Revelation 22:18: 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

John testifies with a voice of warning¹ to every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book of Revelation.² His testimony includes a cursing that will befall³ anyone who deliberately alters the prophecy of this book.⁴ John's warning is directed at people who prevent others from receiving the prophecy in its purity,⁵ and also people who receive the prophecy and then reject or ignore it.⁶ People that reject the word of God spoken through his holy prophets and apostles in any era will be condemned.⁷

John also warns that if any man shall add unto these things in the Book of Revelation⁸ God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.⁹ This refers to the seven last Vial Plagues,¹⁰ which represent a complete outpouring of God's wrath.¹¹

The curse incorporated into Revelation 22:18 has led many Christians to believe that God stopped speaking to prophets after the Book of Revelation was written,¹² and that the canon of scripture closed with the Book of Revelation.¹³ The same people claim that the Book of Mormon and other latter-day scriptures of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints improperly add unto these things written in the Book of Revelation.¹⁴

The Book of Mormon and other latter-day scriptures do not add unto John's prophecy in the Book of Revelation for several reasons. First, latter-day scriptures do not add unto the words of the prophecy of this book (singular).¹⁵ John's warning refers only to this book, which is the Book of Revelation.¹⁶ Furthermore, it is an accepted fact that the New Testament had not been compiled at the time of John's prophecy in 96 AD.¹⁷ Therefore, his warning could only apply to his prophecy within the Book of Revelation¹⁸ without reference to other books that became part of the Bible more than two centuries later.¹⁹

Second, John added his own gospel and three other epistles that were each written after the Book of Revelation, and later became part of the Bible canon.²⁰ John's later writings did not offend his own so-called prohibition against new scripture.²¹ John was also told in Revelation 10:11 that he personally would "prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings." This refutes any claim that prophecy ceased with the Book of Revelation.²²

Third, even if latter-day scripture adds to the Book of Revelation as an accepted premise, God can certainly reveal his word²³ at any time,²⁴ for he is God.²⁵ In fact, he must reveal his secrets unto his servants the latter-day prophets²⁶ because God is unchanging²⁷ and no respecter of persons.²⁸ He is not constrained in the least by the cautionary warning given by John to the effect that no mortal man or mortal woman could add to the Book of Revelation.²⁹ God can always add new words of scripture.

Fourth, when Moses wrote the Book of Deuteronomy, he included a warning very similar to John's warning in Revelation 22:18-19.³⁰ Therefore, people who reject new prophecy and scripture because of John's warning must reject all scripture after the Old Testament Book of Deuteronomy for the sake of consistency.³¹ Other scriptures contain similar warnings that are obviously internal to the specific writing in which they are found.³²

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 out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

John also condemns people that take away from the words of the book of this prophecy.³³ This includes people who adopt or teach the words of ... this prophecy through the lens of their uninspired private interpretations.³⁴ The words in this verse condemn people that conspired to take away the plain and precious parts of the Bible anciently,³⁵ including people that sought‒and still seek‒to take the truths of the Book of Revelation from the canon of the Bible.³⁶ People are also guilty of taking from the words when they presume to take away from God the power to reveal additional truths³⁷ that both explain and supplement this prophecy.³⁸ Similarly, to discount, discredit, and disbelieve this prophecy is another form of taking.³⁹

If any person deliberately takes away from John's prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life.⁴⁰ Some Bible translations replace the book of life with the tree of life.⁴¹ Both versions indicate that such people will not be exalted in the celestial kingdom.⁴² In fact, they cannot even enter the holy city,⁴³ which means they do not qualify for the celestial kingdom at all.⁴⁴ They forfeit the blessings that will come to all people that overcome⁴⁵ and heed the things which are written in this book.⁴⁶

Some scholars express concern that their honest and good faith efforts to interpret the Book of Revelation could take away from the words of the book of this prophecy.⁴⁷ However, an honest misinterpretation of John's prophecy does not take away from the words in the sense intended by John's warning.⁴⁸ The Lord expects all people to study and interpret the Book of Revelation to the best of their ability.⁴⁹ Despite interpretive errors that may or will exist, this prophecy will help people come unto Christ.⁵⁰ Christ will be unveiled in the lives of people who hear and heed the words of the prophecy and thus receive his promised blessings.⁵¹