Revelation 22:13 kjv
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
Revelation 22:13 nkjv
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last."
Revelation 22:13 niv
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
Revelation 22:13 esv
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end."
Revelation 22:13 nlt
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End."
Revelation 22 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Rev 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." | God the Father uses these titles for Himself. |
| Rev 1:17 | "Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last." | Jesus declares His eternality. |
| Rev 2:8 | "The words of the First and the Last, who died and came to life again." | Jesus again emphasizes His supreme identity. |
| Rev 21:6 | "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End..." | God's conclusive declaration of sovereignty. |
| Isa 41:4 | "...I, the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am He." | Yahweh's declaration of unique eternality. |
| Isa 44:6 | "Thus says the LORD... 'I am the First and I am the Last; besides Me there is no God.'" | Yahweh claims exclusive deity and sovereignty. |
| Isa 48:12 | "Listen to Me, O Jacob... I am He; I am the First, I am also the Last." | Yahweh reiterates His singular divine nature. |
| Gen 1:1 | "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." | God as the ultimate Originator. |
| Jn 1:1-3 | "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... All things were made through Him..." | Jesus (the Word) as the divine co-Creator. |
| Jn 8:58 | "Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.'" | Jesus' assertion of pre-existence and deity. |
| Ps 90:2 | "Before the mountains were born... from everlasting to everlasting, You are God." | God's eternal nature. |
| Col 1:16-17 | "For by Him all things were created... He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." | Jesus as the Creator and sustainer. |
| Heb 12:2 | "looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith..." | Jesus as the Originator and Completer. |
| Eph 1:10 | "...as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth." | Christ as the ultimate point of unification. |
| Phil 2:6 | "who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped..." | Jesus' inherent deity. |
| 1 Tim 1:17 | "To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever." | God's everlasting nature. |
| Zech 12:10 | "when they look on me, on Him whom they have pierced..." | Prophecy of Yahweh as the Pierced One (fulfilled in Jesus). |
| Rev 22:20 | "He who testifies to these things says, 'Surely I am coming soon.'" | Jesus confirms His impending return. |
| Jn 5:26 | "For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son also to have life in Himself." | Shared divine life and authority with the Father. |
| Rom 11:36 | "For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever." | God's all-encompassing causality. |
| Heb 13:8 | "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." | Jesus' unchanging, eternal nature. |
| Isa 40:28 | "The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth." | God's eternal creativity. |
Revelation 22 verses
Revelation 22 13 Meaning
Revelation 22:13 powerfully proclaims the absolute deity, sovereignty, and eternal nature of Jesus Christ. By employing three distinct yet reinforcing titles – "I am the Alpha and the Omega," "the First and the Last," and "the Beginning and the End" – the verse declares that Jesus encompasses all reality. He is the originator and the consummator of all creation, time, history, and salvation. This statement provides ultimate assurance that He holds all authority and control from eternity past to eternity future, completing His divine work with unfailing purpose and truth.
Revelation 22 13 Context
Revelation 22:13 occurs in the closing words of the final chapter of the Bible, which serves as an ultimate summary and confirmation of Jesus' divine identity and authority before His concluding promise of return. Chapter 22 presents vivid images of the new heavens and new earth, including the river of the water of life and the tree of life, symbolizing eternal life in God's presence. Amidst these descriptions of perfect restoration and glory, Jesus repeatedly affirms the truthfulness of these visions and His imminent arrival (vv. 7, 12, 20). This specific verse acts as a majestic declaration, serving to undergird the certainty and ultimate truth of all prophecies revealed, because the one speaking them is Himself the ultimate reality – the eternal God. For the original audience facing intense persecution, this declaration provided profound assurance that their suffering was not without meaning, for Christ, the Beginning and End, had everything under His sovereign control, ensuring their ultimate vindication and reward. The repeated declaration of these divine titles throughout Revelation (e.g., 1:8, 1:17, 2:8, 21:6) culminates in this verse, underscoring the book's central message: Christ is Lord of all history, from creation to consummation.
Revelation 22 13 Word analysis
- I am (Greek: Egō eimi): This phrase carries immense theological weight. It is the direct Greek equivalent of God's self-revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:14 ("I AM WHO I AM" - Hebrew: Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh). In the Gospels, Jesus repeatedly used Egō eimi (e.g., Jn 8:58), asserting His pre-existence, eternality, and inherent deity, thereby identifying Himself as Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel. Its use here undeniably declares Jesus' full divine nature.
- the Alpha and the Omega (Greek: to Alpha kai to Omega): Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet, and Omega is the last. This title symbolically expresses totality, encompassing everything from A to Z. It signifies absolute inclusiveness, universal scope, and complete knowledge and power. For Jesus to claim this title means He is the source, sustainer, and goal of all existence; nothing is outside of His comprehensive domain. This concept directly challenges polytheistic beliefs and any claim to ultimate authority by earthly rulers.
- the First and the Last (Greek: ho Prōtos kai ho Eschatos): This phrase reiterates and intensifies the "Alpha and Omega" declaration. It is a direct quotation from the Old Testament where Yahweh proclaims His unique divinity and eternal nature (Isa 41:4, 44:6, 48:12). Applying it to Jesus underscores His co-equality with God the Father and His exclusive status as the one true, eternal God, alongside the Father. It signifies that there was none before Him, and there will be none after Him; He is beyond temporal limits.
- the Beginning and the End (Greek: hē Archē kai to Telos): This third pair of titles reinforces the same profound truth: Jesus is the Origin and the Consummation. Archē denotes the source, origin, and starting point, referring to Christ's role in creation. Telos signifies the completion, purpose, and final outcome, highlighting His ultimate goal and triumph. This emphasizes that history unfolds according to His sovereign plan, and He is the ultimate purpose and fulfillment of all things. Together, these three synonymous pairs serve to emphasize Jesus' absolute authority, eternality, and all-encompassing sovereignty over all of creation and history, leaving no room for doubt concerning His deity. The triple assertion functions as a powerful, climactic summary of His identity presented throughout the entire book of Revelation.
Revelation 22 13 Bonus section
- The repetition of these titles across different speakers (God the Father and Jesus Christ) throughout Revelation implies a profound unity of deity within the Godhead, reinforcing the doctrine of the Trinity.
- The placement of this verse, just before Jesus' final personal promise to come quickly (Rev 22:20), is strategically significant. It grounds the certainty of His return in His eternal, unchangeable, and sovereign nature.
- This verse stands as a profound polemic against any attempt to elevate human power, imperial rulers, or false gods to ultimate authority, unequivocally declaring Christ's unique and exclusive dominion.
- From a practical theological perspective, knowing Christ as the Beginning and End offers immense comfort in times of uncertainty. He is the stability in a chaotic world, the ultimate meaning in a transient existence, and the perfecter of salvation.
Revelation 22 13 Commentary
Revelation 22:13 is a grand, threefold declaration of Jesus Christ's ultimate identity and nature, delivered at the climax of the biblical narrative. It underscores His position as the absolute sovereign over all existence—past, present, and future. By adopting these titles—Alpha and Omega, First and Last, Beginning and End—Jesus unequivocally declares His inherent deity, shared with the Father. These epithets denote not merely a temporal duration but an infinite and exhaustive quality: He initiates everything, permeates everything, and brings everything to its intended purpose and conclusion. There is nothing apart from Him; all history and reality flow from Him and move toward Him. This comprehensive affirmation assures believers that the Lord who promised to return is utterly dependable, the very bedrock of creation and redemption. For believers then and now, it instills unwavering confidence in Christ's final victory and His unwavering commitment to His people, ensuring His promises are perfectly fulfilled because He is the eternal, sovereign Lord over all.