A.T. Robertson Commentary Revelation 22:17

"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And he that heareth, let him say, Come. And he that is athirst, let him come: he that will, let him take the water of life freely." — Revelation 22:17 (ASV)

The Spirit and the bride (το πνευμα κα η νυμφη). The Holy Spirit, speaking through the prophets or the Spirit of prophecy (2:7; 16:4; 18:24), joins with the bride (21:2), the people of God, in a response to the voice of Jesus just heard. After the picture of heaven in 22:1-5 there is intense longing (19:7) of God's people for the consummation of the marriage of the Lamb and the Bride. So now "the prophets and the saints" (Swete) make a common plea to the Lord Jesus to "come" (Ερχου, present middle imperative of ερχομα, Come on) as he has just said twice that he would do (22:1,12). The call for Christ is to be repeated by every hearer (ο ακουων) as in 1:3.

Let him come (ερχεσθω). Change of person and this verb applied not to Christ as just before, but to the one who wishes to greet Christ. The thirsty man is bidden to come himself before it is too late. See 5:6 for διψαω, used for spiritual thirst, and in particular Joh 6:35; 7:37 for one thirsting for the water of life (21:6; 22:1). Cf. Isaiah 55:1.

He that will (ο θελων). Even if not yet eagerly thirsting. This one is welcome also. For this use of θελω see Php 2:13.

Let him take (λαβετω). Second ingressive aorist active imperative of λαμβανω. In accordance with the free promise in 21:6, "freely" (δωρεαν) here as there. This gracious and wide invitation is cheering after the gloomy picture of the doomed and the damned. The warnings against the dragon and the two beasts with all their dreadful consequences are meant to deter men from falling victims to all the devil's devices then and now. The door of mercy still stands wide open today, for the end has not yet come. The series of panoramas is over, with the consummation pictured as a reality. Now we drop back to the standpoint before we saw the visions through John's eyes. In verse 17 we hear the voice of the Spirit of God inviting all who hear and see to heed and to come and drink of the water of life freely offered by the Lamb of God.