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Revelation 21
Christian Standard Bible

The New Creation

21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth;(A) for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away,(B) and the sea was no more.(C) 2 I also saw the holy city,(D) the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,(E) prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.(F)

3 Then I heard a loud voice(G) from the throne:[a](H) Look, God’s dwelling[b] is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples,[c](I) and God himself will be with them and will be their God.[d] 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes.(J) Death will be no more;(K) grief, crying, and pain will be no more,(L) because the previous things[e] have passed away.(M)

5 Then the one seated on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new.” He also said, “Write, because these words[f] are faithful and true.”(N) 6 Then he said to me, “It is done!(O) I am the Alpha and the Omega,(P) the beginning and the end.(Q) I will freely give to the thirsty(R) from the spring of the water of life.(S) 7 The one who conquers(T) will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be my son.(U) 8 But the cowards, faithless,[g] detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars(V)—their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur,(W) which is the second death.”(X)

The New Jerusalem

9 Then one of the seven angels, who had held the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues,(Y) came and spoke with me: “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 He then carried me away in the Spirit[h](Z) to a great, high mountain(AA) and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, 11 arrayed with God’s glory.(AB) Her radiance was like a precious jewel, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. 12 The city had a massive high wall, with twelve gates. Twelve angels were at the gates; the names of the twelve tribes of Israel’s sons were inscribed 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.(AC) 14 The city wall had twelve foundations, and the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb were on the foundations.

15 The one who spoke with me had a golden measuring rod(AD) to measure the city, its gates, and its wall.(AE) 16 The city is laid out in a square; its length and width are the same. He measured the city with the rod at 12,000 stadia.[i] Its length, width, and height are equal. 17 Then he measured its wall, 144 cubits according to human measurement, which the angel used. 18 The building material of its wall was jasper, and the city was pure gold clear as glass. 19 The foundations of the city wall were adorned with every kind of jewel:(AF) the first foundation is jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. 21 The twelve gates are twelve pearls; each individual gate was made of a single pearl. The main street[j] of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass.

22 I did not see a temple in it, because the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates it, and its lamp is the Lamb.(AG) 24 The nations will walk by its light,(AH) and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.[k](AI) 25 Its gates will never close by day because it will never be night there.(AJ) 26 They will bring the glory and honor of the nations into it.[l](AK) 27 Nothing unclean will ever enter it,(AL) nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those written in the Lamb’s book of life.(AM)

Footnotes

  1. 21:3 Other mss read from heaven
  2. 21:3 Or tent, or tabernacle
  3. 21:3 Other mss read people
  4. 21:3 Other mss omit and will be their God
  5. 21:4 Or the first things
  6. 21:5 Other mss add of God
  7. 21:8 Other mss add the sinful,
  8. 21:10 Or in spirit
  9. 21:16 A stadion (sg) = about 600 feet; 12,000 stadia = 1,400 miles.
  10. 21:21 Or The public square
  11. 21:24 Other mss read will bring to him the nations’ glory and honor
  12. 21:26 Other mss add in order that they might go in
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Revelation 21
New American Bible (Revised Edition)

VI. The New Creation[a]

Chapter 21

The New Heaven and the New Earth. 1 (A)Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.[b] 2 I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem,[c] coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.(B) 3 I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race.(C) He will dwell with them and they will be his people[d] and God himself will always be with them [as their God].[e] 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, [for] the old order has passed away.”(D)

5 The one who sat on the throne[f] said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Then he said, “Write these words down, for they are trustworthy and true.”(E) 6 He said to me, “They are accomplished.[g] I [am] the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give a gift from the spring of life-giving water.(F) 7 The victor[h] will inherit these gifts, and I shall be his God, and he will be my son.(G) 8 But as for cowards,[i] the unfaithful, the depraved, murderers, the unchaste, sorcerers, idol-worshipers, and deceivers of every sort, their lot is in the burning pool of fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”(H)

The New Jerusalem.[j] 9 One of the seven angels who held the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come here. I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”[k] 10 He took me in spirit to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.(I) 11 It gleamed with the splendor of God. Its radiance was like that of a precious stone, like jasper, clear as crystal.(J) 12 It had a massive, high wall, with twelve gates where twelve angels were stationed and on which names were inscribed, [the names] of the twelve tribes of the Israelites. 13 There were three gates facing east, three north, three south, and three west.(K) 14 The wall of the city had twelve courses of stones as its foundation, on which were inscribed the twelve names of the twelve apostles[l] of the Lamb.(L)

15 [m]The one who spoke to me held a gold measuring rod to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. 16 The city was square, its length the same as [also] its width. He measured the city with the rod and found it fifteen hundred miles[n] in length and width and height. 17 He also measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits[o] according to the standard unit of measurement the angel used. 18 [p]The wall was constructed of jasper, while the city was pure gold, clear as glass. 19 The foundations of the city wall were decorated with every precious stone; the first course of stones was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald,(M) 20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh hyacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made from a single pearl; and the street of the city was of pure gold, transparent as glass.

22 [q](N)I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God almighty and the Lamb. 23 [r]The city had no need of sun or moon to shine on it,(O) for the glory of God gave it light, and its lamp was the Lamb. 24 The nations will walk by its light,[s] and to it the kings of the earth will bring their treasure.(P) 25 During the day its gates will never be shut, and there will be no night there. 26 The treasure and wealth of the nations will be brought there, 27 but nothing unclean will enter it, nor any[one] who does abominable things or tells lies. Only those will enter whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.(Q)

Footnotes

  1. 21:1–22:5 A description of God’s eternal kingdom in heaven under the symbols of a new heaven and a new earth; cf. Is 65:17–25; 66:22; Mt 19:28.
  2. 21:1 Sea…no more: because as home of the dragon it was doomed to disappear; cf. Jb 7:12.
  3. 21:2 New Jerusalem…bride: symbol of the church (Gal 4:26); see note on Rev 19:7.
  4. 21:3–4 Language taken from Ez 37:27; Is 25:8; 35:10; cf. Rev 7:17.
  5. 21:3 People: other ancient manuscripts read a plural, “peoples.”
  6. 21:5 The one…on the throne: God himself; cf. Rev 4:1–11.
  7. 21:6 They are accomplished: God’s reign has already begun; see note on Rev 20:1–6. Alpha…Omega: see note on Rev 1:8. Life-giving water: see note on Rev 7:17.
  8. 21:7 The victor: over the forces of evil; see the conclusions of the seven letters (Rev 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21). He will be my son: the victorious Christian enjoys divine affiliation by adoption (Gal 4:4–7; Rom 8:14–17); see note on Rev 2:26–28.
  9. 21:8 Cowards: their conviction is so weak that they deny Christ in time of trial and become traitors. Second death: see note on Rev 2:11.
  10. 21:9–22:5 Symbolic descriptions of the new Jerusalem, the church. Most of the images are borrowed from Ez 40–48.
  11. 21:9 The bride, the wife of the Lamb: the church (Rev 21:2), the new Jerusalem (Rev 21:10); cf. 2 Cor 11:2.
  12. 21:14 Courses of stones…apostles: literally, “twelve foundations”; cf. Eph 2:19–20.
  13. 21:15–17 The city is shaped like a gigantic cube, a symbol of perfection (cf. 1 Kgs 6:19–20). The measurements of the city and its wall are multiples of the symbolic number twelve; see note on Rev 7:4–9.
  14. 21:16 Fifteen hundred miles: literally, twelve thousand stades, about 12,000 furlongs (see note on Rev 14:20); the number is symbolic: twelve (the apostles as leaders of the new Israel) multiplied by 1,000 (the immensity of Christians); cf. Introduction. In length and width and height: literally, “its length and width and height are the same.”
  15. 21:17 One hundred and forty-four cubits: the cubit was about eighteen inches in length. Standard unit of measurement the angel used: literally, “by a human measure, i.e., an angel’s.”
  16. 21:18–21 The gold and precious gems symbolize the beauty and excellence of the church; cf. Ex 28:15–21; Tb 13:16–17; Is 54:11–12.
  17. 21:22 Christ is present throughout the church; hence, no temple is needed as an earthly dwelling for God; cf. Mt 18:20; 28:20; Jn 4:21.
  18. 21:23 Lamp…Lamb: cf. Jn 8:12.
  19. 21:24–27 All men and women of good will are welcome in the church; cf. Is 60:1, 3, 5, 11. The…book of life: see note on Rev 3:5.
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New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.