The River of Life Flowing From The Throne of God
22 And he showed[a] me a river of the water of life, shining[b] like crystal, proceeding out from the throne of God and of the Lamb, 2 in the middle of its wide-road. And on this side and on that side of the river is a tree of life producing twelve fruits, yielding its fruit[c] every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the service[d] of the nations. 3 And there will no longer be any accursed[e] thing. And the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it. And His slaves will serve[f] Him, 4 and see His face. And His name will be on their foreheads. 5 And there will be no more night. And they do not have a need of the light of a lamp and the light of the sun, because the Lord God will give-light upon them. And they will reign forever and ever.
The Angel Says, These Words Are Trustworthy And True. I, John, Heard And Saw These Things
6 And he[g] said to me, “These words are trustworthy[h] and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits[i] of the prophets, sent-forth His angel[j] to show[k] His slaves the things which must take place quickly. 7 And behold— I[l] am coming quickly. Blessed is the one keeping the words of the prophecy of this book”. 8 And I, John, am the one hearing and seeing these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell to worship[m] in front of the feet of the angel showing me these things. 9 And he says to me, “See that you not do it. I am a fellow-slave of you and of your brothers the prophets, and of the ones keeping the words of this book. Give-worship to God”.
Behold, I Am Coming Quickly To Render To Each His Due. Come, Take The Water of Life
10 And he[n] says to me, “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11 Let the one doing-unrighteousness still do-unrighteousness. And let the filthy[o] one still be-filthy. And let the righteous one still do righteousness. And let the holy one still be made-holy. 12 ‘Behold— I am coming quickly. And My recompense[p] is with Me, to render to each one as his work is. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. 14 Blessed are the ones washing[q] their robes so that their right[r] over the tree of life will exist[s], and they may enter[t] into the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs[u] and the sorcerers, and the sexually-immoral ones, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and everyone loving and doing falsehood. 16 I, Jesus, sent My angel[v] to testify these things to you[w] for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star[x]’. 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come[y]’. And let the one hearing say, ‘Come’. And let the one thirsting, come. Let the one wanting[z], take[aa] the water of life as-a-gift[ab]. 18 I testify to everyone hearing the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues having been written in this book. 19 And if anyone takes-away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take his part[ac] away-from the tree of life, and out-from the holy city— the ones having been written in this book. 20 The One testifying these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming quickly’”.
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all.
Footnotes
- Revelation 22:1 Now the angel turns from a city-tour point of view, to things of special importance to believers.
- Revelation 22:1 Or, bright, radiant.
- Revelation 22:2 That is, its twelve fruits monthly; or, one fruit each month.
- Revelation 22:2 Or, attendance on, care of, healing for. John could mean the ‘attendance upon’ God by the nations (that is, for worship); or, the healing for the nations, or service in some other sense. ‘Service’ is intended to be a neutral rendering.
- Revelation 22:3 Or, cursed. That is, thing under a curse.
- Revelation 22:3 Or, worship.
- Revelation 22:6 That is, the angel speaking the words of Jesus to John.
- Revelation 22:6 Or, faithful.
- Revelation 22:6 That is, human spirits; or, spiritual gifts, as in 1 Cor 14:12.
- Revelation 22:6 That is, the one speaking here.
- Revelation 22:6 to show... quickly. Same phrase as in 1:1. This is the conclusion of the whole book.
- Revelation 22:7 As in 16:15, Christ interjects through the angel speaking for Him; or, Christ is speaking directly to John.
- Revelation 22:8 If the angel stated v 7 on behalf of the One who sent him (v 6), John’s confusion is understandable.
- Revelation 22:10 That is, the angel speaking Christ’s words here, as explained in v 6 and 16. Or, He, Christ Himself speaking. Likewise throughout this paragraph.
- Revelation 22:11 That is, morally filthy. The point of this verse is, Do what you are going to do. Make your choices in life. I will render to you according to your works.
- Revelation 22:12 That is, whether positive (reward) or negative (punishment).
- Revelation 22:14 That is, in the blood, as in 7:14.
- Revelation 22:14 Or, authority.
- Revelation 22:14 That is, so they will have the right to eat from the tree of life.
- Revelation 22:14 Only those written in the book of life can enter, 21:27.
- Revelation 22:15 That is, morally impure.
- Revelation 22:16 That is, the one speaking to John here.
- Revelation 22:16 That is, you all. This word is plural.
- Revelation 22:16 That is, the precursor of the new day, visible before the sunrise.
- Revelation 22:17 That is, Come, Lord Jesus!; or, Come to Jesus (addressing unbelievers).
- Revelation 22:17 Or, wishing, desiring, being willing.
- Revelation 22:17 Or, receive.
- Revelation 22:17 Or, freely, without-payment.
- Revelation 22:19 Or, share.