Bible / Revelation (Apocalypse)

Revelation (Apocalypse) 22

Douay-Rheims Bible, Challoner revision (1749–1752), the traditional Catholic English Bible, translated from the Latin Vulgate. If you read a modern Bible, this is the same Scripture in older English; some names are spelled differently (Cesarea for Caesarea, Apocalypse for Revelation). About this translation

¹ And he shewed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. CCC

² In the midst of the street thereof, and on both sides of the river, was the tree of life, bearing twelve fruits, yielding its fruits every month: and the leaves of the tree for the healing of the nations.

³ And there shall be no curse any more: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it. And his servants shall serve him.

⁴ And they shall see his face: and his name shall be on their foreheads. CCC

⁵ And night shall be no more. And they shall not need the light of the lamp, nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God shall enlighten them. And they shall reign for ever and ever. CCC

⁶ And he said to me: These words are most faithful and true. And the Lord God of the spirits of the prophets sent his angel to shew his servants the things which must be done shortly.

⁷ And: Behold I come quickly. Blessed is he that keepeth the words of the prophecy of this book.

⁸ And I, John, who have heard and seen these things. And, after I had heard and seen, I fell down to adore before the feet of the angel who shewed me these things.

⁹ And he said to me: See thou do it not. For I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets and of them that keep the words of the prophecy of this book. Adore God.

¹⁰ And he saith to me: Seal not the words of the prophecy of this book. For the time is at hand.

¹¹ He that hurteth, let him hurt still: and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is just, let him be justified still: and he that is holy, let him be sanctified still.

¹² Behold, I come quickly: and my reward is with me, to render to every, man according to his works. Fathers

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

¹⁴ Blessed are they that wash their robes in the blood of the Lamb: that they may have a right to the tree of life and may enter in by the gates into the city.

¹⁵ Without are dogs and sorcerers and unchaste and murderers and servers of idols and every one that loveth and maketh a lie. CCC

¹⁶ I, Jesus, have sent my angel, to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the root and stock of David, the bright and morning star. CCC

¹⁷ And the spirit and the bride say: Come. And he that heareth, let him say: Come. And he that thirsteth, let him come. And he that will, let him take the water of life, freely. CCC · Fathers

¹⁸ For I testify to every one that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book: If any man shall add to these things, God shall add unto him the plagues written in this book.

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

²⁰ He that giveth testimony of these things, saith: Surely, I come quickly: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. CCC

²¹ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. CCC

This chapter in the Catechism and the early Church

Where the Catechism of the Catholic Church cites these verses (from its footnotes on vatican.va), and where the earliest Church Fathers quote them (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1, public domain). Short quotes only; follow the links for the full text.

Verse 1CCC 1137
Read the Catechism
- CCC 1137 “The book of Revelation of St. John, read in the Church's liturgy, first reveals to us, "A throne stood in heaven, with…”
Verse 4CCC 1023
Read the Catechism
- CCC 1023 “Those who die in God's grace and friendship and are perfectly purified live for ever with Christ. They are like God for…”
Verse 5CCC 1029
Read the Catechism
- CCC 1029 “In the glory of heaven the blessed continue joyfully to fulfill God's will in relation to other men and to all creation.…”
Verse 12
Read the Fathers
- “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.”
  Quoted in First Letter to the Corinthians, St. Clement of Rome (c. AD 96), Chapter XXXIV. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
Verse 15CCC 1470
Read the Catechism
- CCC 1470 “In this sacrament, the sinner, placing himself before the merciful judgment of God, anticipates in a certain way the judgment to which…”
Verse 16CCC 437 CCC 528
Read the Catechism
- CCC 437 “To the shepherds, the angel announced the birth of Jesus as the Messiah promised to Israel: "To you is born this day…”
- CCC 528 “The Epiphany is the manifestation of Jesus as Messiah of Israel, Son of God and Saviour of the world. the great feast…”
Verse 17CCC 524 CCC 671 CCC 694 CCC 757 CCC 796 CCC 1130 CCC 2550 CCC 2853
Read the Catechism and Fathers
- CCC 524 “When the Church celebrates the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing…”
- CCC 671 “Though already present in his Church, Christ's reign is nevertheless yet to be fulfilled "with power and great glory" by the King's…”
- CCC 694 “Water. the symbolism of water signifies the Holy Spirit's action in Baptism, since after the invocation of the Holy Spirit it becomes…”
- CCC 757 “The Church, further, which is called 'that Jerusalem which is above' and 'our mother', is described as the spotless spouse of the…”
- CCC 796 “The unity of Christ and the Church, head and members of one Body, also implies the distinction of the two within a…”
- CCC 1130 “The Church celebrates the mystery of her Lord "until he comes," when God will be "everything to everyone." Since the apostolic age…”
- “… easy to obtain from the Church; since the apostles, like a rich man [depositing his money] in a bank, lodged in her hands most copiously all things pertaining to the truth: so that every man, whosoever will, can draw from her the water of life.”
  Quoted in Against Heresies, Book III, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter IV. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
Verse 19
Read the Fathers
- “Now, in the first place, it is loss to wander from the truth, and to imagine that as being the case which is not; then again, as there shall be no light punishment [inflicted] upon him who either adds or subtracts anything from the Scripture,”
  Quoted in Against Heresies, Book V, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XXX. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
Verse 20CCC 451 CCC 671 CCC 673 CCC 1130 CCC 2817 CCC 2853
Read the Catechism
- CCC 451 “Christian prayer is characterized by the title "Lord", whether in the invitation to prayer ("The Lord be with you"), its conclusion ("through…”
- CCC 671 “Though already present in his Church, Christ's reign is nevertheless yet to be fulfilled "with power and great glory" by the King's…”
- CCC 673 “Since the Ascension Christ's coming in glory has been imminent, even though "it is not for you to know times or seasons…”
- CCC 1130 “The Church celebrates the mystery of her Lord "until he comes," when God will be "everything to everyone." Since the apostolic age…”
- CCC 2817 “This petition is "Marana tha," the cry of the Spirit and the Bride: "Come, Lord Jesus." Even if it had not been…”
- CCC 2853 “Victory over the "prince of this world" was won once for all at the Hour when Jesus freely gave himself up to…”
Verse 21CCC 1061
Read the Catechism
- CCC 1061 “The Creed, like the last book of the Bible, ends with the Hebrew word amen. This word frequently concludes prayers in the…”

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A modern English Catholic translation will be added once its publisher grants permission.