Revelation 22:19

19 And if any man do away of the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away the part of him from the book of life, and from the holy city, and from these things that be written in this book.

Revelation 22:19 Meaning and Commentary

Revelation 22:19

And if any man shall take away from the prophecy of this
book
As he may be said to do, who denies the authority of this book, which has been done by some, and which the Holy Ghost foresaw; or takes it away from, or denies the reading of it to the people, as the Papists do with respect to the whole Scripture; and who wilfully pervert the sense of it, and will not have the things in it, relating to antichrist, to belong to him. God shall take away his part out of the book of life;
by which is meant eternal election, which is the meaning of the phrase throughout this book, in which whoever are written shall certainly be saved. The worshippers of the beast, or the antichristian party, who are chiefly regarded here, are not written in it, ( Revelation 13:8 ) ( 17:8 ) wherefore taking away the part of such, is only taking away that which they seemed to have; see ( Luke 8:18 ) and the sense is, that such shall be cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death, and will be the portion of all that are not written in the book of life, ( Revelation 20:15 ) . The Alexandrian copy, one of Stephens's, and the Complutensian edition, read, "the tree of life"; and so do the Syriac and Ethiopic versions; the sense is the same; see ( John 15:2 ) and out of the holy city; the new Jerusalem, before described, a part in which is a right to enter into it through the gates, and possess the glories of it: what is mentioned here is only a seeming one, which wicked men may flatter themselves with; and the meaning is, that such shall never enter into it, and enjoy the happiness of it, but shall ever be without, ( Revelation 21:27 ) ( 22:15 ) and from the things which are written in this book;
the blessings promised to the overcomers in ( Revelation 2:7 Revelation 2:11 Revelation 2:17 Revelation 2:26 ) ( Revelation 3:5 Revelation 3:12 Revelation 3:21 ) which such as detract from this book shall have no share in. The Alexandrian copy, with some others, and the Syriac version, leave out the copulative "and", and read "which are written" connecting them with the book of life, and holy city, which are written, and spoken of, in this book. The Ethiopic version connects the words with the holy city, only reading them, "which is written" The Jews say of their Talmud, that nothing is to be added to it, or diminished from it F15.


FOOTNOTES:

F15 Ganz. Tzemach David, par. 1. fol. 34. 1.

Revelation 22:19 In-Context

17 And the Spirit and the spousess say [and the spouse, or wife, say], Come thou. And he that heareth, say, Come thou; and he that thirsteth, come; and he that will, take he freely the water of life [and he that will, take freely the water of life].
18 And I witness to each man hearing the words of prophecy of this book, if any man shall put to these things, God shall put on him the vengeances written in this book [God shall put upon him the plagues written in this book].
19 And if any man do away of the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away the part of him from the book of life, and from the holy city, and from these things that be written in this book.
20 He saith, that beareth witnessing of these things, Yea, Amen. [Lo!] I come soon. Amen. Come thou, Lord Jesus.
21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.