Revelation 22:5
What does Revelation 22:5 mean?
A plain-English look at Revelation 22:5 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Revelation 22:5 means
Night, with its dangers and limitations, is gone. The citizens of the city do not need created lights, because the Lord God Himself gives them light. This is not only physical brightness but the radiance of truth, joy, and purity that banishes all darkness. In such light, the redeemed “reign for ever and ever.” Their reign is a share in the Lamb’s dominion, restored human vocation finally fulfilled without sin’s corruption. There is no end to this security, clarity, and authority. God’s presence supplies all that is needed for life and rule; created lights once pointed to Him, but now they are outshone by the immediate glory of the Lord God.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And 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
King James Version · 1611And 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.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And 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.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And there will be no more night; and they have no need of a light or of the shining of the sun; for the Lord God will give them light: and they will be ruling for ever and ever.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and 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.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And 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 then. And they shall reign for ever and ever.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And night shall not be any more, and no need of a lamp, and light of [the] sun; for [the] LordGod shall shine upon them, and they shall reign to the ages of ages.
Context
Having described seeing God’s face and bearing His name, the vision concludes its portrayal of the city’s blessings with the end of night and the gift of God’s light. The eternal reign of the saints closes the Eden-restored section. With verse 6, the narrative pivots from description to confirmation and exhortation: the angel affirms the truthfulness and imminence of these words, and the rest of the chapter presses readers to keep and not tamper with this prophecy.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Revelation 11:15
And the seventh angel sounded; and there followed great voices in heaven, and they said, The kingdom of the world is becomethe kingdomof our Lord, and of his Christ: and he shall reign for ever and ever.
- Psalms 36:9
For with thee is the fountain of life: In thy light shall we see light.
- Romans 5:17
For if, by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one; much more shall they that receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, even Jesus Christ.
- 1 Peter 1:3
Blessedbethe God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy begat us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
- Revelation 18:23
and the light of a lamp shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the princes of the earth; for with thy sorcery were all the nations deceived.
- Matthew 25:34
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
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