Revelation 22:19 kjv
And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Revelation 22:19 nkjv
and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Revelation 22:19 niv
And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.
Revelation 22:19 esv
and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
Revelation 22:19 nlt
And if anyone removes any of the words from this book of prophecy, God will remove that person's share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book.
Revelation 22 19 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Warnings Against Altering Scripture | ||
| Deut 4:2 | Ye shall not add unto the word... nor diminish ought from it... | Warning against adding or subtracting from God's commands. |
| Deut 12:32 | What thing soever I command... thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it. | Reiteration of not altering God's commands. |
| Prov 30:6 | Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. | Divine disapproval for those who distort God's words. |
| Rev 22:18 | For I testify unto every man that heareth... If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues... | Direct parallel warning against adding to Revelation's words. |
| Book of Life / Book of the Living | ||
| Ex 32:32-33 | ...blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book... | God threatening to blot names from His book. |
| Ps 69:28 | Let them be blotted out of the book of the living... | Plea for the wicked to be excluded from God's chosen. |
| Phil 4:3 | ...whose names are in the book of life. | Mention of faithful co-laborers having their names in the book. |
| Rev 3:5 | He that overcometh... I will not blot out his name out of the book of life... | Promise to those who overcome, names remain in the book. |
| Rev 13:8 | ...names not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain... | Those whose names were not eternally destined for salvation. |
| Rev 17:8 | ...whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world. | The pre-ordained nature of salvation and the book. |
| Rev 20:12 | ...the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life... | The opening of books for final judgment. |
| Rev 20:15 | And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. | Exclusion from the book of life leads to eternal damnation. |
| Rev 21:27 | But there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth... but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. | Only those in the book of life may enter the New Jerusalem. |
| Holy City / New Jerusalem (Loss of access) | ||
| Rev 21:2 | And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down... | John's vision of the holy city. |
| Rev 21:10 | ...shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending... | Another description of the holy city's descent. |
| Heb 12:22 | But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem... | Description of the spiritual and heavenly destiny of believers. |
| Authority & Completeness of God's Word | ||
| 2 Tim 3:16-17 | All scripture is given by inspiration of God... that the man of God may be perfect... | Affirmation of Scripture's divine origin and sufficiency. |
| 2 Pet 1:20-21 | ...no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation... but holy men of God spake... moved by the Holy Ghost. | God's superintendence over all prophetic scripture. |
| Ps 19:7-8 | The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul... | The flawless and transforming nature of God's law. |
| Matt 5:18 | For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. | Jesus affirming the enduring nature of every detail of God's word. |
| Gal 1:8-9 | But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel... let him be accursed. | Paul's anathema on those who pervert the Gospel, showing the grave danger of altering divine revelation. |
| Consequences of Rejecting/Changing God's Word | ||
| Matt 15:3 | Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? | Jesus rebukes those who prioritize human traditions over divine commands. |
| Mark 7:13 | Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition... | The effect of human tradition nullifying divine commands. |
| Heb 10:26-27 | For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth... | The severe consequences of deliberately turning away from truth received. |
Revelation 22 verses
Revelation 22 19 Meaning
Revelation 22:19 issues a grave warning of divine judgment against anyone who attempts to diminish or remove any part of the prophetic words contained in the Book of Revelation. The penalty for such an act is the forfeiture of one's eternal salvation, represented by removal from the "book of life," exclusion from the "holy city" (the New Jerusalem), and losing all the blessings and inheritance promised to the faithful in this prophetic book. It underscores the inviolable integrity and supreme authority of God's revealed Word.
Revelation 22 19 Context
Revelation 22:19 stands as the final warning within the biblical canon, directly following a similar warning in verse 18 about adding to the words. This pericope concludes the entire book of Revelation and, by extension, the Holy Scripture itself. The immediate context is John's description of the New Heaven, New Earth, and New Jerusalem, presenting the glorious and eternal destiny of the faithful. These verses serve as a divine seal, emphasizing the unchangeable and absolute authority of God's revelation. Historically, the practice of cursing anyone who altered important legal or religious texts was common in the ancient Near East, lending cultural weight to this dire pronouncement. The warning addresses both intentional alterations of the text and any attempts to diminish its divine message, underscoring the serious implications for eternal salvation.
Revelation 22 19 Word analysis
And if any man: Implies universal applicability. This warning applies to anyone, without distinction, who undertakes such an act of desecration towards divine revelation.
shall take away (ἀφαιρέω - aphaireō): To remove, subtract, cut off. This denotes an action that reduces the integrity, content, or authority of the words. It encompasses literal textual removal, omission, or interpretations that lessen their intended meaning or impact.
from the words (λόγων - logōn): Refers to the specific sayings, statements, and utterances comprising the prophecy. The warning is not generalized but precisely targeted at the explicit divine content.
of the book (βίβλου - biblou): Specifically designates the written form of the Book of Revelation itself. Its placement at the very end of the New Testament often extends its authoritative scope to the entire Holy Scripture.
of this prophecy (προφητείας - prophēteias): Underscores Revelation's nature as a divinely inspired foretelling and unfolding of God's plan, emphasizing its direct revelation from God.
God shall take away (ἀφελεῖ - aphelei): A direct, active, and reciprocal divine judgment. The retribution perfectly mirrors the offense; what man takes from God's word, God takes from man's inheritance.
his part (μέρος - meros): One's share, portion, or inheritance. This refers to the divinely promised benefits and participation in the new covenant blessings.
out of the book of life (ἐκ τοῦ βιβλίου τῆς ζωῆς - ek tou bibliou tēs zōēs): This heavenly register contains the names of all the redeemed and those destined for eternal salvation. Removal from it signifies eternal damnation and loss of fellowship with God.
and out of the holy city (καὶ ἐκ τῆς πόλεως τῆς ἁγίας - kai ek tēs poleōs tēs hagias): Refers to the New Jerusalem, the glorious eternal dwelling place of the redeemed in perfect communion with God. Exclusion means eternal separation from divine presence and blessings.
and from the things which are written in this book (καὶ τῶν γεγραμμένων ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τούτῳ - kai tōn gegrammenōn en tō bibliō toutῳ): This includes all the promises of salvation, blessings, privileges, and glorious destiny detailed within Revelation for those who believe and remain faithful.
"If any man shall take away from the words...God shall take away his part...": This phrasing establishes a powerful lex talionis – a law of reciprocal action. The judgment imposed by God directly corresponds to the offense committed by humanity against His Word, illustrating the justice and gravity of the divine reckoning.
"book of life, holy city, and from the things which are written in this book": These three elements represent the complete spectrum of salvation and its benefits. Losing one's name from the Book of Life means eternal death; being excluded from the Holy City means missing out on eternal fellowship with God; and losing out on the "things written" means forfeiting all the specific blessings promised to the faithful in the Age to Come. The cumulative nature of these losses highlights the catastrophic and all-encompassing eternal consequences of tampering with God's Word.
Revelation 22 19 Bonus section
This climactic warning at the close of Revelation, and by extension the entire Bible, is not just a command but a seal on the completeness and authority of God's revelation. It indicates that the biblical canon is sufficient for salvation and instruction, needing no human addition or subtraction. The severe judgment illustrates God's intense jealousy for the purity of His Word, indicating that it reflects His very character and sovereign plan. Tampering with it is tantamount to attacking God Himself. This verse calls believers to reverence, fidelity, and obedient living in light of all that God has revealed, trusting in the perfection and sufficiency of His unchangeable truth.
Revelation 22 19 Commentary
Revelation 22:19 is a solemn and unyielding divine prohibition guarding the integrity of God's revelation. It pronounces an extreme reciprocal judgment: to remove anything from this divine prophecy incurs the penalty of removal from the Lamb's "book of life," exclusion from the celestial "holy city" (New Jerusalem), and forfeiture of all the magnificent blessings described throughout Revelation. This warning emphasizes the complete and authoritative nature of Scripture. It implies that salvation itself is linked to one's reverence for and adherence to the revealed Word of God. The gravity is not merely about preserving a text, but acknowledging and submitting to the God who speaks through it. Any act that dilutes, contradicts, or ignores parts of the prophetic message is a rebellion against divine truth, carrying the severest eternal consequences.
- Examples for practical usage: Ignoring passages about judgment to soften God's image; disbelieving literal future events revealed (like Christ's return or resurrection of dead); rejecting moral standards articulated in Scripture that conflict with modern sensibilities.