Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by its gates.
Parallel translations
- WEB Blessed 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.
- KJV Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
- NKJV Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.
- NASB Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they will have the right to the tree of life, and may enter the city by the gates.
- NLT Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life.
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
Blessed are those who do his commandments, gaining the right to the tree of life and entry into the city. Persevering, obedient faith leads to eternal life.
Overview
This beatitude pronounces blessing on those whose lives are washed and shaped by Christ, evidenced in glad obedience (cf. 7:14, some manuscripts read 'wash their robes'). Access to the tree of life and the city is granted, not earned, through the Lamb. Genuine faith bears the fruit of keeping God's commands (John 14:15).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 27
- Rev 21:27But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who practices an abomination or a lie, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
- 1 Jn 5:3For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome,
- Rev 22:7“Behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of prophecy in this book.”
- 1 Jn 3:23–24And this is His commandment: that we should believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and we should love one another just as He commanded us.
- 1 Jn 3:3And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as Christ is pure.
- Rev 2:7He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to eat from the tree of life in the Paradise of God.
- John 14:15If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
- 1 Cor 7:19Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commandments is what counts.
- John 15:10–14If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.
- John 14:21–23Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him.”
- Ps 119:1–6Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the Law of the LORD.
- Rev 22:2down the middle of the main street of the city. On either side of the river stood a tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit and yielding a fresh crop for each month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
- John 10:9I am the gate. If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved. He will come in and go out and find pasture.
- John 10:7So He said to them again, “Truly, truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.
- Ps 112:1Hallelujah! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in His commandments.
- Gal 5:6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. All that matters is faith, expressed through love.
- Rev 7:14“Sir,” I answered, “you know.” So he replied, “These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
- Matt 7:21–27Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
- Rev 21:12The city had a great and high wall with twelve gates inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, and twelve angels at the gates.
- Ps 106:3–5Blessed are those who uphold justice, who practice righteousness at all times.
- John 14:6Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
- 1 Cor 8:9Be careful, however, that your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.
- Luke 12:37–38Blessed are those servants whom the master finds on watch when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve and will have them recline at the table, and he himself will come and wait on them.
- Isa 56:1–2This is what the LORD says: “Maintain justice and do what is right, for My salvation is coming soon, and My righteousness will be revealed.
- Dan 12:12Blessed is he who waits and reaches the end of the 1,335 days.
- 1 Cor 9:5Have we no right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas?
- John 4:12Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock?”
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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 22:14 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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