Revelation 22:14 kjv
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.
Revelation 22:14 nkjv
Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.
Revelation 22:14 niv
"Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.
Revelation 22:14 esv
Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.
Revelation 22:14 nlt
Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life.
Revelation 22 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 2:9 | And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. | Tree of Life's origin in Eden, for sustenance. |
| Gen 3:22 | Then the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—" | Man excluded from Tree of Life after fall. |
| Ps 1:1-3 | Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked... He is like a tree planted by streams of water... | Blessedness through obedience/righteousness. |
| Ps 24:3-4 | Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart... | Purity required to enter God's presence. |
| Isa 35:8 | And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness... no unclean thing shall pass over it. | Holiness as a prerequisite for the redeemed. |
| Ezek 47:12 | And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food... their fruit for food, and their leaves for healing. | Prophetic vision of trees providing life. |
| Matt 5:3 | Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. | Jesus' beatitudes on who is truly blessed. |
| Jn 14:15 | "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." | Obedience as an expression of love. |
| Jn 17:3 | And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. | Eternal life defined as knowing God and Christ. |
| Heb 9:14 | how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works... | Cleansing power of Christ's blood. |
| Heb 12:22-24 | But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem... | Heavenly Jerusalem as destination for believers. |
| 1 Jn 1:7 | But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. | Continual cleansing by Christ's blood. |
| 1 Jn 2:3 | And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. | Knowledge of God linked to keeping commands. |
| 1 Jn 3:24 | Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. | Abiding in God through obedience. |
| Rev 1:5 | and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood. | Freed from sins by Christ's blood. |
| Rev 2:7 | He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. | Tree of Life as a reward for conquerors. |
| Rev 7:14 | I said to him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." | Cleansing by Lamb's blood; imagery for righteousness. |
| Rev 19:8 | it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. | Righteousness likened to pure garments. |
| Rev 21:24 | And the nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. | Nations enter the New Jerusalem. |
| Rev 21:27 | But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life. | Exclusivity of entry; purity is required. |
| Rev 22:2 | through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. | Re-introduction of Tree of Life in new heaven. |
Revelation 22 verses
Revelation 22 14 Meaning
Revelation 22:14 declares a divine blessing upon those who are purified, granting them access to the Tree of Life and entry into the celestial city, the New Jerusalem. It encapsulates the ultimate hope for the redeemed, emphasizing both God's gracious provision for salvation and the necessary purity or obedient living required to inherit eternal communion with Him. The verse underscores the privileged access to divine life and fellowship in God's eternal kingdom.
Revelation 22 14 Context
Revelation chapter 22 marks the conclusion of the biblical narrative, vividly describing the consummation of God's redemptive plan in the New Jerusalem. Preceding verse 14, Jesus announces His imminent return (v. 12), bringing His reward. The chapter emphasizes the finality of salvation and the blessedness of the righteous, contrasted with the exclusion of the unrighteous. This verse serves as an assurance to the faithful and a final call to righteousness before Christ's return, defining who is truly blessed in God's eyes and privileged to inhabit His eternal presence. Historically, it would have encouraged early Christians enduring persecution, offering them a definitive hope and a clear path to eternal life with God.
Revelation 22 14 Word analysis
- Blessed (μακάριοι, makarioi): This Greek word signifies a state of true happiness, well-being, or fortune that comes from divine favor. It's often used in the Beatitudes (e.g., Matt 5:3-11), indicating a deep, abiding spiritual contentment, regardless of earthly circumstances, derived from being right with God and anticipating eternal reward.
- who wash their robes (οἱ πλύνοντες τὰς στολὰς αὐτῶν, hoi plynontes tas stolas autōn): This phrase has a significant textual variant. Some manuscripts (older, preferred by many scholars: Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus) read "who wash their robes." This strongly connects to Rev 7:14, where the multitude cleansed their robes in the "blood of the Lamb" (Rev 1:5), symbolizing purification from sin through Christ's atonement and adherence to Him. The "robes" (στολάς) often symbolize character and righteousness (Rev 19:8).
- who keep His commandments (οἱ ποιοῦντες τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ, hoi poiountes tas entolas autou): Another significant textual tradition (e.g., Textus Receptus, forming the basis for KJV, NKJV, NASB) reads "who keep His commandments." This emphasizes active obedience as the prerequisite for entry. While different from "washing robes" on the surface, biblical theology often links true faith and obedience, as genuine saving faith inherently leads to a desire to obey (Jn 14:15, 1 Jn 2:3). Many scholars lean towards "wash their robes" due to the overwhelming "blood of the Lamb" imagery throughout Revelation, viewing "keeping commandments" as a plausible but perhaps secondary development of the text. However, both capture essential aspects of Christian living leading to salvation: atonement and resulting transformation/obedience.
- that they may have the right (ἵνα ἔσται ἡ ἐξουσία αὐτῶν, hina estai hē exousia autōn): Signifies authority, privilege, or right. It denotes not a coerced entry but a rightful, divinely granted privilege to access these blessings due to their washed robes or obedience.
- to the tree of life (ἐπὶ τὸ ξύλον τῆς ζωῆς, epi to xylon tēs zōēs): The Tree of Life first appears in Gen 2:9 in the Garden of Eden, symbolizing eternal life and immortality. Access was lost after the Fall (Gen 3:22-24). In Revelation, it signifies restored, eternal, life-sustaining fellowship with God in the New Creation (Rev 22:2).
- and may enter through the gates (καὶ τοῖς πυλῶσιν εἰσέλθωσιν, kai tois pylōsin eiselthōsin): Emphasizes legitimate and welcomed access. The gates (Rev 21:21) symbolize secure, protected entry into the heavenly city, a privilege denied to the unholy (Rev 21:27).
- into the city (εἰς τὴν πόλιν, eis tēn polin): Refers to the New Jerusalem, the glorious, pure dwelling place of God and His people (Rev 21:2). Entering the city signifies full communion, safety, and participation in God's eternal presence.
Revelation 22 14 Bonus section
The strong emphasis on "washing robes" in Revelation aligns profoundly with the pervasive theme of the Lamb's atoning sacrifice. The cleansing described is not merely external, but an internal spiritual transformation made possible by the shed blood of Jesus (Rev 1:5, 7:14, 12:11). Therefore, even if the "keeping His commandments" variant is considered, it is understood not as a path to earning salvation through human merit, but as the natural outflow and evidence of a heart cleansed and regenerated by Christ. The blessing is fundamentally God's grace, apprehended by faith, which then naturally manifests in righteous living. This verse serves as a culmination of the biblical narrative from humanity's exclusion from the Tree of Life in Eden to its joyous re-entry into perpetual communion with God through Christ in the New Heaven and New Earth.
Revelation 22 14 Commentary
Revelation 22:14 articulates a foundational promise and condition for entry into God's eternal presence. It declares "blessed" those who are spiritually purified—symbolized either by "washing their robes" in the blood of Christ, signifying atonement and cleansing, or by "keeping His commandments," denoting a life of active obedience born out of faith. These two expressions are not mutually exclusive but rather two sides of the same spiritual reality, as genuine faith always produces obedience and a desire for purity. The outcome is two-fold: privileged access to the "Tree of Life," representing eternal sustenance and communion with God, and entrance "into the city," the New Jerusalem, the permanent and perfect dwelling of the redeemed with God. This verse provides ultimate hope for believers, assuring them that a life marked by faith in Christ's atonement and consequent transformed living will culminate in unimaginable blessedness and unending fellowship in the presence of God.