Revelation 22:19
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The verse highlights that God's consequence for diminishing this prophecy isn't just a removal from future blessings, but a removal of one's existing claim or portion in the tree of life and the holy city. This implies that tampering with God's Word can forfeit what one might have already considered theirs as a believer.
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse is the dramatic conclusion to the entire book of Revelation, following a final vision of the new Jerusalem and the tree of life. It serves as a stark warning about altering the words of this prophecy, which contains both severe judgments and glorious promises. The passage immediately before this speaks of Christ's imminent return and an open invitation to partake in the water of life freely, making this final prohibition about faithfulness to the text all the more profound.
Imagine God Himself warning you about tampering with His Word. This verse isn't a light suggestion; it's a solemn declaration about the eternal consequences.
Revelation 22:19 delivers a stark warning: altering God's prophetic word has severe repercussions. The text emphasizes that God will remove the offender's 'part' from the tree of life and the holy city.
More Than Just Copying
This isn't just about physically removing words from a scroll. It speaks to obscuring the meaning, downplaying its message, or even rejecting its truth altogether. It's about treating the divine message with disrespect or altering its intended impact.
Eternal Stakes
The loss of a 'part' in the tree of life and the holy city signifies a forfeiture of eternal salvation and participation in God's ultimate, redeemed kingdom. It highlights that the integrity of God's revelation is directly tied to our eternal destiny.
What are the 'tree of life' and the 'holy city' really about? This verse links them directly to the content of this prophecy, revealing their profound significance.
The 'tree of life' and the 'holy city' represent the ultimate blessings and inheritance promised to believers. They are the very essence of eternal life and fellowship with God, described extensively throughout Scripture, especially in Revelation itself.
Symbols of Salvation
Ask a follow-up
The Ultimate Inheritance
By threatening to remove a person's 'part' from these, God is declaring that those who corrupt His prophetic Word forfeit their claim to salvation and eternal reward. It’s a potent reminder that faithfulness to God’s revealed truth is paramount for receiving His ultimate blessings.
Understand the original words
xylon tēs zōēs · Greek Noun phrase
A symbol of eternal life, immortality, and restored communion with God, originally lost in Eden and restored in the new creation.
polis hagia · Greek Noun phrase
The city of God, symbolizing the place where His presence dwells with His redeemed people for eternity.
This passage from the Old Testament law warns against adding to or taking away from God's commands, mirroring the severe warning in Revelation about altering prophetic words.
Malachi 4:4Malachi also closes the Old Testament canon with a similar injunction to remember and obey the Law, reinforcing the idea of preserving divine revelation.
Proverbs 30:6This verse directly addresses not adding to God's words or taking away from them, highlighting a consistent theme throughout Scripture about the integrity of divine communication.
John 1:1This passage introduces Jesus as the 'Word' who was with God and was God, suggesting that tampering with God's prophetic words is akin to distorting the very nature of Christ himself.
clarkeRevelation 22:19: "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."
If any man shall take away - If any man shall lessen this meaning, curtail the sense, explain away the spirit and design, of these prophecies, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, etc. Thus Jesus Christ warns all those who consider this book to beware of…
bengelRevelation 22:19: "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 . Ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου τῆς ζωῆς καὶ τῆς πόλεως τὴς ἁγίας , τῶν γεγραμμένων , κ . τ . λ .) See App. Crit. Ed. ii. on this place.[251] The tree of life itself, and the holy city itself, are the first and the last (ch. 2. 3. 22), nay, even the sum of those disting…
The verse highlights that God's consequence for diminishing this prophecy isn't just a removal from future blessings, but a removal of one's existing claim or portion in the tree of life and the holy city. This implies that tampering with God's Word can forfeit what one might have already considered theirs as a believer.
This verse is the dramatic conclusion to the entire book of Revelation, following a final vision of the new Jerusalem and the tree of life. It serves as a stark warning about altering the words of this prophecy, which contains both severe judgments and glorious promises. The passage immediately before this speaks of Christ's imminent return and an open invitation to partake in the water of life freely, making this final prohibition about faithfulness to the text all the more profound.
This verse is the dramatic conclusion to the entire book of Revelation, following a final vision of the new Jerusalem and the tree of life. It serves as a stark warning about altering the words of this prophecy, which contains both severe judgments and glorious promises. The passage immediately before this speaks of Christ's imminent return and an open invitation to partake in the water of life freely, making this final prohibition about faithfulness to the text all the more profound.
"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." — The verse highlights that God's consequence for diminishing this prophecy isn't just a removal from future blessings, but a removal of one's existing claim or portion in the tree of life and the ho…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
