Revelation 22 15

Revelation 22:15 kjv

For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

Revelation 22:15 nkjv

But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

Revelation 22:15 niv

Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

Revelation 22:15 esv

Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

Revelation 22:15 nlt

Outside the city are the dogs ? the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol worshipers, and all who love to live a lie.

Revelation 22 verses

Revelation 22 15 Meaning

Revelation 22:15 defines those who will be eternally excluded from the holy city, the New Jerusalem. It lists categories of individuals characterized by specific grave sins and, ultimately, by a love for and practice of untruth. This verse acts as a definitive warning, delineating the moral and spiritual boundaries for entrance into God's eternal dwelling place.

Revelation 22 15 Context

Revelation 22:15 stands in stark contrast to the preceding verse, Revelation 22:14, which describes the blessed who have the right to the tree of life and access to the city gates. While verse 14 highlights inclusion based on active obedience (washing robes), verse 15 unequivocally declares exclusion for those whose character and deeds are antithetical to God's holiness. It serves as a final, absolute statement about who cannot enter the New Jerusalem, emphasizing the spiritual purity and truthfulness required to dwell in God's presence. This warning reinforces the major themes throughout Revelation regarding righteous living, enduring faithfulness, and the ultimate judgment of all unrighteousness. It brings the grand vision of the New Heavens and New Earth to a climactic conclusion by firmly separating the redeemed from the unredeemed.

Revelation 22 15 Word analysis

• But outside: (Gk. ἔξω δὲ - exō de) A strong adversative conjunction ("but") that sets a definitive contrast. "Outside" signifies total exclusion, beyond the boundaries of the New Jerusalem, reinforcing the separation of the pure from the impure, the saved from the condemned.

• are: (Gk. εἰσίν - eisin) The present indicative verb emphasizes the fixed, ongoing reality of their state of being; these characteristics define who they are.

• dogs: (Gk. κύνες - kynes) Not literal animals. In ancient Jewish culture, dogs were often seen as scavenging, impure, aggressive, and contemptible animals. Metaphorically, "dogs" referred to outcasts, vile individuals, or ritualistically unclean people. It often implied moral depravity, a lack of self-control, and shamelessness. The term is also used by Paul in Philippians 3:2 for those who undermine the Gospel. Here, it refers to those utterly defiled and immoral, unworthy of entry.

• and sorcerers: (Gk. καὶ φάρμακοι - kai pharmakoi) "Sorcerers" are those who practice magic arts, witchcraft, or use potions/drugs (pharmakeia refers to magic, witchcraft, often involving mind-altering substances to invoke spirits). This practice is explicitly condemned throughout Scripture (e.g., Deut 18:10-12; Gal 5:20; Rev 21:8) as it seeks power from sources other than God and aligns with demonic influence.

• and sexually immoral: (Gk. καὶ πόρνοι - kai pornoi) Refers to all who practice porneia, a comprehensive term for all unlawful sexual acts, including fornication, adultery, prostitution, and sexual perversion. This sin represents a fundamental disrespect for God's created order for sexuality and a violation of bodily sanctity.

• and murderers: (Gk. καὶ φονεῖς - kai phoneis) Those who unlawfully take human life. This sin violates God's ultimate command regarding the sanctity of life, which is made in God's image (Gen 9:6). It includes those who harbor hatred in their hearts, as articulated by John (1 Jn 3:15).

• and idolaters: (Gk. καὶ εἰδωλολάτραι - kai eidololatrou) Those who worship anything other than the one true God, whether physical idols, spiritual entities, or even worldly things (Col 3:5 describes greed as idolatry). This is the direct breaking of the first two commandments and represents a turning away from the Creator to the created.

• and everyone who loves and practices falsehood: (Gk. πᾶς ὁ φιλῶν καὶ ποιῶν ψεῦδος - pas ho philon kai poion pseudos)

  • everyone: (Gk. πᾶς - pas) A comprehensive term, emphasizing that no one with this characteristic will be allowed in.
  • loves: (Gk. φιλῶν - philon, from phileō) Implies not just committing a lie, but having an affection or preference for it. It indicates a deep-seated inclination or a chosen character trait. It's a love for deception and unreality, rather than an accidental or occasional transgression.
  • and practices: (Gk. καὶ ποιῶν - kai poiōn, from poieō) Implies active engagement, making it a habit, a way of life, or a fundamental aspect of one's conduct. It points to a pattern of behavior, not an isolated incident.
  • falsehood: (Gk. ψεῦδος - pseudos) Untruth, deceit, lies. This is antithetical to the nature of God, who is Truth, and to Jesus Christ, who is "the way, the truth, and the life" (Jn 14:6). The devil is described as the "father of lies" (Jn 8:44). This final category is incredibly broad, encompassing not only overt lying but also deceptive character, a life built on untruth, or a fundamental rejection of God's truth. It is a defining spiritual orientation.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "But outside are...": This powerful opening immediately establishes a definitive barrier and separation between those blessed by God and those who are excluded. The enumeration of categories after "outside" makes the separation concrete and absolute.
  • "dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters": This series functions as a list of moral and spiritual disqualifications. Each term represents a grave offense against God's law and nature. The rapid succession highlights the diverse range of serious sins that prevent entry, showing God's uncompromising stance on holiness.
  • "and everyone who loves and practices falsehood": This phrase serves as a climactic summary and a broader, all-encompassing category. It moves beyond specific acts to describe a character—one deeply committed to and engaged in untruth. It ensures that no one whose fundamental disposition is against truth (God's nature) can enter. This covers overt and subtle forms of deceit and indicates a fundamental rejection of God and His kingdom of truth.

Revelation 22 15 Bonus section

This verse forms a strong thematic contrast with the exclusion from the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3. In Eden, humanity was excluded from the tree of life due to sin. In Revelation, those characterized by pervasive sin are definitively excluded from the New Jerusalem and thus from renewed access to the tree of life, highlighting the permanence of the final judgment and the purity of God's perfected dwelling place. It signifies that for those who persistently refuse to turn from these ungodly behaviors, there will be no second chance, and their separation from God's presence will be final. The specific and enumerated list also echoes various New Testament lists of vices (e.g., Rom 1:29-31, 2 Tim 3:2-5), solidifying a consistent biblical witness against certain character types that are incompatible with God's kingdom.

Revelation 22 15 Commentary

Revelation 22:15 presents a stark and unequivocal statement of exclusion, marking a decisive division at the culmination of biblical prophecy. It underscores that while God's grace is vast, His holiness demands a corresponding character from those who would dwell in His presence. The New Jerusalem is a sanctuary of purity and truth, and those whose lives are characterized by unrighteousness have no place within its walls.

The list of vices – "dogs," "sorcerers," "sexually immoral," "murderers," "idolaters" – represents behaviors that are fundamentally opposed to God's nature and law, recurring themes of condemnation throughout Scripture. "Dogs," though varied in meaning, universally connote a state of moral defilement and shamelessness, unfit for God's city. "Sorcery" actively seeks illicit power, undermining divine sovereignty. Sexual immorality, murder, and idolatry strike at the core of human relationships and devotion to God.

The final category, "everyone who loves and practices falsehood," is particularly comprehensive. It moves beyond mere acts to describe a state of being, a core disposition. It's not simply an occasional lie, but a foundational commitment to deception, diametrically opposed to Christ, who is the Truth (Jn 14:6), and the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of Truth (Jn 16:13). Those whose inner affection and outward conduct are aligned with falsehood cannot abide where truth reigns supreme.

This verse serves as a final, urgent call for repentance and transformation, emphasizing that access to eternal life with God is not universal but conditional upon one's moral and spiritual character. It implicitly reaffirms that the grace received by faith (Rev 22:14, "wash their robes") leads to a life transformed, enabling one to truly have the "right" to the tree of life. Those described in verse 15, by contrast, cling to practices and affections that place them irrevocably outside God's holy dwelling.