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Scripture Topic Guide

Bible Verses About The Tree Of Life And Eternal Life

Early Christian writers taught that the tree of life points to eternal life, and many tied that life to Christ himself and to the believer’s hope of living forever with God. Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Theophilus, Hippolytus, Tertullian, Origen, and Victorinus all connect Genesis and Revelation with life, immortality, or Christ’s saving work.

The witness is broad and runs from the late first and second centuries into the third, though some writers use the tree mainly as a symbol and some texts are more allegorical than direct. The Bible passages most often behind these readings are Genesis 2–3 and Revelation 2:7 and 22:2. The evidence is strong for a Christian link between the tree of life and eternal life, but mixed on how literally or symbolically the tree should be read.

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1 Revelation 22:2 2 Revelation 2:7 3 Genesis 2:9 4 Proverbs 3:18 5 Job 14:7 6 Genesis 3:22 7 Proverbs 11:30 8 Genesis 2:17 9 Genesis 21:33 10 Jeremiah 17:8

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13 references

Foundation Texts

Revelation 22:2 primary

In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Direct Revelation passage on the tree of life in the new creation

Revelation 2:7

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Revelation promise to overcomers

Supporting Passages

Genesis 2:9

And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Genesis placement of the tree in Eden

Proverbs 3:18

She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.

Direct wisdom passage on a tree of life

Job 14:7

For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Genesis 3:22

And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

Genesis explanation of access being restricted after the fall

Proverbs 11:30

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

Righteous fruit is a tree of life

Genesis 2:17

But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Genesis 2:17 gives the death warning tied to the forbidden tree

Genesis 21:33

And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Jeremiah 17:8

For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

Righteous person like a tree by water

Psalms 92:12

The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Psalms 1:3

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Psalm 1 tree imagery used for righteous life

Genesis 3:3

But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

Another direct Genesis warning text