts have “be with all,” while others have “be with the saints.”
  8. Revelation 22:21 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.

Eden Restored

22 Then the angel showed me the river(A) of the water of life,(B) as clear as crystal,(C) flowing(D) from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life,(E) bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.(F) No longer will there be any curse.(G) The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.(H) They will see his face,(I) and his name will be on their foreheads.(J) There will be no more night.(K) They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light.(L) And they will reign for ever and ever.(M)

John and the Angel

The angel said to me,(N) “These words are trustworthy and true.(O) The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets,(P) sent his angel(Q) to show his servants the things that must soon take place.”

“Look, I am coming soon!(R) Blessed(S) is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”(T)

I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things.(U) And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet(V) of the angel who had been showing them to me. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll.(W) Worship God!”(X)

10 Then he told me, “Do not seal up(Y) the words of the prophecy of this scroll,(Z) because the time is near.(AA) 11 Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.”(AB)

Epilogue: Invitation and Warning

12 “Look, I am coming soon!(AC) My reward is with me,(AD) and I will give to each person according to what they have done.(AE) 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega,(AF) the First and the Last,(AG) the Beginning and the End.(AH)

14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes,(AI) that they may have the right to the tree of life(AJ) and may go through the gates(AK) into the city.(AL) 15 Outside(AM) are the dogs,(AN) those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

16 “I, Jesus,(AO) have sent my angel(AP) to give you[a] this testimony for the churches.(AQ) I am the Root(AR) and the Offspring of David,(AS) and the bright Morning Star.”(AT)

17 The Spirit(AU) and the bride(AV) say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.(AW)

18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll:(AX) If anyone adds anything to them,(AY) God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll.(AZ) 19 And if anyone takes words away(BA) from this scroll of prophecy,(BB) God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life(BC) and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.

20 He who testifies to these things(BD) says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”(BE)

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.(BF)

21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people.(BG) Amen.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 22:16 The Greek is plural.

22 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:

And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.

And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.

Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.

Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.

11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.