22
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life. It was as clear as crystal. It flowed from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 It flowed down the middle of the city's main street. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing 12 crops of fruit. Its fruit was ripe every month. The leaves of the tree bring healing to the nations. 3 There will no longer be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city. God's servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face. His name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun. The Lord God will give them light. They will rule for ever and ever. 6 The angel said to me, ‘You can trust these words. They are true. The Lord is the God who gives messages to the prophets. He sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.’
7 ‘Look! I am coming soon! Words of prophecy are written in this book. Blessed is the person who obeys them.’
21:22–22:5 In the vision, nothing separated God and the Lamb from God's people anymore. There was no need for a temple because the entire city was holy. The purpose of the city's gates wasn't to protect the city against attacks. The gates welcomed the kings and nations who came to worship God and the Lamb. The river John saw was like the river Ezekiel had seen. Ezekiel's vision was recorded in Ezekiel 47:1–12. The river was the water of life. That is another name for living water. God had offered this water in Revelation 21:6. He would give it for free to anyone who asked for it. The tree of life grew on both sides of the river. This showed that the city was also a new Garden of Eden. All nations could always eat from the tree of life's fruit. Eating it brought healing. The curse was no more. This was the curse talked about in Genesis chapter 3. It was the way that all of creation suffered after human beings sinned. In the new creation, human beings served God and were rulers together with him.
8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. After that, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel. He is the one who had been showing me these things. 9 But he said to me, ‘Don't do that! I serve God, just as you do. I am God's servant, just like the other prophets. And I serve God along with all who obey the words of this book. Worship God!’
10 Then he told me, ‘Do not seal up the words of the prophecy in this book. These things are about to happen. 11 Let the person who does wrong keep on doing wrong. Let the evil person continue to be evil. Let the person who does right keep on doing what is right. And let the holy person continue to be holy.’
12 ‘Look! I am coming soon! I bring my rewards with me. I will reward each person for what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega. I am the First and the Last. I am the Beginning and the End.
14 ‘Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will have the right to come to the tree of life. They will be allowed to go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside the city are those who are impure. These people include those who practise witchcraft. Outside are also those who commit sexual sins and murder. Outside are those who worship statues of gods. And outside is everyone who loves and does what is false.
16 ‘I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this witness for the churches. I am the Root and the Son of David. I am the bright Morning Star.’
17 The Holy Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And the person who hears should say, ‘Come!’ Anyone who is thirsty should come. Anyone who wants to take the free gift of the water of life should do so.
18 I am warning everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book. Suppose someone adds anything to them. Then God will add to that person the plagues told about in this book. 19 Suppose someone takes away any words from this book of prophecy. Then God will take away from that person the blessings told about in this book. God will take away their share in the tree of life. God will also take away their place in the Holy City.
20 Jesus is a witness about these things. He says, ‘Yes. I am coming soon.’
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
21 May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen.
22:6–21 An angel made it clear that the visions John had seen were from God. This filled John with so much wonder that he tried to worship the angel. But the angel reminded John that only God was to be worshipped. He also told John to share the words of the prophecy he had been given. Three times John recorded Jesus' promises about his return. Jesus also invited everyone to wash their robes. This was a way of talking about people no longer living in their old ways. Instead they were to follow Jesus' example for living. When people trust in Jesus, they can eat freely from the tree of life. The Holy Spirit and the church invite everyone to come to Jesus. Then people can drink freely of the water of life. John urged the believers to pay attention to the prophecy he had written down. Hearing it and turning to God would bring blessing. John said Amen to Jesus' promise to come back to earth. John closed his letter to the churches in Asia with a blessing about Jesus' grace.