The Meaning of Revelation 22:5 Explained

Revelation 22:5

KJV: And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

YLT: and night shall not be there, and they have no need of a lamp and light of a sun, because the Lord God doth give them light, and they shall reign -- to the ages of the ages.

Darby: And night shall not be any more, and no need of a lamp, and light of the sun; for the Lord God shall shine upon them, and they shall reign to the ages of ages.

ASV: And there shall be night no more; and they need no light of lamp, neither light of sun; for the Lord God shall give them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  there shall be  no  night  there;  and  they need  no  candle,  neither  light  of the sun;  for  the Lord  God  giveth  them  light:  and  they shall reign  for  ever  and ever. 

What does Revelation 22:5 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The final point John stressed was the great glory of God that will illuminate the whole new earth ( Revelation 21:23-25; cf. Zechariah 14:6-7; Zechariah 14:9). Previously he mentioned this to show how glorious the city will be, but now he did so to emphasize what delight this will result in for the city-dwellers (cf. Numbers 6:22-27). He added that His bond-servants will reign with Him forever, not just in the millennial kingdom ( Revelation 20:4; Revelation 20:6). This is the fulfillment of God"s desire and command that man should rule over His creation ( Genesis 1:26). [1] Evidently faithful believers will have more authority in the new creation than unfaithful believers, as will be true during the Millennium (cf. Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:11-27). However, we should not think of a type of rule in which some people become the objects of oppression.
"Our faithfulness in life prepares us for higher service in heaven." [2]
"Who knows but what He will give to each saint a world or a solar system or a galactic system to operate. Remember that Adam was given dominion over the old creation on this earth." [3]
Thus the prophecy of things that shall take place after present things ( Revelation 1:19), which began in Revelation 4:1, closes with another picture of God"s servants worshipping around His throne and ruling under His authority.
"As seen in the Book of Revelation , worship today should involve adoration of God"s being, declaration of the Lamb"s worthiness, a celebration of God"s presence, submission to His authority, and fearing and serving Him." [4]
Many commentators believed that the New Jerusalem is the place to which Jesus referred when He told His disciples that He was going to prepare a place for them ( John 14:2). However, He probably meant that His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension constituted His preparatory work rather than His special creation of the new heavens and earth.
Sometimes people speak of the new heavens and earth as the eternal state. This terminology has led some to conclude that time as we know it, which marks events in sequence, will end when God destroys the present heavens and earth. This view was popular with some pagan Greek philosophers, and Origen held it. Some non-Christian eastern religions teach this view, and some Christians hold it today. There is no indication in the text, however, that the new creation will introduce a timeless form of existence. In fact the term "forever and ever" ( Revelation 20:10; Revelation 21:5) implies the continuation of time without end. Furthermore the reference to months ( Revelation 22:2) implies the sequence of events. The references to distances picture a creation in which there is not only time but space (cf. Revelation 21:2-3; Revelation 21:8; Revelation 21:10; Revelation 21:13-17; Revelation 21:24-27; Revelation 22:1-2).
""Eternity" to Old Testament people was not timelessness or absence of time. They knew no such realm. It was, rather, extension of time-as far back and as far forward as one could imagine-"time in its wholeness" (JB), "sense of time past and future" (NEB)." [5]
"We do well to return again and again to Revelation 21 , 22 , for it is the end of the pilgrim path. The more distinct the vision to the pilgrim of the beauty and glory of the city to which he journeys, the less the immediate environments of his journey attract him." [6]
"This final vision of the book concerning these same five themes-new covenant, new temple, new Israel, new Jerusalem, and new creation-is also the climax and the expression of the main point of the Apocalypse thus far. But it is not the main point of the whole book. Why is this vision placed at the end of the book? It is here to underscore the ultimate basis for John"s final goal and purpose in writing: to exhort God"s people to remain faithful....
"While the main goal of the book"s argument is to exhort God"s people to remain faithful so that they will inherit final salvation, this is not the most important theological idea in the book. The major theological theme of the book is the glory that God is to receive for accomplishing consummate salvation and final judgment..." [7]

Context Summary

Rev 22:1-9 - "the River Of Water Of Life"
The first five verses of this chapter obviously belong to the preceding one, from which they should not be severed. The ever-flowing river of life proves that the whole life of the blessed depends on the life of God, resident in the enthroned Lamb and communicated through the Holy Spirit. In Eden there was one tree of life; in the New Jerusalem there is a grove with perennial fruit, not protected by a flaming sword, but standing freely in the main thoroughfare, that all who will may take. Observe the threefold description of the saints-they serve, they behold, and they resemble Revelation 22:3-4. No night with its shadow; no rest is needed in the delightful service; no artificial, but un-derived and original light; no cessation of regnant power, for they shall reign forever and ever.
When the visions end, John is assured of the reality and truth of all that he has heard and seen. It appears that the Master Himself broke in with the assurance of His speedy advent; and who shall say that that assurance has failed, when we measure the flight of time with the years of the right hand of the Most High? We should remember also that the fall of Jerusalem and the sack of Jerusalem marked stages in the Advent. [source]

Chapter Summary: Rev 22

1  The river of the water of life
2  The tree of life
5  The light of the city of God is himself
7  Jesus Is Coming
9  The angel will not be worshipped
18  Nothing may be added to the word of God, nor taken away

Greek Commentary for Revelation 22:5

Shall be night no more [νυχ ουκ εσται ετι]
As in Revelation 21:25. [source]
They need [εχουσιν χρειαν]
Present active indicative, “They have need,” though A has εχουσιν — hexousin (shall have), future like εσται — estai Here again there is repetition of part of Revelation 21:23, but for the purpose of showing the delightsomeness of the New Jerusalem with no need of lamp or sun (change to πως — phōs with ηλιου — hēliou instead of πωτος — phōtos “they have no light of sun”).Shall give them light (πωτισει — phōtisei). Future active of πωτιζω — phōtizō while aorist επωτισεν — ephōtisen in Revelation 21:23.They shall reign Future active of βασιλευω — basileuō Reign eternally in contrast with the limited millennial reign of Revelation 20:4, Revelation 20:6. This glorious eternal reign with Christ occurs repeatedly in the book (Revelation 1:6; Revelation 3:21; Revelation 5:10) as in Luke 22:30. Christ‘s Kingdom is spiritual (John 18:36.). “The visions of the Apocalypse are now ended; they have reached their climax in the New Jerusalem” (Swete). Now John gives the parting utterances of some of the speakers, and it is not always clear who is speaking. [source]
Shall give them light [πωτισει]
Future active of πωτιζω — phōtizō while aorist επωτισεν — ephōtisen in Revelation 21:23. [source]
They shall reign [βασιλευσουσιν]
Future active of βασιλευω — basileuō Reign eternally in contrast with the limited millennial reign of Revelation 20:4, Revelation 20:6. This glorious eternal reign with Christ occurs repeatedly in the book (Revelation 1:6; Revelation 3:21; Revelation 5:10) as in Luke 22:30. Christ‘s Kingdom is spiritual (John 18:36.). “The visions of the Apocalypse are now ended; they have reached their climax in the New Jerusalem” (Swete). Now John gives the parting utterances of some of the speakers, and it is not always clear who is speaking. [source]
No night there [ἐκεῖ]
Substitute ἔτι anymore. Rev., there shall be night no more. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Revelation 22:5

John 1:9 There was [ην]
Imperfect indicative. Emphatic position at the beginning of the sentence and so probably not periphrastic conjugation with ερχομενον — erchomenon (coming) near the end, though that is possible. The true light “The light the genuine,” not a false light of wreckers of ships, but the dependable light that guides to the harbor of safety. This true light had been on hand all the time in the darkness Added in the English to make plain this interpretation. Lighteth every man Old verb (from πως — phōs) to give light as in Revelation 22:5; Luke 11:35. The Quakers appeal to this phrase for their belief that to every man there is given an inner light that is a sufficient guide, the Quaker‘s text it is called. But it may only mean that all the real light that men receive comes from Christ, not necessarily that each one receives a special revelation. Coming This present middle participle of ερχομαι — erchomai can be taken with αντρωπον — anthrōpon just before (accusative masculine singular), “every man as he comes into the world.” It can also be construed with πως — phōs (nominative neuter singular). This idea occurs in John 3:19; John 11:27; John 12:46. In the two last passages the phrase is used of the Messiah which makes it probable here. But even so the light presented in John 11:27; John 12:46 is that of the Incarnate Messiah, not the Pre-incarnate Logos. Here κοσμος — kosmos rather than παντα — panta occurs in the sense of the orderly universe as often in this Gospel. See Ephesians 1:4. [source]
2 Timothy 2:12 If we suffer we shall also reign with him [εἰ ὑπομένομεν, καὶ συνβασιλεύσομεν]
For suffer, rend. endure. Συνβασιλεύειν toreign with, only here and 1 Corinthians 4:8. Comp. Luke 19:17, Luke 19:19; Luke 22:29, Luke 22:30; Romans 5:17; Revelation 4:4; Revelation 5:10; Revelation 22:5. [source]
1 Peter 1:4 Incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away []
Note Peter's characteristic multiplication of epithets. Incorruptible ( ἄφθαρτον )From ἀ , not, and φθείρω , to destroy or corrupt. Undefiled ( ἀμίαντον )From ἀ , not, and μιαίνω , to defile, though the verb means especially to defile by staining, as with color; while μολύνω , also translated defile (1 Corinthians 8:7), is to besmirch, as with mire. We might render unstained, though the word is not used with any conscious reference to its etymology. That fadeth not away ( ἀμάραντον ) Used by Peter only, and but once. From ἀ , not, and μαραίνομαι , to wither. The loveliness of the heavenly inheritance is described as exempt from the blight which attaches to earthly bloom. As between ἄφθαρτον , incorruptible, and ἀμάραντον , unwitheringthe former emphasizes the indestructibility of substance, and the latter of grace, and beauty. The latter adjective appears in the familiar botanical name amaranth. It will be observed that all of these three epithets are compounded with the negative particle ἀ , not. Archbishop Trench aptly remarks that “it is a remarkable testimony to the reign of sin, and therefore of imperfection, of decay, of death throughout this whole fallen world, that as often as we desire to set forth the glory, purity, and perfection of that other, higher world toward which we strive, we are almost inevitably compelled to do this by the aid of negatives; by the denying to that higher order of things the leading features and characteristics of this.” Compare Revelation 21:1, Revelation 21:4, Revelation 21:22, Revelation 21:23, Revelation 21:27; Revelation 22:3, Revelation 22:5. [source]
Revelation 1:6 Kings [βασιλεῖς]
The correct reading is, βασιλείαν akingdom. The term King is never applied in the New Testament to individual Christians. The reigning of the saints is emphasized in this book. See Revelation 5:10; Revelation 20:4, Revelation 20:6; Revelation 22:5. Compare Daniel 7:18, Daniel 7:22. [source]
Revelation 18:1 Was lightened [επωτιστη]
First aorist passive of πωτιζω — phōtizō old causative verb (from πως — phōs light), common in N.T. as in Revelation 18:1; Revelation 21:23; Revelation 22:5.With his glory (εκ της δοχης αυτου — ek tēs doxēs autou). “By reason of (εκ — ek as in Revelation 8:13; Revelation 16:10) his glory.” “So recently has he come from the Presence that in passing he flings a broad belt of light across the dark earth” (Swete). [source]
Revelation 18:23 Of a lamp [λυχνου]
Old word (Matthew 5:15), again in Revelation 22:5. [source]
Revelation 20:6 Priests of God and of Christ [ιερεις του τεου και του Χριστου]
As in Revelation 1:6; Revelation 5:10; Revelation 22:3, Revelation 22:5.Shall reign with him (βασιλευσουσιν μετ αυτου — basileusousin met' autou). As promised in the same passages. The servants of God are to be priests with Christ and to reign with him (Matthew 19:28). In Revelation 5:10 επι της γης — epi tēs gēs (upon earth) occurs, but this item does not appear here. “No hint is given as to where this service is to be rendered and this royalty to be exercised” (Swete). [source]

What do the individual words in Revelation 22:5 mean?

And night not there will be there they have need of [the] light of a lamp of [the] sun because [the] Lord - God will enlighten upon them they will reign to the ages of the ages
καὶ νὺξ οὐκ ἔσται ἔτι ἔχουσιν χρείαν φωτὸς λύχνου ἡλίου ὅτι Κύριος Θεὸς φωτίσει ἐπ’ αὐτούς βασιλεύσουσιν εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων

νὺξ  night 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: νύξ  
Sense: night.
ἔσται  there  will  be 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
ἔχουσιν  they  have 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἔχω  
Sense: to have, i.e. to hold.
χρείαν  need 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: χρεία  
Sense: necessity, need.
φωτὸς  of  [the]  light 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root: φῶς  
Sense: light.
λύχνου  of  a  lamp 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: λύχνος  
Sense: a lamp, candle, that is placed on a stand or candlestick.
ἡλίου  of  [the]  sun 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ἥλιος  
Sense: the sun.
ὅτι  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
Κύριος  [the]  Lord 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: κύριος  
Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεὸς  God 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
φωτίσει  will  enlighten 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: φωτίζω  
Sense: to give light, to shine.
ἐπ’  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐπί  
Sense: upon, on, at, by, before.
βασιλεύσουσιν  they  will  reign 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: βασιλεύω  
Sense: to be king, to exercise kingly power, to reign.
αἰῶνας  ages 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: αἰών  
Sense: for ever, an unbroken age, perpetuity of time, eternity.
τῶν  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
αἰώνων  ages 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: αἰών  
Sense: for ever, an unbroken age, perpetuity of time, eternity.