Revelation 22:11; He That Is Unjust, Let Him Be Unjust Still

Revelation 22:11 (KJV)  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 absence of the connective word to begin v11 heightens the urgent tone of the angel’s words – 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 implied connection with v10 is that of cause and effect. The time is short, so let people go their own way. This is another way of expressing the hopelessness of the final state of the wicked.

Here is indirectly the formulation of a powerful warning against putting off one’s decision to become a faithful follower of the Lamb. The time remaining is short, and once it is up, no more opportunity to change remains. Because of the imminence of Jesus’ coming to initiate the events of this book, the response of a person to its message may very well be the decision that will carry him to his eternal state, whatever that may be (Johnson).

Throughout the career of the book after publication, however long that may be until its fulfilment, a persistence in evil or in good is all that is expected from the recipients. The angel anticipates no widespread change during the time lapse before the end (Moffatt). So the wise will respond with faithfulness and live their lives in readiness for Jesus’ coming. All four parts of v11 indicate with a tone of irony the fixity of state in which the good and the evil find themselves at a time when no further opportunity for repentance remains. The lesson is, change while there is time.

[Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22 – An Exegetical Commentary, Moody, 1995, 502]