The Meaning of Revelation 22:10 Explained

Revelation 22:10

KJV: And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.

YLT: And he saith to me, 'Thou mayest not seal the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is nigh;

Darby: And he says to me, Seal not the words of the prophecy of this book. The time is near.

ASV: And he saith unto me, Seal not up the words of the prophecy of this book; for the time is at hand.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  he saith  unto me,  Seal  not  the sayings  of the prophecy  of this  book:  for  the time  is  at hand. 

What does Revelation 22:10 Mean?

Verse Meaning

John received instruction from the angel to leave his book open. He was not to close it because the fulfillment of the events predicted was near, and people needed to be aware of them (cf. Revelation 1:11). God had told Daniel to seal his prophecy, evidently because there was more prophecy to come ( Daniel 8:26; Daniel 12:4; Daniel 12:9-10; cf. Revelation 10:4). As an artist covers his work when it is under construction until it is complete, so God covered His picture of the future until He finished it.

Context Summary

Revelation 22:10-21 - "come, Lord Jesus"
Still, four times repeated, implies the crystallization and permanence of character. The rewards mentioned here are for the faithful service of Christ's stewards, as in Matthew 25:21. For the fourth time, He who began the book and closes it, uses of Himself the divine monogram of Alpha and Omega, Revelation 1:8; Revelation 1:11; Revelation 21:6. In the Authorized Version the way to the tree of life was opened to those who kept the commandments, but it is very comforting to read in the Revised Version that this blessed privilege is for those "who wash their robes." Notice the combination of various titles in Christ: David's Lord and David's Son; the Morning Star and the Sun of Heaven's Day; the Coming One, for whose quick return the whole creation waits; and the Water of Life, of which whosoever will may drink. The appeal of Revelation 22:17 is to our Lord, asking Him to make haste to come, and it is answered in Revelation 22:20. But who shall tell whether that cry may not, sooner than we think, be answered by a spiritual transformation of the things seen and temporal, so that without a break, in the twinkling of an eye, the veil of matter may be rent, and the whole imminent glory of the unseen and eternal swim into view! Let us be on the alert [source]

Chapter Summary: Revelation 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 22:10

And he saith unto me [και λεγει μοι]
The angel resumes as in Revelation 19:9. [source]
Seal not up [μη σπραγισηις]
Prohibition with μη — mē and the ingressive first aorist active subjunctive of σπραγιζω — sphragizō Charles takes this to be the command of Christ because in Revelation 22:7, Revelation 22:18 “the words of the prophecy of this book” come from Christ. But that is not a conclusive argument, though Charles, as already stated, rearranges these chapters to suit his own notion. Once only (Revelation 10:4) was John directed to seal and not to write. See note on Revelation 10:4 for discussion of σπραγιζω — sphragizō This book is to be left open for all to read (Revelation 1:3; Revelation 13:18; Revelation 17:9; Revelation 22:7, Revelation 22:18).At hand (εγγυς — eggus). As in Revelation 1:3. [source]
At hand [εγγυς]
As in Revelation 1:3. [source]
Seal [σφραγίσῃς]
Rev., seal up. This word occurs eighteen times in Revelation and twice in the Gospel, and only five times elsewhere in the New Testament. It means to confirm or attest (John 3:33); to close up for security (Matthew 27:66; Revelation 20:3); to hide or keep secret (Revelation 10:4; Revelation 22:10); to mark a person or thing (Revelation 7:3; Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 4:30) [source]
Time [καιρὸς]
See on Matthew 12:1. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Revelation 22:10

John 3:33 Hath set to his seal [ἐσφράγισεν]
To set to, is to affix. To set to a seal is therefore to attest a document. The expression is retained from Coverdale's version (1535). So, “They must set to their hands, and shall set to their hands.” Compare also the old legal formula: “In wittenesse qwherof I haue set to myn seele.” Rev., better, hath set his seal to this. The meaning here is, has solemnly attested and confirmed the statement “God is true.” Only here in this sense. Elsewhere of closing up for security; hiding; marking a person or thing. See on Revelation 22:10. The aorist tense here denotes an accomplished act. [source]
Romans 4:11 The sign - a seal [σημεῖον - σφραγῖδα]
Sign refers to the material token; seal to its religious import. Compare 1 Corinthians 9:2; Genesis 17:11. See on to seal, Revelation 22:10. [source]
Romans 15:28 Sealed - this fruit []
Secured to them the product of the contribution. See on John 3:33; see on Revelation 22:10. [source]
1 Corinthians 9:2 Seal [σφραγίς]
See on Romans 4:11; see on John 3:33; see on Revelation 22:10. [source]
2 Corinthians 1:22 Sealed [σφραγισάμενος]
See on John 3:33; see on Revelation 22:10. [source]
Ephesians 1:13 Ye were sealed [ἐσφραγίσθητε]
See on John 3:33; see on Revelation 22:10. Sealed with the assurance of the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:16; 2 Corinthians 1:22; 2 Timothy 2:19. [source]
Revelation 22:10 Seal [σφραγίσῃς]
Rev., seal up. This word occurs eighteen times in Revelation and twice in the Gospel, and only five times elsewhere in the New Testament. It means to confirm or attest (John 3:33); to close up for security (Matthew 27:66; Revelation 20:3); to hide or keep secret (Revelation 10:4; Revelation 22:10); to mark a person or thing (Revelation 7:3; Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 4:30) [source]
Revelation 22:7 Blessed [μακαριος]
This beatitude is like in substance the first (Revelation 1:3) and is in Christ‘s own words like the one in Revelation 16:15. This book is here called a “prophecy” (προπητειας — prophēteias) as in Revelation 22:10, Revelation 22:18, Revelation 22:19. It is Christ‘s revelation from God, a direct message from God. Part of it is prediction of doom on Christ‘s enemies, but most of it is a comforting picture of final triumph and bliss for the faithful in a time of great distress and persecution. [source]

What do the individual words in Revelation 22:10 mean?

And he says to me Not seal the words of the prophecy of the book this the time for near is
Καὶ λέγει μοι Μὴ σφραγίσῃς τοὺς λόγους τῆς προφητείας τοῦ βιβλίου τούτου καιρὸς γὰρ ἐγγύς ἐστιν

λέγει  he  says 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
μοι  to  me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
σφραγίσῃς  seal 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: σφραγίζω  
Sense: to set a seal upon, mark with a seal, to seal.
λόγους  words 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: λόγος  
Sense: of speech.
τῆς  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
προφητείας  prophecy 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: προφητεία  
Sense: prophecy.
τοῦ  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
βιβλίου  book 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root: βιβλίον  
Sense: a small book, a scroll, a written document.
τούτου  this 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
καιρὸς  time 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: καιρός  
Sense: due measure.
ἐγγύς  near 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ἐγγύς  
Sense: near, of place and position.