The New Jerusalem

Then one of the seven angels, who had held the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues,(A) 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[a](B) to a great, high mountain(C) and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, 11 arrayed with God’s glory.(D) 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.(E) 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(F) to measure the city, its gates, and its wall.(G) 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.[b] 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:(H) 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[c] 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.(I) 24 The nations will walk by its light,(J) and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.[d](K) 25 Its gates will never close by day because it will never be night there.(L) 26 They will bring the glory and honor of the nations into it.[e](M) 27 Nothing unclean will ever enter it,(N) nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those written in the Lamb’s book of life.(O)

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Footnotes

  1. 21:10 Or in spirit
  2. 21:16 A stadion (sg) = about 600 feet; 12,000 stadia = 1,400 miles.
  3. 21:21 Or The public square
  4. 21:24 Other mss read will bring to him the nations’ glory and honor
  5. 21:26 Other mss add in order that they might go in

(A)Then one of the seven angels who had the (B)seven bowls, [a]full of the (C)seven last plagues, came and spoke with me, saying, “(D)Come here, I will show you the (E)bride, the wife of the Lamb.”

The New Jerusalem

10 And (F)he carried me away [b](G)in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me (H)the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, 11 having (I)the glory of God. Her [c]brilliance was like a very valuable stone, like a (J)stone of (K)crystal-clear jasper. 12 [d]It had a great and high wall, [e](L)with twelve (M)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 (N)twelve foundation stones, and on them were the twelve names of the (O)twelve apostles of the Lamb.

15 The one who spoke with me had a [f]gold measuring (P)rod to measure the city, its (Q)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 [g]rod, [h]twelve thousand stadia; its length, width, and height are equal. 17 And he measured its wall, [i]144 cubits, by (R)human [j]measurements, which are also (S)angelic measurements. 18 The material of the wall was (T)jasper; and the city was (U)pure gold, like [k]clear (V)glass. 19 (W)The foundation stones of the city wall were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation stone was (X)jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, (Y)emerald; 20 the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, (Z)sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. 21 And the twelve (AA)gates were twelve (AB)pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was (AC)pure gold, like transparent (AD)glass.

22 I saw (AE)no [l]temple in it, for the (AF)Lord God the Almighty and the (AG)Lamb are its [m]temple. 23 And the city (AH)has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for (AI)the glory of God has illuminated it, and its lamp is the (AJ)Lamb. 24 (AK)The nations will walk by its light, and the (AL)kings of the earth [n]will bring their glory into it. 25 In the daytime (for (AM)there will be no night there) (AN)its gates (AO)will never be closed; 26 and (AP)they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it; 27 and (AQ)nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those [o]whose names are (AR)written in the Lamb’s book of life.

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Footnotes

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