Revelation 22 · Verse 1

Revelation 22:1

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.

Revelation 22:1, King James Version

Revelation 22:1 in other translations

BSB	Then the angel showed me a river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb
WEB	He showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb,
ASV	And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb,
YLT	And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, bright as crystal, going forth out of the throne of God and of the Lamb:
DARBY	And he shewed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, going out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
BBE	And I saw a river of water of life, clear as glass, coming out of the high seat of God and of the Lamb,
Webster	And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

What does Revelation 22:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

Re 22:1-21. The River of Life: The Tree of Life: The Other Blessednesses of the Redeemed. John Forbidden to Worship the Angel. Nearness of Christ's Coming to Fix Man's Eternal State. Testimony of Jesus, His Spirit, and the Bride, Any Addition to Which, or Subtraction from Which, Shall Be Eternally Punished. Closing Benediction.

1. pure--A, B, Vulgate, and Hilary 22, omit. water of life--infinitely superior to the typical waters in the first Paradise (Ge 2:10-14); and even superior to those figurative ones in the millennial Jerusalem (Eze 47:1, 12; Zec 14:8), as the matured fruit is superior to the flower. The millennial waters represent full Gospel grace; these waters of new Jerusalem represent Gospel glory perfected. Their continuous flow from God, the Fountain of life, symbolizes the uninterrupted continuance of life derived by the saints, ever fresh, from Him: life in fulness of joy, as well as perpetual vitality. Like pure crystal, it is free from every taint: compare Re 4:6, "before the throne a sea of glass, like crystal." clear--Greek, "bright."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 1. And he showed me a pure river of water of life. In the New Jerusalem; the happy abode of the redeemed. The phrase "water of life," means living or running water, like a spring or fountain, as contrasted with a stagnant pool. Jn 4:14. The allusion here is doubtless to the first Eden, where a river watered the garden, (Gen 2:10, seq.,) and as this is a description of Eden recovered, or Paradise regained, it was natural to introduce a river of water also, yet in such a way as to accord with the general description of that future abode of the redeemed. It does not spring up, therefore, from the ground, but flows from the throne of God and the Lamb. Perhaps, also, the writer had in his eye the description in Eze 47:1-12, where a stream issues from under the temple, and is parted in different directions.

Clear as crystal. Rev 4:6.

Proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. Flowing from the foot of the throne. Compare Rev 4:6. This idea is strictly in accordance with Oriental imagery. In the East, fountains and running streams constituted an essential part of the image of enjoyment and prosperity, (Isa 35:6,) and such fountains were common in the courts of Oriental houses. Here, the river is an emblem of peace, happiness, plenty; and the essential thought in its flowing from the throne is, that all the happiness of heaven proceeds from God.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

The river of the water of life, Rev 22:1. The tree of life, Rev 22:2. There is no curse nor darkness in the city of God, Rev 22:3-5. The angel assures John of the truth of what he has heard, and states that the time of the fulfillment is at hand, Rev 22:6, Rev 22:7. He forbids John to worship him, Rev 22:8, Rev 22:9. Again he states that the time of the fulfillment of the prophecies of this book is at hand, Rev 22:10-12. Christ is Alpha and Omega, Rev 22:13. The blessedness of those who keep his commandments; they enter through the gates into the city, Rev 22:14. All the unholy are excluded, Rev 22:15. Christ sent his angel to testify of those things in the Churches, Rev 22:16. The invitation of the Spirit and the bride, Rev 22:17. A curse denounced against those who shall either add to or take away front the prophecies of this book, Rev 22:18, Rev 22:19. Christ cometh quickly, Rev 22:20. The apostolical benediction, Rev 22:21. Verse 1 Pure river of water of life - This is evidently a reference to the garden of paradise, and the river by which it was watered; and there is also a reference to the account, Eze 47:7-12. Water of life, as we have seen before, generally signifies spring or running water; here it may signify incessant communications of happiness proceeding from God.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Revelation 22:1-5

Chapter Outline A description of the heavenly state, under the figures of the water and the tree of life, and of the throne of God and the Lamb. (1-5) The truth and certain fulfilling of all the prophetic visions, The Holy Spirit, and the bride, the church, invite, and say, Come. (6-19) The closing blessing. (20-21) Verses 1-5 All streams of earthly comfort are muddy; but these are clear, and refreshing. They give life, and preserve life, to those who drink of them, and thus they will flow for evermore. These point to the quickening and sanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit, as given to sinners through Christ. The Holy Spirit, proceeding from the Father and the Son, applies this salvation to our souls by his new-creating love and power. The trees of life are fed by the pure waters of the river that comes from the throne of God. The presence of God in heaven, is the health and happiness of the saints. This tree was an emblem of Christ, and of all the blessings of his salvation; and the leaves for the healing of the nations, mean that his favour and presence supply all good to the inhabitants of that blessed world. The devil has no power there; he cannot draw the saints from serving God, nor can he disturb them in the service of God. God and the Lamb are here spoken of as one. Service there shall be not only freedom, but honour and dominion. There will be no night; no affliction or dejection, no pause in service or enjoyment: no diversions or pleasures or man's inventing will there be wanted. How different all this from gross and merely human views of heavenly happiness, even those which refer to pleasures of the mind!

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Revelation 22:1 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΚαὶKaiAndG2532

ἔδειξένedeixenhe showedG1166

μοιmoimeG3165

ποταμὸνpotamona riverG4215

καθαρὸνkatharonpureG2513

ὕδατοςhudatosof waterG5204

ζωῆς,zōēsof life,G2222

λαμπρὸνlampronclearG2986

ὡςhōsasG5613

κρύσταλλον,krustalloncrystal,G2930

ἐκπορευόμενονekporeuomenonflowingG1607

ἐκekout ofG1537

τοῦtoutheG3588

θρόνουthronouthroneG2362

τοῦtou<the>G3588

θεοῦtheouof GodG2316

καὶkaiandG2532

τοῦtouof theG3588

ἀρνίου.arniouLamb.G721

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Revelation 22:1

Revelation 7:17
For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
John 4:14
But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
John 7:38-39
He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
Psalms 36:8-9
They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.
John 4:10-11
Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?
Revelation 21:6
And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
Zechariah 14:8
And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.
Psalms 46:4
There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.
Revelation 22:17
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.
Jeremiah 17:13
O Lord, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living waters.
Jeremiah 2:13
For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
Ezekiel 47:1-9
Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar. Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side. And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins. …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

1 The river of the water of life.
2 The tree of life.
5 The light of the city of God is himself.
9 The angel will not be worshipped.
18 Nothing may be added to the word of God, nor taken therefrom.

A pure.
Ps 36:8; 46:4; Isa 41:18; 48:18; 66:12; Eze 47:1-9; Zec 14:8
Joh 7:38,39
water.
7:17; 21:6; Ps 36:9; Jer 2:13; 17:13; Joh 4:10,11,14
clear.
21:11
proceeding.
3:21; 4:5; 5:6,13; 7:10,11,17; Joh 14:16-18; 15:26; 16:7-15
Ac 1:4,5; 2:33

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Revelation 22:1
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.
Revelation 22:2
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.

Read all of Revelation 22

Revelation 22:1 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	DESPUÉS me mostró un río limpio de agua de vida, resplandeciente como cristal, que salía del trono de Dios y del Cordero.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et il me montra un fleuve d’eau vive, éclatant comme du cristal, sortant du trône de Dieu et de l’Agneau.
German Elberfelder 1871	Und er zeigte mir einen Strom von Wasser des Lebens, glänzend wie Krystall, der hervorging aus dem Throne Gottes und des Lammes.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Et ostendit mihi fluvium aquæ vitæ, splendidum tamquam crystallum, procedentem de sede Dei et Agni.