Revelation 22:12 - Printer Friendly

ESV: "Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.

NIV: "Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.

NASB: Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to reward each one as his work deserves.

CSB: "Look, I am coming soon, and my reward is with me to repay each person according to his work.

NLT: 'Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds.

KJV: And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

NKJV: “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.

Again, Jesus delivers a promise to return "soon," which is from a Greek word that more accurately means "quickly." This has more to do with how Jesus is coming than when. His return will be sudden and unpredictable (Matthew 24:36).

Also, this promise includes the fact that God will recompense each person according to his deeds. Faithful believers may anticipate rewards, but unbelievers must face punishment. When the apostle Paul neared execution, he looked forward to receiving the crown of righteousness that the Lord would award to him. He added that he would not be the only one to receive this reward. He said all who have loved Jesus' appearing will also receive the crown of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8). Other crowns (James 1:12; 1 Peter 5:4) are promised to faithful believers that will likely be awarded at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

Second Corinthians 5:10 states: "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil." This is often referred to as the "Bema seat," and is not the same as the judgment given to those who reject Christ. Unbelievers will be judged at the great white throne and be sentenced to eternal suffering in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11–15).

Revelation 22:6–13 moves on from the description of life in New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:9—22:5) and focuses on Jesus' return. This marks the end of John's visions of the future, returning to more immediate instructions for Christian believers; this is the epilogue to the book of Revelation. Both the beginning and closing of Revelation offer a blessing (Revelation 1:3; 22:7). Both stress the importance of keeping the prophecy being given (Revelation 1:3; 22:7). And both identify Jesus as the Alpha and Omega (Revelation 1:8; 22:13).

John sees additional images of New Jerusalem. The city's depiction stands in contrast to the ruin experienced during the tribulation, and evokes comparisons to the garden of Eden from the book of Genesis. After this, John relates several commands and messages from Jesus Christ. Among these are a dire warning not to manipulate the words of this message. Revelation, along with the canon of Scripture, ends with a benediction and prayer for Jesus to return.

This passage completes the description of New Jerusalem. Earlier chapters in Revelation described the final judgments against sin and death. Genesis chapter 3 described humanity's loss of paradise; Revelation 22 describes paradise regained. Concluding remarks by Jesus begin in verse 6 and continue through verse 20. Verse 21 records the apostle John's benediction, which marks the end of the New Testament canon.

The word ''revelation'' means ''an unveiling or disclosure.'' This writing unveils future events such as the rapture, three series of judgments that will fall on the earth during the tribulation, the emergence of the Antichrist, the persecution of Israel and her amazing revival, as well as Jesus' second coming with His saints to the earth, the judgment of Satan and his followers, and finally, the eternal state. This content, combined with the original Greek term apokalypsis, is why we now refer to an end-of-the-world scenario as ''an apocalypse.''