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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

A New Heaven and a New Earth

21 I saw a new heaven and a new earth, because the first heaven and earth had disappeared, and the sea was gone. Then I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, dressed like a bride ready for her husband. I heard a loud voice from the throne say, “God lives with humans! God will make his home with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There won’t be any more death. There won’t be any grief, crying, or pain, because the first things have disappeared.”

The one sitting on the throne said, “I am making everything new.” He said, “Write this: ‘These words are faithful and true.’ ” He said to me, “It has happened! I am the A and the Z,[a] the beginning and the end. I will give a drink from the fountain filled with the water of life to anyone who is thirsty. It won’t cost anything. Everyone who wins the victory will inherit these things. I will be their God, and they will be my children. But cowardly, unfaithful, and detestable people, murderers, sexual sinners, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars will find themselves in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

A New Jerusalem

One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the last seven plagues came to me and said, “Come! I will show you the bride, the wife of the lamb.” 10 He carried me by his power away to a large, high mountain. He showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven. 11 It had the glory of God. Its light was like a valuable gem, like gray quartz, as clear as crystal. 12 It had a large, high wall with 12 gates. Twelve angels were at the gates. The names of the 12 tribes of Israel were written on the gates. 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 wall of the city had 12 foundations. The 12 names of the 12 apostles of the lamb were written on them.

15 The angel who was talking to me had a gold measuring stick to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. 16 The city was square. It was as wide as it was long. He measured the city with the stick. It was 12,000 stadia [b] long. Its length, width, and height were the same. 17 He measured its wall. According to human measurement, which the angel was using, it was 144 cubits.[c] 18 Its wall was made of gray quartz. The city was made of pure gold, as clear as glass. 19 The foundations of the city wall were beautifully decorated with all kinds of gems: The first foundation was gray quartz, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth red quartz, the seventh yellow quartz, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth green quartz, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21 The 12 gates were 12 pearls. Each gate was made of one pearl. The street of the city was made of pure gold, as clear as glass.

22 I did not see any temple in it, because the Lord God Almighty and the lamb are its temple. 23 The city doesn’t need any sun or moon to give it light because the glory of God gave it light. The lamb was its lamp. 24 The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. 25 Its gates will be open all day. They will never close because there won’t be any night there. 26 They will bring the glory and wealth of the nations into the holy city. 27 Nothing unclean,[d] no one who does anything detestable, and no liars will ever enter it. Only those whose names are written in the lamb’s Book of Life will enter it.

Footnotes

  1. 21:6 Or “the Alpha and the Omega.”
  2. 21:16 One stadion is equivalent to 607 feet.
  3. 21:17 One cubit is equivalent to 21 inches.
  4. 21:27 Unclean   ” refers to anything that Moses’ Teachings say is not presentable to God.

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. 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. 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) ‘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)

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)

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) Those who are victorious(S) will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.(T) 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

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.

21 2 He describeth new Jerusalem descending from heaven, 6 The bride the Lamb’s wife, 12 and the glorious building of the city, 19 garnished with precious stones, 22 whose Temple the Lamb is.

And [a]I saw (A)a new heaven, and a new earth: for the (B)first heaven, and the first earth were passed away, and there was no more sea.

[b]And I John saw the holy city new Jerusalem come down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride trimmed for her husband.

[c]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 their God with them.

(C)And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, neither crying, neither shall there be anymore pain: for the first things are passed.

[d]And he that sat upon the throne, said, (D)Behold, I make all things new, and he said unto me, Write: for these things are faithful and true.

And he said unto me, (E)[e]It is done, I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end: I will give to him that is athirst, of the well of the water of life freely.

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

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

[g]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: I will show thee the bride the Lamb’s wife.

10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and [h]an high mountain, and he showed me [i]that great city, that holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

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

12 [j]And had a great wall and high, and had [k]twelve gates, and at the gates [l]twelve Angels, and the names written which are the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.

13 On the East part there were three gates, and on the North side three gates, on the South side three gates, and on the West side three gates.

14 And the wall of the city had [m]twelve foundations, and in them the names of the Lamb’s twelve Apostles.

15 [n]And he that walked with me, had a golden reed, to measure the city withal, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.

16 [o]And the city lay [p]foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth of it, and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs: and the length, and the breadth, and the height of it are equal.

17 And he measured the wall thereof an hundred forty and four cubits, by the measure of man, that is, of the [q]Angel.

18 [r]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 of Sapphire: the third of a Chalcedony: the fourth of an Emerald:

20 The fifth of a Sardonyx: the sixth of a Sardius: the seventh of a Chrysolite: the eight of a Beryl: the ninth of a Topaz: the tenth of a Chrysoprase: the eleventh of a Jacinth: the twelfth an Amethyst.

21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, and every gate is of one pearl, and the [s]street of the city is pure gold, as shining glass.

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

23 (F)[t]And their city hath no need of the Sun, neither of the Moon to shine in it: for the glory of God did light it: and the Lamb is the light of it.

24 (G)And the people which are saved, shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honor unto it.

25 (H)And the gates of it shall not be shut by day: for there shall be no night there.

26 And the glory and honor of the Gentiles shall be brought unto it.

27 And there shall enter into it none unclean thing, neither whatsoever worketh abomination or lies: but they which are written in the Lamb’s (I)book of life.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 21:1 Now followeth the second part of the history prophetical (as I said, Rev. 1 and 11:1) of the future estate of the Church in heaven after the last judgment, unto the fifth verse of the next chapter, in this are two things briefly declareth. The station, seat, or place thereof, verse 1. Then her state and condition in the verses following. Before the state of the Church described, is set down the state of the whole world, that there shall be a new heaven, and a new earth, as Isa. 65:17 and 66:12 and 2 Pet. 3:13, and this is the seat or place of the Church, in which righteousness shall dwell.
  2. Revelation 21:2 The state of this glorious Church is first described generally, unto verse 8 and then specially and by parts, in the verses following. The general description consisteth in a vision showed afar off, verse 2, and in speech spoken from heaven. In the general these things are common that the Church is holy, new, the workmanship of God, heavenly, most glorious, the spouse of Christ, and partaker of this glory in this verse.
  3. Revelation 21:3 The Church is described by the speech first of an Angel, in two verses, then of God himself in 4 verses. The Angel’s speech describeth the glory of the Church by the most familiar cohabitation of God therewith, by communication of all manner [of] good things according to the covenant, in this verse: and by removing or putting far away of all evil things in the verse following.
  4. Revelation 21:5 In the speech of God himself describing the Church, is first a certain exordium, or entrance, verse 5. Then followeth a magnificent description of the Church, by the present and future good things of the same in 3 verses following. In the exordium God challengeth to himself the restoring of all the creatures of which verse 1 and witnesseth the calling of S. John unto the writing of these things, in this verse.
  5. Revelation 21:6 The description of the Church is of three sorts, by the abolishing of old things: by the being of present things in God, that is of things eternal and by the communication of all good things with the godly, verse 6. If so be they shall strive manfully, verse 7. But the reprobate are excluded from thence, verse 8.
  6. Revelation 21:8 Their lot, and inheritance as it were.
  7. Revelation 21:9 A transition unto the particular describing of the heavenly Church by the express calling of Saint John in this verse, and his rapting up by the Spirit, in confirmation of the truth of God in the verse following.
  8. Revelation 21:10 He meaneth the place and stately seat of the Church, shadowed out in a mountain.
  9. Revelation 21:10 A type of that Church which is one, ample, or Catholic, holy celestial, built of God, in this verse: and glorious in the verse following. This type propounded generally, is after particularly declared, verse 12, etc.
  10. Revelation 21:12 A particular description (as I noted, verse 2) of the celestial Church. First, by the essential parts of the same, under the similitude of a city to verse 12. Secondly, from foreign accidents, unto the end of the chapter. Thirdly, by the effects, in the beginning of the next chapter, the essential parts are noted the matter and the form in the whole work: of these the superficies and foundation of the wall are entire parts (as they use to be called) which parts are first described in figure, unto verse 14 and afterward more exactly.
  11. Revelation 21:12 According to the number of the tribes, of which chap. 7. For here the outward part is attributed unto the old Testament, and the foundation of the new Testament.
  12. Revelation 21:12 He meaneth the Prophets, who are the messengers of God, and watchmen of the Church.
  13. Revelation 21:14 That is, foundation stones, according to the number of the gates, as is showed verse 19.
  14. Revelation 21:15 A transition unto a more exquisite description of the parts of the Church, by finding out the measure of the same by the Angel that measured them.
  15. Revelation 21:16 The measure and form most equal, in 2 verses.
  16. Revelation 21:16 A foursquared figure hath equal sides, and outright corners, and therefore the Greeks call by this name those things that are steady, and of continuance and perfect.
  17. Revelation 21:17 He addeth this, because the Angel had the shape of a man.
  18. Revelation 21:18 The matter most precious and glittering which the presence of God maketh most glorious.
  19. Revelation 21:21 By street, he meaneth the broadest place of the city.
  20. Revelation 21:23 The second form of particular description (as I said, verse 12) from foreign and outward accidents: which are these, Light from God himself, in this verse, glory from men, verse 24, perfect security from all harm, verse 25. Finally such truth and incorruption of glory (verse 26) as can bear and abide with it, nothing that is inglorious, the last verse.