What Does Revelation 22:11 Mean in the King James?
He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The Greek sets doing wrong beside doing righteousness on the same justice-root, showing two continuing ways the same question of right is lived.
THE MEANING
The verse lays paired continuities before you: the one acting unjustly continues in that course, and the one doing righteousness continues in that course; so do the soiling and the being set apart. Its repeated “still” brings your present direction into view at the moment of disclosure. Nothing in the sentence masks either condition.
THE ROOT
ἀδικῶν
adikōn
GROWS FROM
δικ- (dik-), from δίκη (dikē)
Right, justice; the privative prefix in ἀδικῶν marks its absence or violation.
“unjust / righteous” in this verse is adikōn. The first phrase describes the one doing wrong; later, the righteous one is told to do righteousness. Both turn on the same justice-root, so the verse shows two continuing orientations around the same question of right.
ALSO GROWS
dikē: Justice, right, judgment
δίκη
This is the shared base that links the verse’s unjust and righteous terms.
dikaiosynē: Righteousness, justice, alignment
δικαιοσύνη
This is the noun in “do righteousness still,” making the righteous person’s continuing action explicit in Greek.
adikeō: Act unjustly, do wrong
ἀδικέω
This is the verb behind “he that is unjust,” literally the one doing wrong, and it carries the justice-root in a negated form.
ῥυπαρός
rhyparos
GROWS FROM
ῥυπ-
rhyp-
Dirt, filth, or what is soiled.
English can make “filthy” sound like a fixed label, but Greek repeats the dirt-family as adjective and verb: soiled, then “be soiled still.” The repeated word-family makes the continuing condition visible.
ALSO GROWS
rhýpos: Dirt, filth
ῥύπος
The noun gives “filthy” its concrete sense of what is dirty or defiled.
rhypainō: Soil, defile
ῥυπαίνω
This related verb family appears in ῥυπανθήτω (rhypanthētō), “let him be soiled,” echoing the adjective as an ongoing condition.
ἅγιος
hagios
GROWS FROM
ἁγι-
hagi-
Set apart, consecrated.
“holy” in this verse is hagios. The closing phrase pairs the word for one set apart with a verb meaning to be set apart. Identity and continuing condition appear together, parallel to the preceding clause about what is soiled.
ALSO GROWS
hagiazō: Set apart, consecrate
ἁγιάζω
The verb family gives the closing clause its sense of being set apart still.
hagiasmos: Setting apart, consecration
ἁγιασμός
This noun names the same set-apart state as a continuing condition.
THE PATTERN
A person’s way becomes visible through the course they continue and the fruit it bears.
For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.THE THREAD
Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.Romans uses the same δικ- (dik-, right and justice) word-family in “unrighteousness” and “righteousness,” linking the contrast to what the body’s members serve as instruments. Revelation’s paired continuities and Romans’ paired yieldings share a single axis: the life being lived can enact wrong or right.
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