8/8/2021 Revelation 22:14 - Biblical Research Institute

For orders outside the United States please contact us at biblicalresearch@gc.adventist.org

Revelation 22:14

by Ángel Manuel Rodríguez

Is there a conspiracy among Bible translators to change the biblical text? I didn’t
think so until I read Revelation 22:14. More recent translations read “Blessed are
those who wash their robes” instead of “Blessed are those who keep the
commandments.” What do you think about these changes?

Most Bible translations are made by committees formed by specialists from different
Jewish and Christian religious traditions. A conspiracy would require the different
organizations sponsoring new Bible translations and each member of the translation
committees to be in agreement concerning changing the content of the Bible. This is
unrealistic. In fact, translations made by committees are usually much better than
those made by a single individual or denomination.

The fact that you find readings not found in some of the older Bibles does not prove
that there is a conspiracy. Each different reading must be evaluated on its own
merits. Read several Bible commentaries before you reach your conclusion. Good
commentaries will contain information concerning the different manuscripts and the
textual and historical evidence concerning a particular reading. Let’s use Revelation
22:14 as a case study.

1. Textual Evidence: The different manuscripts provide the two main readings
mentioned in your question. “Robes” is found in the earliest manuscripts available to
us (fourth and fifth centuries A.D.) and several later manuscripts (e.g., eleventh and
fifteenth centuries). The earliest manuscript supporting “commandments” is dated to
the eighth century A.D., and preserved in many later manuscripts. However, there
are references to Revelation 22:14 in Tertullian (145-220) and Cyprian (200-258) using
the word “commandments” instead of “robes.” In other words, the textual evidence is
divided. When all the evidence is taken into consideration one must acknowledge
that its weight tends to support “robes.” The fact that Tertullian and Cyprian appear
to have used a text in which the word “commandments” was used is significant but
not necessarily decisive.

https://adventistbiblicalresearch.org/materials/revelation-2214/ 1/2
8/8/2021 Revelation 22:14 - Biblical Research Institute

2. The Use of the Verb “Keep”: Since the textual evidence is not as strong as scholars
would like it to be, they examine both readings of the text in terms of the use of the
phrase in John’s writings. They observe that in Revelation 22:14 the verb translated
“keep” is poieo (to do, to keep). But in Revelation 12:17 and 14:12, the other two places
where keeping the commandments is mentioned, the verb used is tereo (to keep,
observe, obey). This, it is argued, shows that John did not write “keep the
commandments” in Revelation 22:14, because he had consistently used the
verb tereo in the other passages. A scribe, perhaps unintentionally, changed the
original text from “robes” to “commandments.” Both readings sound very similar in
Greek. The stylistic argument is strong but not as strong as it sounds. John does tend
to use the verb tereo when refer-ring to the commandments (e.g. 1 John 2:3, 4; 3:22,
24), but he also uses the verb poieo (1 John 5:2). Hence, the stylistic argument is not
decisive either, though it leans slightly toward “wash their robes.”

3. The Theological Argument: It is also argued that the theology expressed in the
reading “wash their robes” is compatible with the theology of John. The same phrase,
“wash their robes,” is found in Revelation 7:14 to describe the redeemed ones
standing before the throne of God. Their sins were washed away by the blood of the
Lamb and not their obedience to the commandments. In Revelation 22:14 they have
access to the tree of life because Christ washed their robes. Theologically this reading
perfectly fits the theology of John. But we must not overlook the fact that “keep the
commandments” could be referring to constant growth in grace or sanctification (the
present tense of the verb suggests continuous action). The phrase “that they may have
the right to the tree of life” expresses the reason for keeping the commandments:
“Because they will have . . . ” rather than “in order to have access . . .”

Both readings of the text are plausible, but the evidence provides an edge to the
reading “wash their robes.” This does not alter the fact that God expects His end-time
people to keep His commandments (Rev. 12:17; 14:12). This is not a conspiracy but a
sincere attempt to define the original reading of the text.

SHARE

AdventistBiblicalResearch.org is the official Biblical Research Institute website

of the Seventh-day Adventist World Church

© 2021 General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

12501 Old Columbia Pike Silver Spring , MD 20904-6601 USA
+1-301-680-6000

https://adventistbiblicalresearch.org/materials/revelation-2214/ 2/2