Albert Barnes Commentary Revelation 22:19

"and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book." — Revelation 22:19 (ASV)

And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy. This refers to someone who rejects the book altogether, or who, in transcribing it, intentionally strikes out any part of it.

It is conceivable that, due to the remarkable nature of the communications in this book and the fact that they seemed unintelligible, John supposed there might be those inclined to omit some portions as improbable. He may also have feared that when the parts describing Antichrist were fulfilled in distant ages, those to whom these portions applied would be tempted to strike them from the sacred volume or corrupt them.

John saw fit to guard against this by this solemn declaration of the consequence that would follow such an act. The whole book was to be received—with all its fearful truths—as a revelation from God.

However obscure it might seem, eventually it would be made clear. However faithfully it might depict a fearful apostasy, it was important, both to show the truth of divine inspiration and to save the church, that these disclosures should be in their original purity in the possession of God's people.

God shall take away his part out of the book of life. Perhaps there is an intimation here that this would most likely be done by those who claimed to be Christians and who supposed that their names were in the book of life.

In fact, most corruptions of the sacred Scriptures have been attempted by those who have claimed some form of Christianity. Unbelievers have little interest in attempting such changes and little influence to make them accepted by the church.

It is most convenient for them, as it is most agreeable to their feelings, to reject the Bible altogether. When it is said here that "God would take away his part out of the book of life," the meaning is not that his name had been written in that book, but that God would take away the part he might have had, or which he professed to have in that book.

Such corruption of divine revelations would show that they had no true religion and would be excluded from heaven. For the phrase "book of life," see the comments on Revelation 3:5.

And out of the holy city. This refers to the city described in chapter 21. Such a person would not be permitted to enter that city; he would have no part among the redeemed.

And from the things which are written in this book. This means being excluded from the promises that are made and the glories that are described in this book.