Paragraph 22:14–15

22:14a

Blessed: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Blessed describes a person who is a good situation. In the Bible, the good situation results from God showing favor/kindness to the person. See how you translated this word in 22:7.

those who wash their robes:
This phrase refers figuratively to becoming clean from their sins. The blood of Jesus cleansed them (7:14).

In some languages a literal translation would not indicate the figurative meaning. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Explain the figurative meaning in your translation. For example:

those who wash their robes, ⌊that is, become clean⌋ ⌊from their sins⌋

• Translate the meaning without the figure of speech. For example:

those who become clean ⌊from their sins⌋

You may then want to indicate the literal phrase in a footnote. An example footnote is:

Literally: “those who wash their robes.”

• Translate the literal meaning and explain its figurative meaning in a footnote. For example:

This refers figuratively to becoming clean from their sins.

See how you translated a similar phrase (“have washed their robes”) in 7:14.

wash their robes: This phrase implies that the robes were dirty. For example:

wash their robes clean (Good News Translation)

22:14b

so that: The conjunction so that introduces the result of washing their robes. Other ways to translate this word are:

and so (Good News Translation)
-or-
that (New International Version)

they may have the right to the tree of life: This clause indicates that the people who wash their robes have permission or the privilege to eat the fruit of the tree of life. Other ways to translate this clause are:

will be permitted to…eat the fruit from the tree of life (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
They shall be free to eat from the tree of life (Revised English Bible)

the tree of life: This phrase indicates that the tree is a source of life. Those who eat the fruit will have eternal life. For example:

life-giving tree

See how you translated this phrase in 2:7 or 22:2.

22:14c

may enter the city by its gates: The people who wash their robes will be able to enter the city. For example:

may go through the gates into the city (New International Version)

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