Revelation 21:6 Meaning of I Am the Alpha and the Omega

Revelation 21:6
“He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.”

Explanation and Commentary of Revelation 21:6

Because Jesus is the first and the last, because he is, always has been, and always will be, he is able to give the water of life to those who are thirsty. He is fully God. He was there before creation (Jn 1:1). He is worthy and qualified to make this pronouncement, that “it is done.” What’s done is that he has fully paid for the sins of the world and done what is necessary for the renewal of all things in him. That he is coming again is a certainty. When he is coming and will bring the end of all things is unknown, but certain.

When he comes, he will give us the water of life, so that we can live forever with him and his Father in the New Heavens and the New Earth. The Holy Spirit is the deposit on this living water, and he has already poured this out on the Church at Pentecost so that everyone who believes is filled with the Holy Spirit for salvation, living, and ministry. It is staggering to imagine that Christ in his eternal nature has always been, and always will be. As such we should trust him. He will always do what he promises.

Breaking Down the Key Parts of Revelation 21:6

#1 “He said to me:”
The Apostle John, having been exiled to the Island of Patmos, the only one of the remaining twelve apostles who was not martyred, is receiving an apocalyptic vision in which Jesus has appeared and is speaking to him of what is to come.

#2 “It is done.”
The inheritance of the victorious (Rev 21:7) is prepared. Jesus has finished his work on the cross and in heaven has gone to prepare the place for his Church to dwell in his presence for eternity.

#3 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.”
God the Son has existed with the Father and the Holy Spirit for eternity and will continue to exist for eternity. He is the source and the destination for all things. He stands at the beginning speaking forth creation (Jn 1), and he stands at the end calling it forward. He was, is, and is to come (Rev 1:8).

#4 “To the thirsty…”
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Mt 5:6). They will be filled with the water of life. They will be filled with love, truth, justice, and the glory of God forever and ever.

#5 “I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.”
There was a cost, but not for those who drink. The cost was paid by Christ, and by his Father who gave his beloved Son, so that any who believe would live forever, partaking of the water and the tree of life (Rev 22:2).

Expert Overview of Revelation Ch. 12-22

Biblical Translations of Revelation 21:6

NIV
He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.”

NLT
And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life.”

ESV
And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.”

KJV
And he said unto me, “It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.”

NKJV
And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.”