Revelation 22
EasyEnglish Bible
The river and the tree that give life
22 Then the angel showed me a river. It had water that gives true life to people. The water shone like clean glass. The river of water started from the throne where God and the Lamb sit to rule. It ran from the throne 2 along the middle of the city's biggest street. I saw a tree that was growing on each side of the river. It is the tree that gives people true life. It has 12 different kinds of fruit, a new fruit every month. The tree's leaves are like medicine. They make people of every nation well again.
3 Nothing that is in the city will be under a curse. The throne where God and the Lamb sit to rule will be in the city. God's servants will worship him there. 4 They will see his face. His name will be on the front of their heads. 5 There will be no more night, so nobody will need a lamp to make light. They will not need light from the sun, because the Lord God will shine on them. They will rule as kings for ever.
The final message
6 Then the angel said to me, ‘All these words are true and everyone should believe them. The Lord God uses his prophets to speak his messages. He has sent his angel to speak to his servants. The angel will now show them what must happen soon.’
7 Jesus says, ‘Listen! I will come soon.[a] God will bless everyone who obeys the words of the prophecy that is in this book.’
John finishes his book
8 I am John. I myself heard these things and I saw them. When I had heard them and I had seen them, I bent down low at the angel's feet. I wanted to worship him because he had shown these things to me. 9 But the angel said to me, ‘You must not do that! I am only a servant of God, the same as you are. I serve God like all God's prophets, who are believers like you. I serve God like everyone who obeys God's message that is written in this book. God is the one that you must worship!’
10 Then he said to me, ‘Do not hide the words of God's prophecy that are written in this book. The time is near when these things will happen. 11 Let everybody continue to live as they choose. Everyone who does wrong things will continue to do wrong things. Everyone who is disgusting will continue to be disgusting. Everyone who does right things will continue to do right things. Everyone who belongs to God will continue to be holy.’[b]
12 Jesus says, ‘Listen! I will come quickly! I know what each person has done. I will give each one what they ought to have. I am ready to do that. 13 I caused all things to begin and I will cause the end of all things. I am the first and the last. I am the beginning and the end.
14 Believers who keep themselves clean will be happy. They are like people who always wash their clothes. I will let them eat the fruit from the tree that causes people to have true life. I will let them go through the gates into the city. 15 But other people must stay outside the city:
wicked people;
people who do magic;
people who have sex in a wrong way;
people who murder other people;
people who worship idols;
everyone who likes to tell lies and deceive people.
16 I am Jesus. I have sent my angel to tell you this message. You must tell it to all the people in the churches. I am called the Root of King David. I am his descendant. I am the bright morning star.’[c]
17 God's Spirit and all God's people answer Jesus. They say, ‘Yes, come!’ God's people are like a bride for Jesus. Everyone who hears this should also say to Jesus, ‘Come!’ Anyone who is thirsty should come to Jesus. Then that person will receive from Jesus the water that gives life. Anyone who wants it may take it. They will not have to pay anything for it.
18 Now John says this. I say clearly to everyone who hears the words of God's prophecy that are written in this book: If anyone adds any more words than are already in this book, God will punish them. The terrible troubles that this book describes will happen to them. 19 And if anyone takes away from the words that are in this book, God will punish them too. He will not let them eat the fruit from his tree that gives life. God will not let them live in his holy city either. This book describes all these things.
20 It is Jesus who tells us that all these messages are true. He says, ‘Yes, I will come soon!’
Amen! We agree! Come, Lord Jesus!
21 I pray that the Lord Jesus will continue to be kind to all of you.
Footnotes
- 22:7 ‘I will come soon’ or ‘I will come quickly.’
- 22:11 Each person chooses what they will do. They choose whether they will do right things or wrong things. God will decide what is fair for each person. He will judge them because of what they have done.
- 22:16 See Revelation 5:5 and the note there. Jesus was born into King David's family when he came to this earth as a man. Jesus is greater than David. He has always been alive and he made everything and everyone.
Revelation 22
English Standard Version Anglicised
The River of Life
22 Then the angel[a] showed me (A)the river of (B)the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of (C)the street of the city; (D)also, on either side of the river, (E)the tree of life[b] with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were (F)for the healing of the nations. 3 (G)No longer will there be anything accursed, but (H)the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and (I)his servants[c] will worship him. 4 (J)They will see his face, and (K)his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And (L)night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp (M)or sun, for (N)the Lord God will be their light, and (O)they will reign for ever and ever.
Jesus Is Coming
6 And he said to me, (P)“These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of (Q)the spirits of the prophets, (R)has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.”
7 “And behold, (S)I am coming soon. (T)Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
8 I, (U)John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, (V)I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, 9 (W)but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant[d] with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those (X)who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”
10 And he said to me, (Y)“Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11 (Z)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, (AA)I am coming soon, (AB)bringing my recompense with me, (AC)to repay everyone for what he has done. 13 (AD)I am the Alpha and the Omega, (AE)the first and the last, (AF)the beginning and the end.”
14 Blessed are those who (AG)wash their robes,[e] so that they may have the right to (AH)the tree of life and that (AI)they may enter the city by the gates. 15 (AJ)Outside are (AK)the dogs (AL)and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practises falsehood.
16 (AM)“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things (AN)for the churches. I am (AO)the root and (AP)the descendant of David, (AQ)the bright morning star.”
17 The Spirit and (AR)the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And (AS)let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the (AT)water of life without price.
18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: (AU)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 (AV)the tree of life and in (AW)the holy city, which are described in this book.
20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely (AX)I am coming soon.” Amen. (AY)Come, Lord Jesus!
21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all.[f] Amen.
Footnotes
- Revelation 22:1 Greek he
- Revelation 22:2 Or the Lamb. In the midst of the street of the city, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life
- Revelation 22:3 Greek bondservants; also verse 6
- Revelation 22:9 Greek fellow bondservant
- Revelation 22:14 Some manuscripts do his commandments
- Revelation 22:21 Some manuscripts all the saints
Revelation 22
King James Version
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.
2 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.
3 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:
4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
5 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.
6 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.
7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.
8 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.
9 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.
EasyEnglish Bible Copyright © MissionAssist 2019 - Charitable Incorporated Organisation 1162807. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.