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two inches in length, and four and a half inches at its greatest circumference.

The phrase underlined is in substance the same as that in D.R. 22. And I saw no tabernacle in it, for the Lord God Almighty is the tabernacle thereof and the Lamb.

We have had a glimpse of heaven already at vii. 15, where the martyrs are seen adoring God day and night in His Tabernacle.

23. And the city hath no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminates it, and the Lamb is the lamp thereof.

24. And the nations shall walk in the light of it, and the Kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honour into it. 25. And the gates thereof shall not be shut by day, for there shall be no night there.

26. And they shall bring the glory and the honour of the nations into it.

27. And there shall not enter into it anything defiled or anyone that worketh abomination or a lie, but they who are written in the book of life of the Lamb.

CHAPTER XXII

I. And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.

2. In the midst of the streets thereof and on both sides of the river, the tree of life, bearing twelve fruit crops, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree for the healing of the nations.

3. And no curse shall be any more; and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall adore Him. 4. And they shall see His face and His name shall be on their foreheads.

5. And night shall be no more; and they shall not need the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, for the Lord God shall shine upon them; and they shall reign for ever and ever. 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 show His servants the things which must shortly come to pass.

"Come to pass" to agree with i. I.

The epilogue, which begins here, naturally forms a new chapter.

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

See i. 3.

8. And I John who heard and saw these things. And after I had heard and seen I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things.

This takes us back to the beginning "Sending by His angel to His servant John." The Seer having received the revelation from the angel prostrated himself before him, as is usual in leave-taking in the East.

9. And he said to me, See thou do it not. I am thy fellowservant and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them who keep the words of the prophecy of this book. Worship God.

This sentence cuts two ways. It reveals not only the identity of the angel, but also that of John the writer of the Book, who is exalted to the level of the angel. We know from the Gospel of S. John that S. John the Baptist had a leading part in the revelation of the Divinity of Jesus Christ. "There was a man sent from God whose name was John." "Behold the Lamb of God." "And I saw and I gave testimony, that this is the Son of God (Jhn. i. 6, 29, 34). "But what went you to see, a prophet? Yea I say to you and more than a prophet. . . . Amongst those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist" (Luke vii. 28). No wonder the Seer fell at his feet, at parting.

We come back now to the voice of God.

10. And he said to me, Seal not the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand.

This command contrasts with that at x. 4. "Seal up the things which the seven thunders have spoken and write them not."

II. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still, and he that is filthy let him be filthy still; and he that is just let him do justly still, and he that is holy let him be holy still.

The contrast between justice and injustice is lost in D.R., where adikov is translated "hurteth."

12. Behold I come quickly and My reward is with me to render to everyone according to his works.

13. I am alpha and omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.

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

Here and at vii. 14, where the martyrs' robes are in question the verb Túvw is used, which refers to ordinary washing, hence Tλûvós, "a wash tub." But at i. 5 where we are told of Jesus Christ that "he washed us from our sins in His Own Blood," the verb Mouw is used, which refers to the washing of the body, as in bathing. Also at vii. 14, the martyrs' robes are "made

white (exeúxavav) in the blood of the Lamb." There are fine distinctions in the Greek text.

15. Without are dogs and sorcerers and fornicators and murderers and idolaters; and every one that loveth and maketh a lie.

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.

These references back to the beginning of the Book, show how carefully its continuity is kept in view.

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.

18. 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. "For" (D.R.) is not in the Greek.

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 tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.

"The words of the prophecy of this book" (xxii. 18), and the words of the book of this prophecy, lays great stress on the prophetic character of the book. "And from these things" (D.R.) is not in the Greek.

20. He that giveth testimony of these things, saith, Yea, I come quickly.

These are apparently the words of Jesus Christ; "I testify to every one," xxii. 18. "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to Him to make known to His servants," i. 1. "Behold I come quickly," iii. 2.

21. Amen, Come Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all the saints. Amen.

These are the words of S. John. They should be altogether, in one verse. But as before noticed, the modern versifier has made mistakes.

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