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

Vision of the New Jerusalem

Then 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.”(A) 10 And in the spirit[a] he carried me away to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.(B) 11 It has the glory of God and a radiance like a very rare jewel, like jasper, clear as crystal.(C) 12 It has a great, high wall with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates are inscribed the names that are the names[b] of the twelve tribes of the Israelites:(D) 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 has twelve foundations, and on them are the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.(E)

15 The angel[c] who talked to me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls.(F) 16 The city has four equal sides, its length the same as its width, and he measured the city with his rod, twelve thousand stadia; its length and width and height are equal. 17 He also measured its wall, one hundred forty-four cubits by human measurement, which the angel was using. 18 The wall is built of jasper, while the city is pure gold, clear as glass. 19 The foundations of the wall of the city are adorned with every jewel; the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates are twelve pearls, each of the gates is a single pearl, and the street of the city is pure gold, transparent as glass.

22 I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb.(G) 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.(H) 25 Its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there.(I) 26 People will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27 But nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.(J)

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Footnotes

  1. 21.10 Or in the Spirit
  2. 21.12 Other ancient authorities lack that are the names
  3. 21.15 Gk He