“Behold, I come quickly. My reward is with me, to repay to each man according to his work.
Parallel translations
- KJV And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
- BSB “Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to what he has done.
- NKJV “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.
- NASB “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to reward each one as his work deserves.
- NLT “Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus again declares, 'I come quickly,' bringing reward to repay each according to his work. Christ returns as the righteous Judge of all.
Overview
The promise of swift return is joined to judgment, for Christ repays each person justly (cf. Isaiah 40:10; Matthew 16:27). Recompense according to works affirms that how one lives reveals one's true allegiance. For the redeemed this is reward by grace; for the unrepentant, just judgment.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Matt 16:27For the Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will render to everyone according to his deeds.
- Isa 62:11Behold, Yahweh has proclaimed to the end of the earth, “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your salvation comes. Behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.’”
- Isa 40:10Behold, the Lord Yahweh will come as a mighty one, and his arm will rule for him. Behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.
- 1 Cor 3:14If any man’s work remains which he built on it, he will receive a reward.
- Rev 22:7“Behold, I come quickly. Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
- 1 Cor 3:8Now he who plants and he who waters are the same, but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.
- Rom 2:6–11who “will pay back to everyone according to their works:”
- Rom 14:12So then each one of us will give account of himself to God.
- Rev 11:18The nations were angry, and your wrath came, as did the time for the dead to be judged, and to give your bondservants the prophets, their reward, as well as to the saints, and those who fear your name, to the small and the great; and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”
- Rev 22:20He who testifies these things says, “Yes, I come quickly.” Amen! Yes, come, Lord Jesus.
- Rev 20:12I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and they opened books. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works.
- Isa 3:10–11Tell the righteous “Good!” For they shall eat the fruit of their deeds.
- Zeph 1:14The great day of Yahweh is near. It is near, and hurries greatly, the voice of the day of Yahweh. The mighty man cries there bitterly.
- 1 Cor 9:17–18For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward. But if not of my own will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me.
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Christ at the center
Revelation ends the story with the slain-yet-standing Lamb who is worthy, the Lion of Judah, the Alpha and Omega, the returning King who makes all things new and dwells with his people forever.
How Revelation 22:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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