The River of Life and the Throne of God
Revelation 22:1-6
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Revelation
Rev.22.1 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- εδειξεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- μοι: PRON,dat,sg,1
- ποταμον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- υδατος: NOUN,gen,sg,n
- ζωης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- λαμπρον: ADJ,acc,sg,n
- ως: ADV
- κρυσταλλον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- εκπορευομενον: VERB,pres,mid/pass,part,nom,sg,n
- εκ: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- θρονου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- θεου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- αρνιου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Ezekiel 47:1-12 (allusion): Ezekiel describes a life-giving river issuing from the temple that increases as it flows and brings healing and fruitfulness—an important Old Testament antecedent to Revelation's river from God's throne.
- John 7:37-39 (thematic): Jesus promises 'rivers of living water' flowing from those who believe (interpreted as the Spirit); John‑Revelation share the motif of living water and Spirit-life flowing from God's presence.
- Revelation 21:1-7 (structural): The preceding vision of the new heaven and new earth and God's dwelling with humanity sets the context for the river and tree imagery; both passages depict the consummation where God's throne and presence restore life.
- Revelation 22:17 (verbal): This verse explicitly repeats the 'water of life' motif and the invitation to the thirsty, linking the river-image with the offer of salvation and the Spirit's witness in the same chapter.
- Genesis 2:10-14 (thematic): The Edenic river that waters the garden and brings life provides a primordial background for Revelation's life-giving river, framing the consummation as a restoration of Edenic abundance.
Alternative generated candidates
- Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.
- Then he showed me a river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Rev.22.2 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- εν: PREP
- μεσω: NOUN,dat,sg,n
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- πλατειας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- αυτης·και: PRON,gen,sg,f
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- ποταμου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- εντευθεν: ADV
- και: CONJ
- εκειθεν: ADV
- ξυλον: NOUN,acc,sg,neut
- ζωης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- ποιουν: VERB,pres,act,ptc,nom,sg,n
- καρπους: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- δωδεκα: NUM,acc,pl,m
- κατα: PREP
- μηνα: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- εκαστον: ADJ,nom,sg,n
- αποδιδουν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,pl
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- καρπον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- τα: ART,acc,pl,n
- φυλλα: NOUN,acc,pl,n
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- ξυλου: NOUN,gen,sg,n
- εις: PREP
- θεραπειαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- εθνων: NOUN,gen,pl,n
Parallels
- Ezekiel 47:12 (verbal): River with trees along its banks that bear monthly fruit and whose leaves are for healing — closely parallels the imagery and phrasing of Rev 22:2.
- Genesis 2:9 (allusion): The tree of life placed in the midst of the garden — Rev 22:2 echoes the Edenic motif of a central life-giving tree.
- Genesis 3:22 (thematic): Concern about access to the tree of life and its relation to human life/immortality — Rev 22:2 recalls and reverses the post-fall restriction by restoring access to life-giving foliage.
- Revelation 2:7 (quotation): Promise to the overcomer of access to the tree of life in Paradise — Rev 22:2 fulfills and repeats this covenantal promise.
- Revelation 22:1 (structural): Immediately preceding verse describing the river of the water of life — provides the broader river-and-tree setting that Rev 22:2 describes.
Alternative generated candidates
- Down the middle of the city's street it ran. On either side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit—yielding its fruit each month—and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
- In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, stood the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Rev.22.3 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- παν: ADJ,nom,sg,n
- καταθεμα: NOUN,nom,sg,n
- ουκ: PART,neg
- εσται: VERB,fut,mid,ind,3,sg
- ετι: ADV
- και: CONJ
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- θρονος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- θεου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- αρνιου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- εν: PREP
- αυτη: PRON,dat,sg,f
- εσται: VERB,fut,mid,ind,3,sg
- και: CONJ
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- δουλοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- λατρευσουσιν: VERB,fut,act,ind,3,pl
- αυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
Parallels
- Genesis 3:17-19 (allusion): The curse on the ground in Genesis is the source idea reversed here—Revelation announces the end of the curse that began with Eden's judgment.
- Revelation 21:3-4 (structural): Closely connected passage in the same vision: God dwelling with humanity and the end of death, mourning and pain—the new creation context for 'no more curse.'
- Revelation 7:15 (verbal): Uses similar language about God's servants serving him 'day and night' in his presence—parallels the present-tense worship of God's servants in the consummation.
- Daniel 7:27 (thematic): Daniel’s vision of an everlasting kingdom in which all peoples serve the holy ones echoes the universal reign and service described by the 'throne of God and of the Lamb.'
- Ezekiel 37:27 (allusion): Ezekiel’s promise that God will dwell among his people (my tabernacle shall be with them) anticipates the restored divine presence expressed by the throne being 'in' the city and God dwelling with his servants.
Alternative generated candidates
- No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.
- No longer will there be any curse; the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will serve him.
Rev.22.4 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- οψονται: VERB,fut,mid,ind,3,pl
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- προσωπον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- ονομα: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- επι: PREP
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- μετωπων: NOUN,gen,pl,n
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,m
Parallels
- Revelation 14:1 (verbal): Direct verbal parallel: the 144,000 have the Father's name written on their foreheads—same motif of God's name on the brow.
- Revelation 7:3 (verbal): Sealing of God's servants 'on their foreheads'—uses forehead as the place of divine ownership/protection, parallel to name on foreheads.
- Revelation 3:12 (verbal): Promise to write God's name (and the name of the city and Christ's new name) on the believer—closely related motif of God’s name being placed on the faithful.
- 1 Corinthians 13:12 (verbal): Eschatological seeing ‘face to face’ (πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον) parallels Revelation’s promise that they will see his face—both describe full, direct vision of God.
- Matthew 5:8 (thematic): Beatitude 'the pure in heart shall see God' echoes the promise of seeing God's face as the eschatological blessing of the righteous.
Alternative generated candidates
- They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.
- They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.
Rev.22.5 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- νυξ: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- ουκ: PART,neg
- εσται: VERB,fut,mid,ind,3,sg
- ετι: ADV
- και: CONJ
- ουκ: PART,neg
- εχουσιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,pl
- χρειαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- φωτος: NOUN,gen,sg,n
- λυχνου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- φως: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- ηλιου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- οτι: CONJ
- κυριος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- θεος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- φωτισει: VERB,fut,act,ind,3,sg
- επ᾽αυτους: PREP+PRON,acc,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- βασιλευσουσιν: VERB,fut,act,ind,3,pl
- εις: PREP
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- αιωνας: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- αιωνων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
Parallels
- Revelation 21:23 (verbal): Uses nearly identical language: the city has no need of sun or moon because the glory of God and the Lamb are its light — directly parallels the image of no lamp/sun since God will light them.
- Isaiah 60:19-20 (allusion): Speaks of a time when the sun and moon are no longer needed and the LORD is an everlasting light — thematic background for Revelation’s ‘no night’ and God as eternal light.
- Zechariah 14:7-9 (thematic): Proclaims a day known to the LORD with no distinction of day and night and the LORD reigning over all — parallels the no-night motif and the Lord’s eternal kingship in Rev 22:5.
- John 8:12 (thematic): Jesus’ claim to be ‘the light of the world’ and the promise that followers will have the light of life echoes the motif of God/Christ as the sustaining, illuminating presence replacing sun and lamp.
Alternative generated candidates
- Night will be no more; they will have no need of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign for ever and ever.
- There will be no night there; they will have no need of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign for ever and ever.
Rev.22.6 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- ειπεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- μοι·Ουτοι: PRON,dat,sg,1+DEM,nom,pl,m
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- λογοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- πιστοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- αληθινοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- κυριος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- θεος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- πνευματων: NOUN,gen,pl,neut
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- προφητων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- απεστειλεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- αγγελον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- δειξαι: VERB,aor,act,inf
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,n
- δουλοις: NOUN,dat,pl,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- α: PRON,nom,sg,n
- δει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- γενεσθαι: VERB,aor,mid,inf
- εν: PREP
- ταχει·: ADV
Parallels
- Rev.1.1 (verbal): Nearly identical language: God gave the revelation to show his servants what must soon take place and made it known by sending his angel to John.
- Rev.21.5 (verbal): Uses the same formula 'these words are faithful and true' in the context of divine revelation and its recording.
- Amos 3.7 (thematic): Affirms the principle that the LORD reveals his purposes to his servants the prophets, paralleling the disclosure of future events to God's servants.
- 2 Peter 1.21 (allusion): Emphasizes that prophecy comes from God through the Spirit rather than human will, resonating with 'the God of the spirits of the prophets.'
- Dan.8.16 (structural): Shows the motif of an angelic messenger being sent to explain visions to a human seer, paralleling the angel sent to show John what must occur.
Alternative generated candidates
- And he said to me, “These words are faithful and true. The Lord God of the spirits of the prophets has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.”
- And he said to me, “These words are faithful and true. The Lord, the God of the prophets, sent his angel to show to his servants the things that must soon take place.”
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Through the middle of the street of the city; on either side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.
They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.
There will be no night there; they will have no need of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign forever and ever. And he said to me, "These words are faithful and true." And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.