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One of the themes of Revelation 22, the final chapter of the Bible, is the return of Jesus Christ and the fulfillment of God’s promises. In the passage, John describes the redeemed as those who will enter the New Jerusalem. He writes, “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city” (Revelation 22:14, KJV). These blessed ones are those who have been made righteous through faith in Jesus Christ. Their obedience to God’s commandments is not the basis of their salvation, but it is the evidence of it.
This relationship between salvation and obedience is a consistent theme in the New Testament. The New Testament teaches that obedience to God is not the means of a person’s salvation but its result. Paul explains this clearly: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9). He continues, explaining that good works are the fruit of salvation: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10).
Jesus affirms this relationship between salvation and obedience in His teaching. John’s words in Revelation 22:14, “Blessed are they that do his commandments,” echo Jesus’ teaching on the blessings that come from obeying God. Once, when a woman declared Mary to be blessed for being Jesus’ mother, He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” (Luke 11:28). Similarly, after washing the disciples’ feet, Jesus said, “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them” (John 13:17).
There is blessing attached to obedience, and John reveals one of its greatest rewards: access to the tree of life. In Genesis, God placed the tree of life in the Garden of Eden but barred Adam and Eve from it after they disobeyed Him (Genesis 3:22). He stationed cherubim and a flaming sword to guard the way, preventing them from returning (Genesis 3:24). However, John reveals that, in the New Jerusalem, the righteous will once again have access to the tree of life. The promise is complete restoration and eternal life in God’s presence.
In addition to having access to the tree of life, the redeemed are blessed with the privilege to “enter in through the gates into the city.” In Revelation 21, John describes the new heavens and the new earth, with the New Jerusalem as the dwelling place of God among His people. He writes, “I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband” (Revelation 21:2). All those who have the New Jerusalem as their address are certainly blessed.
The phrase blessed are they that do his commandments is the subject of a textual variant in the Greek manuscripts of Revelation. A textual variant is a difference in wording among Greek manuscripts. Some manuscripts contain this phrase, while others have a different reading. Because of this, various Bible translations may differ as they reflect the wording of the specific Greek manuscripts they follow.
Among popular translations, the King James Version and New King James Version follow a manuscript tradition known as the Textus Receptus, which contains the words blessed are they that do his commandments. Other translations, such as the New International Version, the English Standard Version, and the New American Standard Bible, follow the Nestle-Aland text, which reads, “Blessed are those who wash their robes.” This reading is based on older and more widely attested manuscripts.
While the phrasing differs, the idea remains that we are made righteous through Jesus’ death and resurrection. “Washing robes” symbolizes purification from sin, and “doing His commandments” highlights the obedience that flows from salvation. Both descriptions refer to the redeemed—those who will enter the New Jerusalem and enjoy eternal life.
