Revelation 22:20

My Notes

What Does Revelation 22:20 Mean?

This is the second-to-last verse in the Bible — and it contains the last recorded words of Jesus in Scripture, followed by the last prayer of the church. "He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly" — Jesus Himself confirms the entire book of Revelation with a promise: I am coming. Quickly. The word "surely" (nai) is an emphatic yes. The word "quickly" (tachu) means suddenly, without delay, at speed. Not necessarily soon in human chronology, but without hesitation when the moment arrives.

"Amen" — John's immediate response. So be it. Yes. The affirmation comes before the prayer. John doesn't argue with the timing. He doesn't ask for details. He says amen — agreement with whatever Christ has decided.

"Even so, come, Lord Jesus" — this is the prayer that closes the Bible. Not a request for blessing. Not a plea for protection. A single, desperate, loving invitation: come. The Greek (erchou kurie Iesou) echoes the Aramaic Maranatha (1 Corinthians 16:22) — the earliest prayer of the church. The first Christians prayed it. John prays it at the end of Revelation. And every generation since has carried the same ache: come, Lord Jesus.

The Bible ends not with a doctrine, not with an instruction, not with a prophecy — but with a conversation. Jesus says: I'm coming. The church says: come. The last word of Scripture is a love call between the bridegroom and the bride.

Reflection Questions

• 1.When you pray 'come, Lord Jesus,' do you mean it — or has the prayer become routine? What would it look like to genuinely long for His return?
• 2.Jesus says 'surely I come quickly.' How does the certainty of His return affect how you live today — not someday, but this week?
• 3.The Bible ends with a conversation between Jesus and His church. What does it say about the nature of faith that the final word is relational, not doctrinal?
• 4.Is 'come, Lord Jesus' a prayer of escape or a prayer of love for you? What's the difference — and does it matter?

Devotional

The last words of Jesus in the Bible are: I'm coming. The last prayer of the church is: come.

That's how it ends. Not with a theological summary. Not with a final warning. With a promise and a prayer. Jesus says "surely I come quickly" — and the word "surely" carries the weight of divine certainty. He's not speculating. He's testifying. The same Jesus who said "it is finished" on the cross says "I come quickly" at the end of Revelation. Both statements have the same reliability.

"Even so, come, Lord Jesus." Four words that capture everything the human heart was made to want. Every ache you've ever felt — every longing for home, for wholeness, for the thing that's always just out of reach — is compressed into this prayer. Come. Not fix this. Not bless this. Come. The desire isn't for what Jesus gives. It's for Jesus Himself.

This is the prayer of a church that has seen everything Revelation describes — the beasts, the plagues, the persecution, the fall of Babylon — and still wants the one thing that resolves it all: His presence. Not escape from the world. His arrival in it. Come, Lord Jesus, isn't a prayer of fear. It's a prayer of love. The bride calling to the bridegroom. The heart that has waited long enough.

The Bible opens with God walking in a garden looking for the humans He made. It closes with those humans calling back: come. The whole story — Genesis to Revelation — is a love story. And the last line is a love call.

Commentary

Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.

Cross References

Related passages throughout Scripture