Revelation 22:20
in Revelation 22He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
He who testifieth these things saith, Yea: I come quickly. Amen: come, Lord Jesus.
KJV
He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
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This verse in Revelation 22
Commentary
12 notes on this verse"He who testifies to these things says," that is, the very same Lord Jesus Christ who commanded me to write these things, "Surely, I am coming soon." He makes known the certainty and the quickness of his coming. And already certain of his own blessedness, …
This site's exposition
Even so, come, Lord Jesus
He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly closes the book's fifth and final come quickly saying, and John answers for every reader after him, Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus, the same prayer Paul closed a letter with in Aramaic, Maranatha (1 Corinthians 16:22), now closing the whole canon in Greek. The Bible that opened with God walking in a garden with Adam ends with his people asking him to come and walk with them again.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
A commentator
Caesarius of ArlesEXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 22:20, HOMILY 19 · Written before 542.
proposed
Let us pray that the Lord Jesus Christ deign to come to us according to his promise and through his mercy free us from the prison of this world and for the sake of his compassion lead us to his blessedness. With the Father and …
Which Paul made when he said, "for I am already being poured out, and the time of my departure has come" (2 Tim. 4:6); this he himself now says also, he who teaches these things, I say and bear witness in them, and so I …
A commentator
Primasius of HadrumetumCOMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 22:20 · Written before 560.
proposed
The selfsame Christ who gave his testimony announces to the church that he is coming. And to him the church devoutly responds in the manner of the Song of Songs, "Amen, Come, Lord Jesus Christ." And when the church prays, it says, "Your kingdom come!" …
The Medieval Church2 voices
He who testifies to these things says, "Surely, I am coming quickly." The same Christ testifies, who announces to the Church that he will come. To which, in the manner of the Song of Songs, the Church devoutly responds:
Also I who am speaking these things say to you, who are Life, "I am coming." And you yourself also come, O Lord. Or perhaps he is saying this in the person of Christ, "I who witness to these things," clearly the one who is …
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
He that testifieth these things - Even all that is contained in this book. Saith - For the encouragement of the church in all her afflictions. Yea - Answering the call of the Spirit and the bride.
He which testifieth these things,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Surely I come quickly - This may be truly said to every person in every age; Jesus the Judge is at the door! Even so, come, Lord Jesus - The wish and desire of the suffering Church, and of all the followers of God, who are longing for the coming of his kingdom.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
A, B, and Aleph omit "Even so," Greek, "nai": then translate for Amen, "So be it, come, Lord Jesus"; joining the "Amen," or "So be it," not with Christ's saying (for He calls Himself the "Amen" at the beginning of sentences, rather than puts it as a confirmation at the end), but with John's reply.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
He which testifieth these things - The Lord Jesus; for he it was that had, through the instrumentality of the angel, borne this solemn witness to the truth of these things, and this book was to be regarded as his revelation to mankind. See the notes on Rev 1:1; Rev 22:16. He here speaks of himself, and vouches for the truth and reality of these things by saying that he “testifies” of them, or bears witness to them. Compare Joh 18:37. The fact that Jesus himself vouches for the truth of what is here revealed, shows the propriety of what John had said in the previous verses about adding to it, or taking from it. Saith, Surely I come quickly - That is, the development of these events will soon begin - though their consummation may extend into far distant ages, or into eternity. See the notes on Rev 1:1, Rev 1:3; Rev 22:7, Rev 22:10. Amen - A word of solemn affirmation or assent. See the notes on Mat 6:13. Here it is to be regarded as the expression of John, signifying his solemn and cheerful assent to what the Saviour had said, that he would come quickly. It is the utterance of a strong desire that it might be so. He longed for his appearing. Even so - These, too, are the words of John, and are a response to what the Saviour had just said. In the original, it is a response in the same language which the Saviour had used, and the beauty of the passage is marred by the translation “Even so.” The original is, “He which testifieth to these things saith, Yea - ναὶ nai - I come quickly. Amen. […]
The words behind it
11 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Λέγει | legei | Says | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| ὁ | ho | the [One] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μαρτυρῶν | marturon | testifying | G3140 → | 76 times |
| ταῦτα· | tauta | these things; | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| ναὶ | nai | Yes | G3483 → | 33 times |
| ἔρχομαι | erchomai | I am coming | G2064 → | 628 times |
| ταχύ· | tachu | quickly; | G5035 → | 9 times |
| ἀμήν. | amen | Amen. | G281 → | 127 times |
| ἔρχου, | erchou | do come, | G2064 → | 628 times |
| κύριε | kurie | Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| Ἰησοῦ.¶ | iesou | Jesus! | G2424 → | 908 times |
ΛέγειSays
legeiG3004 →1325 times
ὁthe [One]
hoG3588 →19766 times
μαρτυρῶνtestifying
marturonG3140 →76 times
ταῦτα·these things;
tautaG3778 →1381 times
ναὶYes
naiG3483 →33 times
ἔρχομαιI am coming
erchomaiG2064 →628 times
ταχύ·quickly;
tachuG5035 →9 times
ἀμήν.Amen.
amenG281 →127 times
ἔρχου,do come,
erchouG2064 →628 times
κύριεLord
kurieG2962 →711 times
Ἰησοῦ.¶Jesus!
iesouG2424 →908 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Revelation 22:12“Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to what he has done.
it leads to
- Matthew 16:27
For the Son of Man will come in His Father’s glory with His angels, and then He will repay each one according to what he has done.
- Isaiah 62:11
Behold, the LORD has proclaimed to the ends of the earth, “Say to Daughter Zion: See, your Savior comes! Look, His reward is with Him, and His recompense goes before Him.”
- Isaiah 40:10
Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and His arm establishes His rule. His reward is with Him, and His recompense accompanies Him.
- 1 Corinthians 3:14
If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward.
- Revelation 22:7
“Behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of prophecy in this book.”
- Matthew 16:27
Through
2 Timothy 4:8From now on there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but to all who…
it leads to
- James 1:12
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.
- James 1:12
Through
Hebrews 9:28so also Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him.
it leads to
- Titus 2:13
as we await the blessed hope and glorious appearance of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.
- 1 Peter 2:24
He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. “By His stripes you are healed.”
- Titus 2:13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies17
About Revelation
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Andreas of Caesarea, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 22:20-21; Apringius of Beja, TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 22:20; Bede, Commentary on Revelation; Caesarius of Arles, EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 22:20, HOMILY 19; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Oecumenius, Commentary on Revelation and Primasius of Hadrumetum, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 22:20.