Revelation 22:11
in Revelation 22Let the unrighteous continue to be unrighteous, and the vile continue to be vile; let the righteous continue to practice righteousness, and the holy continue to be holy.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
He that is unrighteous, let him do unrighteousness still: and he that is filthy, let him be made filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him do righteousness still: and he that is holy, let him be made holy still.
KJV
He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
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This verse in Revelation 22
Commentary
13 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
He that is unjust, let him be unjust still - This must refer to the scenes beyond the judgment, and must be intended to affirm an important truth in regard to the condition of people in the future state. It cannot refer to the condition of human beings on this side the grave, for there is no fixed and unchangeable condition in this world.
This site's exposition
continue to be unrighteous
Let the unrighteous continue to be unrighteous sets two pairs against each other, the unrighteous and the vile against the righteous and the holy. The words describe a condition fixed at the end, as the door was shut on the foolish virgins at Matthew 25:10.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
The blessed Blandina … rejoiced in her death as though she had been invited to a bridal banquet instead of being a victim of the beasts. After the scourges, the animals and the hot griddle, she was at last tossed into a net and exposed to a bull. After being tossed a good deal by the animal, she no longer perceived what was happening because of the hope and possession of all she believed in and because of her intimacy with Christ.
The angel does not desire that sinners perish. He rather warns those who do iniquity so that hearing the sound of a celestial threat, they might wish to abstain from evil works. Moreover, that the righteous might be made even better, he says, "Let the …
"Let the wickedness of sinners be consummated." In this context, "consummated" means "brought to completion," in tune with what is said in the Apocalypse, "Let the righteous become more righteous yet, and the filthy still wallow in their filth." The wickedness of those who crucified the Son of God seems to be complete, but greater still is the wickedness of those who do not wish to live uprightly and hate the commandments of truth for which the Son of God was crucified. The psalmist said, therefore, "Let the wickedness of sinners be consummated," that is, let it come to the pinnacle of wickedness, so that the righteous judgment can come immediately.
A commentator
Primasius of HadrumetumCOMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 22:11 · Written before 560.
proposed
He shows that the judgments of God by which evil people are allowed to become even more evil are hidden yet just. Yet here we ought not think that evil persons harm only others; they harm especially themselves. And therefore it continues, "Let him who …
He says, let the unjust continue to do injustice still, and the filthy be filthy still. He does not command or order that they be unjust or be filthy, but says this: a little more time is still allowed to men; therefore let each one …
6 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
[Herod knew that John the Baptist was a just man and kept him safe]. But his love for the woman prevailed, and she forced him to lay his hands on a man whom he knew to be holy and just. Since he was unwilling to …
He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he who is filthy, let him be filthy still. Here he shows the hidden, yet just, judgments of God, by which wicked men are allowed to progress to worse, that is, to reach the height …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
He that is unrighteous - As if he had said, The final judgment is at hand; after which the condition of all mankind will admit of no change forever. Unrighteous - Unjustified.
He that is unjust, let him be unjust still,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
In the letter of the Vienne and Lyons Martyrs (in EUSEBIUS) in the second century, the reading is, "He that is lawless (Greek, 'anomos') let him be lawless; and he that is righteous let him be righteous (literally, 'be justified') still." No manuscript is so old. A, B, Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, ANDREAS, and CYPRIAN read, "let him do righteousness" (1Jo 2:29;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
He that is unjust, let him be unjust still - The time of fulfillment will come so suddenly that there will be but little space for repentance and amendment. What is done must be done instantly; and let him that is holy persevere, and hold fast what he has received.
The words behind it
20 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὁ | ho | The [one] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀδικῶν | adikon | being unrighteous | G91 → | 28 times |
| ἀδικησάτω | adikesato | he should be unrighteous | G91 → | 28 times |
| ἔτι, | eti | still, | G2089 → | 140 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὁ | ho | he who | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ῥυπαρὸς | rhuparos | filthy | G4508 → | |
| ῥυπανθήτω | rhupantheto | he should be defiled | G4510 → | |
| ἔτι, | eti | still, | G2089 → | 140 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὁ | ho | he who | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δίκαιος | dikaios | [is] righteous | G1342 → | 79 times |
| δικαιοσύνην | dikaiosunen | righteousness | G1343 → | |
| ποιησάτω | poiesato | he should practice | G4160 → | 569 times |
| ἔτι· | eti | still; | G2089 → | 140 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὁ | ho | he who [is] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἅγιος | hagios | holy | G40 → | 220 times |
| ἁγιασθήτω | hagiastheto | he should be holy | G37 → | |
| ἔτι. | eti | still. | G2089 → | 140 times |
ὁThe [one]
hoG3588 →19766 times
ἀδικῶνbeing unrighteous
adikonG91 →28 times
ἀδικησάτωhe should be unrighteous
adikesatoG91 →28 times
ἔτι,still,
etiG2089 →140 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὁhe who
hoG3588 →19766 times
ῥυπαρὸςfilthy
rhuparosG4508 →
ῥυπανθήτωhe should be defiled
rhupanthetoG4510 →
ἔτι,still,
etiG2089 →140 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὁhe who
hoG3588 →19766 times
δίκαιος[is] righteous
dikaiosG1342 →79 times
δικαιοσύνηνrighteousness
dikaiosunenG1343 →
ποιησάτωhe should practice
poiesatoG4160 →569 times
ἔτι·still;
etiG2089 →140 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὁhe who [is]
hoG3588 →19766 times
ἅγιοςholy
hagiosG40 →220 times
ἁγιασθήτωhe should be holy
hagiasthetoG37 →
ἔτι.still.
etiG2089 →140 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
Proverbs 4:18The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.
it leads to
- John 8:12
Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
- Job 11:17
Your life will be brighter than noonday; its darkness will be like the morning.
- Daniel 12:3
Then the wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever and ever.
- Philippians 2:15
so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world
- 2 Corinthians 3:18
And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
- John 8:12
Through
Daniel 12:10Many will be purified, made spotless, and refined, but the wicked will continue to act wickedly. None of the wicked will understand, but the wise will understand.
it leads to
- Daniel 11:35
Some of the wise will fall, so that they may be refined, purified, and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.
- Hosea 14:9
Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the LORD are right, and the righteous walk in them but the rebellious stumble in…
- Daniel 11:35
Through
2 Timothy 3:13while evil men and imposters go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
it leads to
- 1 Timothy 4:1
Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons,
- 1 Timothy 4:1
Where this verse is studied
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About Revelation

This page draws on 13 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); Apringius of Beja, TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 22:11; Augustine of Hippo, EXPLANATION OF PSALM 7.9; Bede, Homilies on the Gospels 2.23; Bede, Commentary on Revelation; Eusebius of Caesarea, ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 5.1.55-58; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Revelation and Primasius of Hadrumetum, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 22:11.
