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Revelation 21

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.

And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

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.

The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.”

And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God,

having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.

It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed—

on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates.

And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls.

The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal.

He also measured its wall, 144 cubits by human measurement, which is also an angel’s measurement.

The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass.

The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald,

the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst.

And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.

And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.

By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it,

and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there.

They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations.

But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Scripture quotations marked “ESV” are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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Revelation 21

A new heaven and a new earth appear, for the first heaven and earth have passed away, and the sea is no more—the complete renewal of creation after the elimination of the old order. The holy city, the new Jerusalem, descends from heaven like a bride adorned for her husband, and God dwells with humanity in the most intimate communion: they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death, mourning, crying, and pain are no more—the complete reversal of the curse and the fulfillment of God's original design for creation and humanity in unbroken fellowship. The city is described as a perfect cube of 12,000 stadia (about 1,400 miles)—the dimensions of the Most Holy Place expanded to cosmic proportions—with walls of jasper, twelve gates inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes, and twelve foundations inscribed with the names of the twelve apostles. There is no temple in the city, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple, establishing that direct communion with God replaces the mediated access of the old covenant. The nations walk by the light of the Lamb, and the gates of the city will never be shut, indicating the full inclusion of redeemed humanity in God's eternal kingdom and the end of separation.

Revelation 21:13

There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west - the twelve gates are distributed equally on all four sides, indicating universal access and the completeness of God's purpose. All peoples may enter from every direction.

Revelation 21:14

The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb - the twelve foundations bear the names of the twelve apostles, signifying that the church is built on the apostolic witness and revelation of Christ. The apostles' testimony is the foundation.

Revelation 21:15

The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls - the angel uses a golden measuring rod, the instrument of divine precision and standard. The measurement underscores the perfect dimensions and intentional design of the new creation.

Revelation 21:16

The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide; the angel measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and as high as it is long - the city is a perfect cube (12,000 stadia = 2,400 kilometers on each side), echoing the Holy of Holies' cubic form. Twelve, the number of God's people, is multiplied by 1,000, suggesting the infinite perfection of God's dwelling.

Revelation 21:17

The angel measured its wall and it was 144 cubits thick, by human measurement, which the angel was using - the wall is 144 cubits (12 x 12), matching the 144,000 sealed in Revelation 7. The wall's thickness (about 70 meters) is measured by human standard, grounding the vision in comprehensible terms.

Revelation 21:18

The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass - jasper (representing God's holiness and judgment) forms the wall; pure gold (representing worth and purity) forms the city itself. The transparency of glass emphasizes openness and clarity.

Revelation 21:19

The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst - the twelve foundations are adorned with twelve precious stones, each in its appointed place. The variety and value of the stones signify the glory and richness of God's redeemed people.

Revelation 21:20

The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl; the great street of the city was of pure gold, transparent as glass - each gate is a single pearl, formed from a response to wounding (an oyster coating an irritant with nacre); the gates represent the beauty that comes through suffering. The golden street is transparent, indicating perfect visibility and openness.

Revelation 21:21

I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple - the absence of a physical temple is profoundly significant: no mediating structure is needed because God's presence permeates the entire city. The distinction between sacred and secular space vanishes.

Revelation 21:22

'The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp' - God's glory and the Lamb's light replace the sun and moon, natural sources of illumination. The inhabitants live in eternal day, the light of God's presence.

Revelation 21:23

'The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it; its gates will never be shut, because there is no night there' - the nations and kings, rather than opposing God, now bring their treasures and honor to his city. The open gates (never shut) signify perfect security and perpetual welcome; there is no night, no hiding, no closure.

Revelation 21:24

'On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there is no night there; the glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it' - the repeated affirmation emphasizes the city's perpetual openness and the nations' willing contribution of their glory to God. The redeemed creation participates in the city's worship.

Revelation 21:25

'Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life' - the city's sanctity is absolute; only the redeemed, written in the Lamb's book of life, may dwell there. Impurity, shame, and deception are forever excluded.

Revelation 21:26

'The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it' - this verse continues the theme of verse 24, emphasizing that even the diversity and achievements of the nations find their proper place in God's renewed creation, consecrated to his worship.

Revelation 21:27

Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life - the final word on the city repeats the requirement for purity and the necessity of being written in the Lamb's book of life. Only the redeemed, those whose allegiance and names belong to Christ, inherit eternal dwelling with God.

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' - the completion is announced: all is finished, all purposes are fulfilled. God's self-designation as Alpha and Omega brackets all time and existence in his control. To the thirsty (spiritually parched), he offers freely the water of eternal life.

Revelation 21:7

'Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children; but the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars - they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur; this is the second death' - the victorious inherit the renewed creation and enter covenant relationship with God as his children. The cowardly and unfaithful face consignment to the lake of fire.

Revelation 21:8

But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars - they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur; this is the second death - those who reject God, whether through fear, unbelief, wickedness, murder, immorality, sorcery, idolatry, or lies, face the lake of fire. The second death is final separation from God.

Revelation 21:9

One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, 'Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb' - the angel who administered judgment now reveals glory; the bride's beauty is unveiled. The same messenger moves from wrath to grace.

Revelation 21:10

And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God - John is elevated to a high vantage point to behold the new Jerusalem descending. The perspective emphasizes the city's divine origin and descent.

Revelation 21:11

It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal - the city's radiance is God's own glory. The jasper, most precious, and crystal-clear imagery conveys perfect transparency and divine beauty.

Revelation 21:12

It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates; on the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel - the twelve gates represent the twelve tribes; all of redeemed Israel has access to the city. Angels guard the gates, signifying the city's holiness and security.

Revelation 21:1

Then I saw 'a new heaven and a new earth,' for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea - the old creation, marked by separation and chaos (the sea), is replaced by new creation. The new heaven and earth signal the restoration and renewal of all things in God's ultimate purpose.

Revelation 21:2

I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband - the new Jerusalem descends from heaven as the bride adorned for her groom, realizing the union of God's dwelling with his people. The city itself is the perfected community of the redeemed.

Revelation 21:3

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Now the dwelling of God is with mankind, and he will dwell with them; they will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God' - the covenant promise, 'I will be their God and they will be my people,' is finally and fully realized. God's presence, withdrawn in Eden, is permanently restored.

Revelation 21:4

'He will wipe every tear from their eyes; there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away' - sorrow, death, pain, and suffering, the scars of the fallen world, are eradicated. The comfort of God's presence replaces all grief.

Revelation 21:5

He who was seated on the throne said, 'I am making everything new!' And he said, 'Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true' - God himself announces the renewal of all things. His words are declared trustworthy and true, granting ultimate authority to this promise of restoration.