Revelation 22

The River of Life

1 Then the angel 1 showed me x the river of y the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of z the street of the city; a also, on either side of the river, b the tree of life 2 with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were c for the healing of the nations. 3 d No longer will there be anything accursed, but e the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and f his servants 3 will worship him. 4 g They will see his face, and h his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And i night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp j or sun, for k the Lord God will be their light, and l they will reign forever and ever.

Jesus Is Coming

6 And he said to me, m "These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of n the spirits of the prophets, o has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place."

7 "And behold, p I am coming soon. q Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."

8 I, r John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, s I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, 9 s but he said to me, "You must not do that! I am a fellow servant 4 with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those m who keep the words of this book. Worship God."

10 And he said to me, t "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11 u Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy."

12 "Behold, v I am coming soon, w bringing my recompense with me, x to repay everyone for what he has done. 13 y I am the Alpha and the Omega, z the first and the last, a the beginning and the end."

14 Blessed are those who b wash their robes, 5 so that they may have the right to c the tree of life and that d they may enter the city by the gates. 15 e Outside are f the dogs g and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

16 h "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things i for the churches. I am j the root and k the descendant of David, l the bright morning star."

17 The Spirit and m the Bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And n let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the o water of life without price.

18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: p if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in q the tree of life and in r the holy city, which are described in this book.

20 He who testifies to these things says, "Surely s I am coming soon." Amen. t Come, Lord Jesus!

21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. 6 Amen.

  1. Cross References
    Ezekiel 47:1
    Then he brought me back to the door of the temple, and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar.
    Zechariah 14:8
    On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea. It shall continue in summer as in winter.
    Psalms 46:4
    There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.
  2. Cross References
    Revelation 21:6
    And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.
  3. Cross References
    Revelation 21:21
    And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass.
  4. Cross References
    Ezekiel 47:12
    And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.
  5. Cross References
    Revelation 22:14
    Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.
    Revelation 22:19
    And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
    Revelation 2:7
    He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
    Genesis 2:9
    And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
  6. Cross References
    Revelation 21:24
    By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.
  7. Cross References
    Zechariah 14:11
    And it shall be inhabited, for there shall never again be a decree of utter destruction. Jerusalem shall dwell in security.
    Genesis 3:17
    And to Adam he said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life.
  8. Cross References
    Revelation 21:3
    And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
    Revelation 21:23
    And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.
    Ezekiel 48:35
    The circumference of the city shall be 18,000 cubits. And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The Lord Is There.
  9. Cross References
    Revelation 7:15
    Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.
  10. Cross References
    Matthew 5:8
    Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
    1 Corinthians 13:12
    For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
    1 John 3:2
    Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
  11. Cross References
    Revelation 3:12
    The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.
    Revelation 7:3
    Saying, "Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.
    Revelation 14:1
    Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads.
  12. Cross References
    Revelation 21:25
    And its gates will never be shut by day - and there will be no night there.
  13. Cross References
    Revelation 21:23
    And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.
  14. Cross References
    Psalms 36:9
    For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light.
    Revelation 21:11
    Having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.
  15. Cross References
    Daniel 7:18
    But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.
    Daniel 7:27
    And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; their kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey them.
    Romans 5:17
    For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
    2 Timothy 2:12
    If we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us.
    Revelation 20:4
    Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
  16. Cross References
    Revelation 21:5
    And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.
  17. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 14:32
    And the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.
  18. Cross References
    Revelation 1:1
    The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John.
  19. Cross References
    Revelation 22:12
    Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done.
    Revelation 22:20
    He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
    Revelation 3:11
    I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.
  20. Cross References
    Revelation 1:3
    Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.
  21. Cross References
    Revelation 1:1
    The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John.
    Revelation 1:4
    John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne.
    Revelation 1:9
    I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.
  22. Cross References
    Revelation 19:10
    Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, "You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God." For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
  23. Cross References
    Revelation 22:8
    I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me.
  24. Cross References
    Revelation 22:6
    And he said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.
  25. Cross References
    Revelation 10:4
    And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.
  26. Cross References
    Ezekiel 3:27
    But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God.' He who will hear, let him hear; and he who will refuse to hear, let him refuse, for they are a rebellious house.
    Daniel 12:10
    Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.
    2 Timothy 3:13
    While evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
  27. Cross References
    Revelation 22:7
    "And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."
    Revelation 22:20
    He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
  28. Cross References
    Isaiah 40:10
    Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.
    Isaiah 62:11
    Behold, the Lord has proclaimed to the end of the earth: Say to the daughter of Zion, "Behold, your salvation comes; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.
  29. Cross References
    Matthew 16:27
    For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.
  30. Cross References
    Revelation 1:8
    "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."
  31. Cross References
    Revelation 1:17
    When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last.
  32. Cross References
    Revelation 21:6
    And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.
  33. Cross References
    Revelation 7:14
    I said to him, "Sir, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
  34. Cross References
    Revelation 22:2
    Through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
    Revelation 22:19
    And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
  35. Cross References
    Psalms 118:20
    This is the gate of the Lord ; the righteous shall enter through it.
    Revelation 21:27
    But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.
  36. Cross References
    Galatians 5:19 - 21
    Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality.
    Matthew 8:12
    While the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
  37. Cross References
    Philippians 3:2
    Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.
  38. Cross References
    Revelation 21:8
    But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.
  39. Cross References
    Revelation 1:1
    The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John.
  40. Cross References
    Revelation 1:4
    John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne.
  41. Cross References
    Revelation 5:5
    And one of the elders said to me, "Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.
  42. Cross References
    Matthew 1:1
    The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
  43. Cross References
    Revelation 2:28
    And I will give him the morning star.
    Numbers 24:17
    I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth.
    Isaiah 60:3
    And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.
    Matthew 2:2
    Saying, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.
  44. Cross References
    Revelation 21:2
    And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
    Revelation 21:9
    Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, "Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.
  45. Cross References
    Revelation 21:6
    And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.
    Isaiah 55:1
    Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
    John 7:37
    On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.
  46. Cross References
    Revelation 21:6
    And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.
  47. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 4:2
    You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you.
    Deuteronomy 12:32
    Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it.
    Proverbs 30:6
    Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.
  48. Cross References
    Revelation 22:2
    Through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
    Revelation 22:14
    Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.
  49. Cross References
    Revelation 21:2
    And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
  50. Cross References
    Revelation 22:7
    "And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."
    Revelation 22:12
    Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done.
  51. Cross References
    2 Timothy 4:8
    Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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