Revelation 21

Revelation 21

The big picture

Revelation 21 opens in verse 1 with “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 14 with “And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve…”, and closes in verse 27 with “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever…” Repeated or prominent terms include city, gates, twelve, wall, heaven. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.

Scripture beside the summary

Revelation · King James Version · 27

Revelation 21:1-7

1–7: I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first…

Revelation 21:1–7 opens with “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed…” and reaches “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on New heaven and new earth, the holy city descending, tears ended, and the New Jerusalem measured and illuminated by divine glory, with particular weight carried by heaven, earth, first.

Context that brings the passage to life

“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…” The line’s distinctive content terms include earth, first, heaven. Its relationship to verses 2 shows what work it does in this passage.

“And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her…” Naming Jerusalem keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

Revelation 21:1-7

King James Version

1And 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.

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

3And 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.

4And 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.

5And 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.

6And 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.

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

Revelation 21:8-14

8–14: The fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and…

Revelation 21:8–14 opens with “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and…” and reaches “And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on New heaven and new earth, the holy city descending, tears ended, and the New Jerusalem measured and illuminated by divine glory, with particular weight carried by gates, twelve, names.

Context that brings the passage to life

“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked…” The number one makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem…” Naming Jerusalem keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

Revelation 21:8-14

King James Version

8But 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.

9And 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.

10And 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,

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

12And 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:

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

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

Revelation 21:15-21

15–21: He that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the…

Revelation 21:15–21 opens with “And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the…” and reaches “And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on New heaven and new earth, the holy city descending, tears ended, and the New Jerusalem measured and illuminated by divine glory, with particular weight carried by city, wall, twelve.

Context that brings the passage to life

“And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.” The line’s distinctive content terms include city, gates, golden. Its relationship to verses 16 shows what work it does in this passage.

“And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed…” The number twelve makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

Revelation 21:15-21

King James Version

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

16And 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.

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

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

19And 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;

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

21And 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.

Revelation 21:22-27

22–27: I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the…

Revelation 21:22–27 opens with “And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.” and reaches “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on New heaven and new earth, the holy city descending, tears ended, and the New Jerusalem measured and illuminated by divine glory, with particular weight carried by glory, honour, Lamb.

Context that brings the passage to life

“And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.” Naming Almighty keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

Revelation 21:22-27

King James Version

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

23And 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.

24And 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.

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

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

27And 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.

Details worth noticing

27verses in this reading
4major movements
2verses with speech

The opening image

Revelation 21:1 begins with “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.”

Where the chapter turns

Revelation 21:8 forms a natural hinge: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part…”

The final note

Revelation 21:27 leaves the reader with “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…”

A word trail through the chapter

The words city, gates, twelve, wall, heaven, glory help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.

How is God's faithfulness shown in both halves of the family?

Isaac is born as promised, and Ishmael is heard and preserved with a future of his own.

Why does a well deserve narrative space?

Water sustains life and makes residence possible in a land Abraham does not yet own.

KJV words made clear

behold
look, or pay close attention
unto
to
thee
you

Text first

Where readers differ

The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.

The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.

Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.