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BibleStudyIt Revelation 21

  • Revelation Chapter 21

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The new heaven and the new earth

21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth had gone away. The sea also was not there any more. 2 I saw God's own holy city, called the new Jerusalem. It was coming down out of heaven from God. It was very beautiful, like a bride who is wearing beautiful clothes, ready to meet her husband.

3 I heard a voice that spoke loudly from the throne. It said, ‘Look! God's home is now among people! God will live together with them. They will be his people. God himself will be with them and he will be their God. 4 God will take away all the tears from their eyes. Nobody will ever die again. Nobody will be sad again. Nobody will ever cry. Nobody will have pain again. Everything that made people sad has now gone. That old world has completely gone away.’

5 God, who was sitting on the throne, said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then he said, ‘Write this down, because these words are true. Everyone should believe them.’

6 He also said to me, ‘Everything is now done! I caused all things to begin and I will cause the end of all things. I am the beginning and the end. If anyone is thirsty, I will give them water to drink. Nobody will have to pay anything for it. That water comes from a spring of water that gives life to people. 7 Everyone who wins against Satan will receive all these things from me. I will be their God and they will be my children.

8 But I will punish other people. They include:

people who are afraid of trouble;

people who do not believe in Jesus;

people who do disgusting things;

people who murder other people;

people who have sex in a wrong way;

people who use magic to hurt people;

people who worship idols;

people who tell lies.

All these people will go into the lake of fire that burns with sulphur. That is the second death for people.’

New city of Jerusalem

9 Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls that were full of the seven final troubles came to me. He said, ‘Come with me! I will show you the bride who will become the Lamb's wife.’

10 Then God's Spirit caused me to see and to hear strange things. The angel carried me away to a great mountain that was very high. He showed me God's own holy city, Jerusalem. The city was coming down out of heaven from God. 11 It had the bright glory of God. It shone like a valuable jewel that is called jasper. It shone like clean glass. 12 The city had a very big, high wall round it. The wall had 12 gates in it. 12 angels stood at the 12 gates. The names of the 12 tribes of Israel's people were written on the 12 gates. 13 There were three gates on each side of the city:

three gates were on the east side,

three gates were on the north side,

three gates were on the south side,

three gates were on the west side.

14 The city's wall has a foundation of 12 strong stones. The names of the Lamb's 12 apostles were written on those 12 stones. [ a ]

15 The angel who talked to me had a long gold stick. He used it to measure things. So he could measure the city and its gates and its walls. 16 The shape of the city was a square. It was as long as it was wide. The angel measured the city with his stick. It was 12,000 stadia (2,400 kilometres) long. It was as wide and as high as it was long. 17 He also measured its wall. The size of the wall was 144 cubits (65 metres). That is the way that humans measure things. The angel also measured in the same way. [ b ]

18 The wall was made from the jewel that is called jasper. The city was made from pure gold. The light shone through it, as light shines through clean glass. 19 The strong stones that were the foundation of the city's wall were very beautiful. They had valuable jewels in them that were different colours. Each great stone had its own special jewel. They were called:

1. Jasper;

2. Sapphire;

3. Agate;

4. Emerald;

20 5. Onyx;

6. Carnelian;

7. Quartz;

8. Beryl;

9. Topaz;

10. Chrysoprase; [ c ]

11. Jacinth;

12. Amethyst.

21 The 12 gates were 12 pearls. They had used a single pearl to make each gate. The city's biggest street was made from pure gold. The light shone through it, as light shines through clean glass.

22 When I looked, I saw that there was no temple in the city. The Lord God, who has all power and authority, is there himself. The Lamb is also there. So people do not need a special place to worship him there. 23 Also, the city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it. God's bright glory gives light to the city. The Lamb is the lamp that gives it light.

24 People from all the world's nations will live in the city's light. The earth's rulers will bring all their valuable things into it. 25 Nobody will ever shut the city's gates at the end of the day. It will always be day and there will be no night there. 26 People from all the world's nations will bring their beautiful and valuable things into the city. 27 But nothing that is bad or unclean will ever go in there. Nobody who does anything that God hates will go into the city. Nobody who tells lies will go in. Only those people with their names written in the Lamb's book of life can go in there. [ d ]

Footnotes

  1. 21:14 When Jesus was alive on this earth, he chose 12 men to work with him. These workers were called apostles. He sent them to teach other people about him. See Matthew 10:1-5 ; 28:16-18 . One of these men (Judas Iscariot) did not continue to believe in Jesus. Later, other men, like Paul, were also called Christ's apostles.
  2. 21:17 ‘stadia’ and ‘cubits’ were how people measured things in John's time. 12,000 stadia was about 2,400 kilometres. 144 cubits was about 65 metres. We do not know if this was how high the wall was or how thick it was. The numbers 12,000 and 144 may mean something special.
  3. 21:20 ‘Chrysoprase’ or ‘Turquoise’
  4. 21:27 We read about the ‘book of life’ in Revelation 3:5 ; 13:8 ; 17:8 ; 20:12 .

The New Jerusalem

21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth had disappeared. Now there was no sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, [ a ] coming down out of heaven from God. It was prepared like a bride dressed for her husband.

3 I heard a loud voice from the throne. It said, “Now God’s home is with people. He will live with them. They will be his people. God himself will be with them and will be their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, sadness, crying, or pain. All the old ways are gone.”

5 The one who was sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this, because these words are true and can be trusted.”

6 The one on the throne said to me, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega, [ b ] the Beginning and the End. I will give free water from the spring of the water of life to anyone who is thirsty. 7 All those who win the victory will receive all this. And I will be their God, and they will be my children. 8 But those who are cowards, those who refuse to believe, those who do terrible things, those who kill, those who sin sexually, those who do evil magic, those who worship idols, and those who tell lies—they will all have a place in the lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

9 One of the seven angels came to me. This was one of the angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues. The angel said, “Come with me. I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 The angel carried me away by the Spirit to a very large and high mountain. The angel showed me the holy city, Jerusalem. The city was coming down out of heaven from God.

11 The city was shining with the glory of God. It was shining bright like a very expensive jewel, like a jasper. It was clear as crystal. 12 The city had a large, high wall with twelve gates. There were twelve angels at the gates. On each gate was written the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. 13 There were three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. 14 The walls of the city were built on twelve foundation stones. On the stones were written the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

15 The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod made of gold. The angel had this rod to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. 16 The city was built in a square. Its length was equal to its width. The angel measured the city with the rod. The city was 12,000 stadia [ c ] long, 12,000 stadia wide, and 12,000 stadia high. 17 The angel also measured the wall. It was 144 cubits [ d ] high. (The angel was using the same measurement that people use.) 18 The wall was made of jasper. The city was made of pure gold, as pure as glass.

19 The foundation stones of the city walls had every kind of expensive jewels in them. The first foundation stone was jasper, the second was sapphire, the third was chalcedony, the fourth was emerald, 20 the fifth was onyx, the sixth was carnelian, the seventh was yellow quartz, the eighth was beryl, the ninth was topaz, the tenth was chrysoprase, the eleventh was jacinth, and the twelfth was amethyst. 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls. Each gate was made from one pearl. The street of the city was made of pure gold, as clear as glass.

22 I did not see a temple in the city. The Lord God All-Powerful and the Lamb were the city’s temple. 23 The city did not need the sun or the moon to shine on it. The glory of God gave the city light. The Lamb was the city’s lamp.

24 The peoples of the world will walk by the light given by the Lamb. The rulers of the earth will bring their glory into the city. 25 The city’s gates will never close on any day, because there is no night there. 26 The greatness and the honor of the nations will be brought into the city. 27 Nothing unclean will ever enter the city. No one who does shameful things or tells lies will ever enter the city. Only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life will enter the city.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 21:2 new Jerusalem The spiritual city where God’s people live with him.
  2. Revelation 21:6 Alpha … Omega The first and last letters in the Greek alphabet, meaning the beginning and the end.
  3. Revelation 21:16 stadia One Greek stadion was 600 feet, about 185 meters.
  4. Revelation 21:17 cubits A cubit is the length of a man’s arm from the elbow to the tip of the little finger, about half a meter.

21 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

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

3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

6 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.

7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.

10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:

13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.

14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.

16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.

17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.

18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.

19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;

20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.

21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.

23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.

25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.

26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.

27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

The New Heaven and Earth

21 Then I saw ( A ) a new heaven and a new earth; for ( B ) the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2 And I saw ( C ) the holy city, ( D ) new Jerusalem, ( E ) coming down out of heaven from God, ( F ) prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, ( G ) the tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will ( H ) dwell among them, and they shall be His [ a ] people, and God Himself will be among them [ b ] , 4 and He will ( I ) wipe away every tear from their eyes; and ( J ) there will no longer be any death; ( K ) there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; ( L ) the first things have passed away.”

5 And ( M ) He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am ( N ) making all things new.” And He *said, “Write, for ( O ) these words are faithful and true.” 6 Then He said to me, “ [ c ] ( P ) It is done. I am the ( Q ) Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. ( R ) I will give water to the one who thirsts from the spring of the ( S ) water of life, without cost. 7 ( T ) The one who overcomes will inherit these things, and ( U ) I will be his God and he will be My son. 8 ( V ) But for the cowardly, and [ d ] unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and sexually immoral persons, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part will be in ( W ) the lake that burns with fire and [ e ] brimstone, which is the ( X ) second death.”

9 ( Y ) Then one of the seven angels who had the ( Z ) seven bowls, [ f ] full of the ( AA ) seven last plagues, came and spoke with me, saying, “ ( AB ) Come here, I will show you the ( AC ) bride, the wife of the Lamb.”

The New Jerusalem

10 And ( AD ) he carried me away [ g ] ( AE ) in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me ( AF ) the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, 11 having ( AG ) the glory of God. Her [ h ] brilliance was like a very valuable stone, like a ( AH ) stone of ( AI ) crystal-clear jasper. 12 [ i ] It had a great and high wall, [ j ] ( AJ ) with twelve ( AK ) gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names were written on the gates , which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. 13 There were three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. 14 And the wall of the city had ( AL ) twelve foundation stones, and on them were the twelve names of the ( AM ) twelve apostles of the Lamb.

15 The one who spoke with me had a [ k ] gold measuring ( AN ) rod to measure the city, its ( AO ) gates, and its wall. 16 The city is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as the width; and he measured the city with the [ l ] rod, [ m ] twelve thousand stadia; its length, width, and height are equal. 17 And he measured its wall, [ n ] 144 cubits, by ( AP ) human [ o ] measurements, which are also ( AQ ) angelic measurements . 18 The material of the wall was ( AR ) jasper; and the city was ( AS ) pure gold, like [ p ] clear ( AT ) glass. 19 ( AU ) The foundation stones of the city wall were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation stone was ( AV ) jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, ( AW ) emerald; 20 the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, ( AX ) sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. 21 And the twelve ( AY ) gates were twelve ( AZ ) pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was ( BA ) pure gold, like transparent ( BB ) glass.

22 I saw ( BC ) no [ q ] temple in it, for the ( BD ) Lord God the Almighty and the ( BE ) Lamb are its [ r ] temple. 23 And the city ( BF ) has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for ( BG ) the glory of God has illuminated it, and its lamp is the ( BH ) Lamb. 24 ( BI ) The nations will walk by its light, and the ( BJ ) kings of the earth [ s ] will bring their glory into it. 25 In the daytime (for ( BK ) there will be no night there) ( BL ) its gates ( BM ) will never be closed; 26 and ( BN ) they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it; 27 and ( BO ) nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those [ t ] whose names are ( BP ) written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 21:3 Lit peoples
  2. Revelation 21:3 One early ms adds, as their God
  3. Revelation 21:6 Lit They are
  4. Revelation 21:8 Or untrustworthy
  5. Revelation 21:8 I.e., burning sulfur
  6. Revelation 21:9 Lit who were full ; i.e., (previously) loaded with
  7. Revelation 21:10 Or in spirit
  8. Revelation 21:11 Or radiance
  9. Revelation 21:12 Lit having
  10. Revelation 21:12 Lit having
  11. Revelation 21:15 Lit measure, a gold reed
  12. Revelation 21:16 Lit reed
  13. Revelation 21:16 Possibly about 1,380 miles or 2,220 km; a Roman stadion perhaps averaged 607 ft. or 185 m
  14. Revelation 21:17 Possibly about 216 ft. or 65 m; a cubit is about 18 in. or 45 cm
  15. Revelation 21:17 Lit measure
  16. Revelation 21:18 Lit pure
  17. Revelation 21:22 Or sanctuary
  18. Revelation 21:22 Or sanctuary
  19. Revelation 21:24 Lit bring
  20. Revelation 21:27 Lit who have been written

A New Heaven and a New Earth

21 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” [ a ] ( A ) for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, ( B ) and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, ( C ) the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, ( D ) prepared as a bride ( E ) beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. ( F ) They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ( G ) 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. ( H ) There will be no more death’ [ b ] ( I ) or mourning or crying or pain, ( J ) for the old order of things has passed away.” ( K )

5 He who was seated on the throne ( L ) said, “I am making everything new!” ( M ) Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” ( N )

6 He said to me: “It is done. ( O ) I am the Alpha and the Omega, ( P ) the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost ( Q ) from the spring of the water of life. ( R ) 7 Those who are victorious ( S ) will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. ( T ) 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars ( U ) —they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. ( V ) This is the second death.” ( W )

The New Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lamb

9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues ( X ) came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, ( Y ) the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away ( Z ) in the Spirit ( AA ) to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. ( AB ) 11 It shone with the glory of God, ( AC ) and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, ( AD ) clear as crystal. ( AE ) 12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, ( AF ) and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. ( AG ) 13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. 14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, ( AH ) and on them were the names of the twelve apostles ( AI ) of the Lamb.

15 The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod ( AJ ) of gold to measure the city, its gates ( AK ) and its walls. 16 The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia [ c ] in length, and as wide and high as it is long. 17 The angel measured the wall using human ( AL ) measurement, and it was 144 cubits [ d ] thick. [ e ] 18 The wall was made of jasper, ( AM ) and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. ( AN ) 19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. ( AO ) The first foundation was jasper, ( AP ) the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, ( AQ ) the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. [ f ] 21 The twelve gates ( AR ) were twelve pearls, ( AS ) each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass. ( AT )

22 I did not see a temple ( AU ) in the city, because the Lord God Almighty ( AV ) and the Lamb ( AW ) are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God ( AX ) gives it light, ( AY ) and the Lamb ( AZ ) is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. ( BA ) 25 On no day will its gates ( BB ) ever be shut, ( BC ) for there will be no night there. ( BD ) 26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. ( BE ) 27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, ( BF ) but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. ( BG )

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 21:1 Isaiah 65:17
  2. Revelation 21:4 Isaiah 25:8
  3. Revelation 21:16 That is, about 1,400 miles or about 2,200 kilometers
  4. Revelation 21:17 That is, about 200 feet or about 65 meters
  5. Revelation 21:17 Or high
  6. Revelation 21:20 The precise identification of some of these precious stones is uncertain.