Revelation 22 2

Revelation 22:2 kjv

In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Revelation 22:2 nkjv

In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Revelation 22:2 niv

down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.

Revelation 22:2 esv

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.

Revelation 22:2 nlt

It flowed down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations.

Revelation 22 verses

Revelation 22 2 Meaning

Revelation 22:2 paints a vivid picture of the New Jerusalem, showcasing the ultimate restoration of life and blessing lost in Eden. In this celestial city, the "tree of life" is prominently situated, flourishing continuously along the river of life. It provides abundant and varied sustenance, yielding twelve kinds of fruit perpetually. Significantly, its leaves serve to bring complete restoration and well-being to all redeemed nations, signifying a total absence of sin, sickness, or curse. This verse speaks of God's limitless provision, eternal life, and universal wholeness in the new heavens and new earth.

Revelation 22 2 Context

Revelation 22:2 forms a central part of John's concluding vision of the New Jerusalem (Rev 21-22). This final depiction portrays the glorious and perfected dwelling of God and humanity after the final judgment and the creation of a new heavens and new earth. The verse specifically details the central features of this eternal city, flowing directly from the description of the river of life in Revelation 22:1. It emphasizes an Eden-like state restored and perfected, reversing the consequences of the Fall (Gen 3). For the original audience, who were facing intense persecution and tribulation under the Roman Empire, this vision offered profound hope. It painted a picture of ultimate divine provision, unending life, complete healing, and peace for all who remain faithful, providing a powerful contrast to their present suffering and the corrupted systems of the world. It assured them that all injustice and suffering would ultimately be reversed and abolished in God's eternal kingdom.

Revelation 22 2 Word analysis

• In the middle of its street (ἐν μέσῳ τῆς πλατείας αὐτῆς - en mesō tēs plateias autēs):

  • πλατείας (plateias): Means a broad way, a wide street, or a public square. This implies universal accessibility and prominence. The tree (or trees) of life are not hidden or remote but central and open to all in the city.
  • Significance: This emphasizes the centrality and availability of divine life. It's not a private garden but a public domain, highlighting communion with God and eternal life as openly accessible in the New Jerusalem.

• and on either side of the river (καὶ τοῦ ποταμοῦ ἔνθεν κἀκεῖθεν - kai tou potamou enthen kakithen):

  • ποταμοῦ (potamou): River. In biblical imagery, rivers often symbolize life, blessing, and divine sustenance. This "river of life" originates from God's throne (Rev 22:1), indicating that all life and blessing flow directly from Him.
  • Significance: This signifies an unending, life-giving flow. The placement of the trees along both banks shows that they are nourished continually, ensuring perpetual vitality and fruitfulness. It connects the abundance of the tree directly to the source of divine life.

• was the tree of life (ξύλον ζωῆς - xylon zōēs):

  • ξύλον (xylon): Means wood or tree. The use of the singular "tree" here, when contrasted with its placement "on either side of the river," often leads interpreters to understand it as a species of tree or a multitude of trees rather than a single individual tree. It emphasizes its quality and function.
  • ζωῆς (zōēs): Life. Specifically, "life" in its fullest, spiritual, and eternal sense, bestowed by God.
  • Significance: This is a direct echo and reversal of the Genesis narrative. The tree lost to humanity in Eden is now fully restored and available, symbolizing eternal life, immortal existence, and unbroken fellowship with God. It signifies the undoing of death and the triumph of life.

• bearing twelve kinds of fruit (ποιῶν καρποὺς δώδεκα - poiōn karpous dōdeka):

  • καρποὺς (karpous): Fruits. Indicates a physical manifestation of sustenance.
  • δώδεκα (dōdeka): Twelve. This number is highly symbolic in Revelation and throughout the Bible, often representing completeness, divine order, and God's people (e.g., twelve tribes of Israel, twelve apostles).
  • Significance: Represents perfect variety, absolute completeness, and total sufficiency of divine provision. The sustenance provided is varied and perfect for the redeemed community, implying every need is met beyond imagination.

• yielding its fruit every month (καρπὸν αὐτοῦ ἀποδιδούς κατὰ μῆνα - karpon autou apodidous kata mēna):

  • κατὰ μῆνα (kata mēna): Every month, monthly.
  • Significance: This emphasizes perpetual, unfailing, and continuous provision. There are no seasons of lack or dormancy. Life and sustenance are available eternally, ensuring unending thriving. It signifies a realm where natural cycles of decay and limitation do not exist.

• and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations (καὶ τὰ φύλλα τοῦ ξύλου εἰς θεραπείαν τῶν ἐθνῶν - kai ta phylla tou xylou eis therapeian tōn ethnōn):

  • φύλλα (phylla): Leaves.
  • θεραπείαν (therapeian): Healing, restoration, service, welfare. In the context of the New Jerusalem where sorrow, pain, and death are no more (Rev 21:4), this "healing" is understood not as a cure for existing ailments but as maintenance of perfect health, ultimate well-being, spiritual restoration, and the full rectification of all the brokenness caused by the Fall among humanity. It speaks to the ongoing, perpetual wholeness of redeemed existence.
  • ἐθνῶν (ethnōn): Nations, Gentiles, peoples.
  • Significance: This speaks to the universal scope of God's redemptive plan. The blessing extends beyond Israel to all nations, fulfilling the Abrahamic covenant. The healing signifies the full reconciliation and unity of all humanity, putting an end to all division, strife, and residual effects of the curse on humanity at large. It indicates ultimate flourishing for all who are saved, perfectly aligned with God's design.

Revelation 22 2 Bonus section

The vision of the tree of life in Revelation 22:2 highlights not just an individual blessing but a communal reality in the New Jerusalem. The access is not restricted as it was in Eden (Gen 3:24), nor is it an exclusive privilege. Instead, its location "in the middle of its street, and on either side of the river" suggests universal, unfettered access for all inhabitants. This implies that the abundant life and holistic "healing" are shared experiences within the community of the redeemed, fostering eternal communion not only with God but also with one another. This vision emphasizes a perpetual thriving state where needs are continuously met, fostering an environment of unending peace and satisfaction for God's unified people, free from any hint of deprivation, scarcity, or division.

Revelation 22 2 Commentary

Revelation 22:2 is a profound capstone to the biblical narrative, vividly portraying the consummation of God's redemptive plan. It signifies the complete reversal of the Genesis curse and the restoration of humanity's access to eternal life in an unspoiled creation. The omnipresent "tree of life," nurtured by the "river of life" flowing directly from God's throne, ensures abundant and diverse sustenance available perpetually, transcending all limitations of time and nature. The imagery of "twelve kinds of fruit" and "yielding every month" underscores the inexhaustible nature of God's provision. More deeply, the "leaves for the healing of the nations" points to total spiritual, communal, and existential well-being, signifying not merely physical cure in a place where there's no sickness, but a perfect state of flourishing, reconciliation, and holistic wholeness for all redeemed humanity, irrespective of their former earthly origins. It is a portrait of the perfect paradise regained, where life in its absolute fullness and harmony is eternally enjoyed under God's immediate presence.