complete verse (Revelation 22:17)

Following are a number of back-translations of Revelation 22:17:

  • Uma: “The Holy Spirit and the woman who is bridegroomed by the Lamb said: ‘Come! (pl.)’ Every person who hears this word must say: ‘Come! (pl.)’ [Note: the Greek in singular, so some exegetes think that this command is directed at Jesus, asking him to please come back to earth, as in 22:20. Others think that despite the singular, these first two commands are directed at unsaved people, as is the next command. Uma couldn’t be ambiguous, so we chose the latter view.] Whoever is thirsty, come (pl.)! Whoever wants to, come (pl.) drink water that gives life, you do not need to buy it.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “The Spirit of God answered and the bride, that means the people belonging to Isa, they said, ‘Come.’ Whoever hears these words should also say, ‘Come.’ Come here whoever is thirsty. Drink the water that gives life, that is given free to whoever wants to drink it.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The Holy Spirit and the one whom the young sheep married, they call out saying, ‘Believe.’ And the ones who hear this, they also must call out saying, ‘Believe.’ Any of you who are thirsty, receive with no payment the water which gives eternal life.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “‘Come (2nd pers. sg),’ says the Spirit of God and his people who are compared to the one whom the Sheep will marry. ‘Yes, come (2nd pers. sg),’ the one who hears should also say. Whoever is thirsty, he should come so that he can drink-some-of the free water which gives life.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “The Espiritu Santo and the people of God, those who will as-it-were be married by the one referred to as Young Sheep, they say, ‘Come now!’ And all who will hear these things, it’s necessary that they also say, ‘Come now!’ Approach here whoever is parched. Those who want to, just get some of this water which gives life. It doesn’t have to be paid for.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “The holy Spirit with the wife of the Lamb, each say: ‘Come.’ Concerning all who hear this word here, also they can say ‘Come.’ Concerning the person who is thirsty, he should come and drink the water which gives new life and there is no payment to get it.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Revelation 22:17

The translator should consider the possibility of presenting this verse in poetic form, as a stanza of three or four lines (see Section F of the introduction, “Translating the Revelation to John,” pages 6 and following).

The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come”: the command, or request, is addressed to Christ, asking him to come at once to the world. Here the Spirit is speaking together with the Bride, the people of God (19.7). It may be that the Spirit is speaking through the prophet, but the text does not imply this. It may be necessary to indicate explicitly to whom they speak: “The Spirit and the Bride say to Jesus…” or “… say, ‘Come, Lord Jesus!’ ” (see verse 20). For Bride see 19.7. In this context another way of expressing this is “the wife of the Lamb.”

Let him who hears say: “and all those who hear this are also to say.” The assembled believers, as they hear this book being read to them (1.3 and comments), are to repeat the prayer of the Spirit and the Bride.

Him who is thirsty … him who desires: the plural form can be used, in order to avoid being exclusive: “All who are thirsty and who want water (or, want water to drink).”

Come … take the water of life without price: “Come … and drink the life-giving water, without having to pay for it” (see 21.6). This invitation is addressed to those who are thirsty and want water.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• The Spirit (or, God’s Spirit) and the Wife of the Lamb say to Jesus, “You [singular] must come.” Everyone who hears this must also say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty must come and accept the water that gives life.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Revelation to John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .