Whats Up With Revelation 2218

#What’s Up with Revelation 22:18?

This particular chapter will consider the specific verse of scripture—Revelation 22:18. It will then briefly discuss the need for additional scripture other than the Bible. The issue of additional scripture is further discussed in another chapter in this volume (see “Scriptural Canon—Should it Be Open or Closed?”). For additional discussion of and justification for our modern-day scripture, see that chapter.

Revelation 22:18 is thought by some orthodox Christians to support the notion that there should be no additional scripture. That verse reads: “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book” (Revelation 22:18). This verse is located near the end of the book of Revelation and thus near the end of the New Testament—one of the final verses in the Bible. Some contend that it refers to the entirety of the Bible and warns against trying to add any scripture to the Bible.

A careful reading of Revelation 22:18, in its context, shows clearly that John the Revelator was speaking only of the book of Revelation and not of any collection of other sacred writings. Moses used a similar expression in speaking to ancient Israel when he said: “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it” (Deuteronomy 4:2). Additionally, Deuteronomy 12:32 reads: “What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.”

We would not, of course, suppose that in these words Moses laid down a prohibition against all subsequent revelations and against all books which might be called scripture in years to come? Did he have the power to silence all future prophets and forbid them to speak or write as God intended that they should? Of course not, or we would be without most of the Old Testament and would have none of the New Testament at all. Obviously these passages all make it clear that the Lord does not want any of his revelations tampered with by man. Man is not to add to or take away from the revelations of God. But God certainly does not say that he will not give more. It was the same with John the Revelator. In warning against additions to the book of Revelation he spoke of that book only, insisting that no one attempt to change or corrupt what he had said.

Scholars suggest that John’s letters and probably also the Gospel of John were written after the book of Revelation, and if this be true it becomes another indication that John had no thought of precluding other writings but only of protecting his book of Revelation from change or corruption. Furthermore, there was no such thing as a New Testament when John wrote the book of Revelation. In fact the earliest list of the twenty-seven books that constitute our present New Testament was not compiled until

Bishop Athanasius of Alexandria did so in AD 367. Therefore, John could not possibly have been referring to the Bible or to the New Testament. He was referring only to the book of Revelation.

The thoughtful observer will conclude that there is a need for additional scripture today. Would it not be reasonable to think that a devout Christian would have the desire and feel the necessity of hearing more of the words of God? It is one thing to doubt the authenticity of any new communication, but an entirely different matter to suggest that new scripture is not needed or desired. The fact that there are hundreds of churches which interpret the same Bible differently hints, at a minimum, that further clarifying information would be useful.

The apostle Paul acknowledged the law which stated that in the mouth of two or three witnesses should every word be established (Deuteronomy 17:6). He said, “This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established” (2 Corinthians 13:1). The Book of Mormon is another witness of Jesus Christ, indeed a vital second witness.

The Book of Mormon prophet, Nephi, warned that many important truths would be removed from the Bible which would cause many to stumble spiritually:

Wherefore, thou seest that after the book hath gone forth through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of God. And after these plain and precious things were taken away it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles; and after it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles, yea, even across the many waters which thou hast seen with the Gentiles which have gone forth out of captivity, thou seest—because of the many plain and precious things which have been taken out of the book, which were plain unto the understanding of the children of men, according to the plainness which is in the Lamb of God—because of these things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them (1 Nephi 13:28-29).

Nephi then saw in vision important latter-day scriptures which would clarify those areas in which the Bible is unclear:

And the angel spake unto me, saying: These last records, which thou hast seen among the Gentiles [latter-day scripture], shall establish the truth of the first [the Bible], which are of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, and shall make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away from them; and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be saved. And they must come according to the words which shall be established by the mouth of the Lamb; and the words of the Lamb shall be made known in the records of thy seed, as well as in the records of the twelve apostles of the Lamb; wherefore they both shall be established in one; for there is one God and one Shepherd over all the earth (1 Nephi 13:40-41).

It is clear that God can add, as he wishes, to his own word, but that man cannot add to or alter the words of God in the scriptures. Nephi’s father, Lehi, saw in vision an important latter day prophet (Joseph Smith, Jr.) through whom important scripture would come forth in our day:

But a seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and unto him will I give power to bring forth my word unto the seed of thy loins—and not to the bringing forth my word only, saith the Lord, but to the convincing them of my word, which shall have already gone forth among them. Wherefore, the fruit of thy loins shall write; and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write; and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together, unto the confounding of false doctrines and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to the knowledge of their fathers in the latter days, and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord (2 Nephi 3:11-12).

Through the prophet Nephi in the Book of Mormon, the Lord warned the people of our dispensation who would reject additional scripture:

Wo be unto him that shall say: We have received the word of God, and we need no more of the word of God, for we have enough! For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have (2 Nephi 28:29-30).

Thou fool, that shall say: A Bible, we have got a Bible, and we need no more Bible. Have ye obtained a Bible save it were by the Jews? Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth? Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also (2 Nephi 29:6-8).

Nephi also described how the scripture given to all nations would work together for the clarifying of his doctrine:

And it shall come to pass that the Jews shall have the words of the Nephites, and the Nephites shall have the words of the Jews; and the Nephites and the Jews shall have the words of the lost tribes of Israel; and the lost tribes of Israel shall have the words of the Nephites and the Jews (2 Nephi 29:13).

Today in the Church we use the Bible differently than do the traditional Judeo- Christians. We use it in concert with other scriptures and modern revelations. Elder Bruce R. McConkie said, “When the Bible is read under the guidance of the Spirit, and in harmony with the many latter-day revelations which interpret and make plain its more mysterious parts, it becomes one of the most priceless volumes known to man” (Mormon Doctrine, 83).