Testimonia — Early Christian Bible Commentary

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Revelation 22

1He showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb,

2in the middle of its street. On this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruits, yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

3There will be no curse any more. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will serve him.

4They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.

5There will be no night, and they need no lamp light or sun light; for the Lord God will illuminate them. They will reign forever and ever.

6He said to me, “These words are faithful and true. The Lord God of the spirits of the prophets sent his angel to show to his bondservants the things which must happen soon.”

7“Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

8Now I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. When I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who had shown me these things.

9He said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow bondservant with you and with your brothers, the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”

10He said to me, “Don’t seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand.

11He who acts unjustly, let him act unjustly still. He who is filthy, let him be filthy still. He who is righteous, let him do righteousness still. He who is holy, let him be holy still.”

12“Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, to repay to each man according to his work.

13I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

14Blessed are those who do his commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city.

15Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

16I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify these things to you for the assemblies. I am the root and the offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”

17The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” He who hears, let him say, “Come!” He who is thirsty, let him come. He who desires, let him take the water of life freely.

18I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book.

19If anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book.

20He who testifies these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen! Yes, come, Lord Jesus!

21The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with all the saints. Amen.

Early Christian commentary

Late 1st century AD (traditionally c. 95–100) | Clement of Rome

The good servant receives the bread of his labour with confidence; the lazy and slothful cannot look his employer in the face. It is requisite, therefore, that we be prompt in the practice of well-doing; for of Him are all things. And thus He forewarns us: “Behold, the Lord [cometh], and His reward is before His face, to render to every man according to his work.” He exhorts us, therefore, with our whole heart to attend to this, that we be not lazy or slothful in any good work. Let our boasting and our confidence be in Him. Let us submit ourselves to His will. Let us consider the whole multitude of His angels, how they stand ever ready to minister to His will. For the Scripture saith, “Ten thousand times ten thousand stood around Him, and thousands of thousands ministered unto Him, and cried, Holy, holy, holy, [is] the Lord of Sabaoth; the whole creation is full of His glory.” And let us therefore, conscientiously gathering together in harmony, cry to Him earnestly, as with one mouth, that we may be made partakers of His great and glorious promises. For [the Scripture] saith, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which He hath prepared for them that wait for Him.”

Commentary · First Epistle to the Corinthians, Chapter XXXIV · Original source · The Writings of the Apostolic Fathers (T. & T. Clark, 1870), edited and translated by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson; independent electronic transcription: David King and the Online Proofreading Team, Project Gutenberg ebook 77576. · Licence · Source revision · Whitespace normalized; source pagination and footnote reference markers removed. English wording unchanged.

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