Revelation 21:25–22:2

21:25 Its gates will never be closed during the day61 (and62 there will be no night there).63 21:26 They will bring the grandeur and the wealth64 of the nations65 into it, 21:27 but66 nothing ritually unclean67 will ever enter into it, nor anyone who does what is detestable68 or practices falsehood,69 but only those whose names70 are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

22:1 Then1 the angel2 showed me the river of the water of life—water as clear as crystal—pouring out3 from the throne of God and of the Lamb, 22:2 flowing down the middle of the city’s4 main street.5 On each side6 of the river is the tree of life producing twelve kinds7 of fruit, yielding its fruit every month of the year.8 Its leaves are for the healing of the nations.

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61	tn On the translation “during the day” see BDAG 436 s.v. ἡμέρα 1.a, “But also, as in Thu. et al., of time within which someth. occurs, ἡμέρας during the day Rv 21:25.”
62	tn The Greek connective γάρ (gar) most often expresses some sort of causal connection. However, in this context there is no causal force to the second phrase; γάρ simply expresses continuation or connection. Because of this it has been translated as “and.” See BDAG 189–90 s.v. 2.
63	tn The clause has virtually the force of a parenthetical comment.
64	tn Grk “honor,” but BDAG 1005 s.v. τιμή 2.b states, “An outstanding feature of the use of τ., as already shown in several passages, is its combination w. δόξα … of earthly possessions τὴν δόξαν καὶ τὴν τιμὴν τῶν ἐθνῶν Rv 21:26 (τιμή concr.=an object of value: Ezk 22:25).”
65	tn Or “the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).
66	tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
67	tn Here BDAG 552 s.v. κοινός 2 states, “pert. to being of little value because of being common, common, ordinary, profane … b. specifically, of that which is ceremonially impure: Rv 21:27.”
68	tn Or “what is abhorrent”; Grk “who practices abominations.”
69	tn Grk “practicing abomination or falsehood.” Because of the way βδέλυγμα (bdelugma) has been translated (“does what is detestable”) it was necessary to repeat the idea from the participle ποιῶν (poiōn, “practices”) before the term “falsehood.” On this term, BDAG 1097 s.v. ψεῦδος states, “ποιεῖν ψεῦδος practice (the things that go with) falsehood Rv 21:27; 22:15.” Cf. Rev 3:9.
70	tn Grk “those who are written”; the word “names” is implied.
1	tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
2	tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel mentioned in 21:9, 15) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
3	tn Grk “proceeding.” Water is more naturally thought to pour out or flow out in English idiom.
4	tn Grk “its”; the referent (the city, the new Jerusalem) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
5	tn The Greek word πλατεῖα (plateia) refers to a major (broad) street (L&N 1.103).
6	tn Grk “From here and from there.”
7	tn Or “twelve crops” (one for each month of the year).
8	tn The words “of the year” are implied.

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