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22 No, you have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and countless angels in festal gathering,(A)

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22 But you have come to Mount Zion,(A) to the city(B) of the living God,(C) the heavenly Jerusalem.(D) You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly,

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14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the one that is to come.(A)

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14 For here we do not have an enduring city,(A) but we are looking for the city that is to come.(B)

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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.(A) 11 It gleamed with the splendor of God. Its radiance was like that of a precious stone, like jasper, clear as crystal.(B) 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.(C) 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[a] of the Lamb.(D)

15 [b]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[c] in length and width and height. 17 He also measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits[d] according to the standard unit of measurement the angel used. 18 [e]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,(E) 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 [f](F)I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God almighty and the Lamb.

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Footnotes

  1. 21:14 Courses of stones…apostles: literally, “twelve foundations”; cf. Eph 2:19–20.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.”
  4. 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.”
  5. 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.
  6. 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.

10 And he carried me away(A) in the Spirit(B) to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.(C) 11 It shone with the glory of God,(D) and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper,(E) clear as crystal.(F) 12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates,(G) and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.(H) 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,(I) and on them were the names of the twelve apostles(J) of the Lamb.

15 The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod(K) of gold to measure the city, its gates(L) 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[a] in length, and as wide and high as it is long. 17 The angel measured the wall using human(M) measurement, and it was 144 cubits[b] thick.[c] 18 The wall was made of jasper,(N) and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.(O) 19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone.(P) The first foundation was jasper,(Q) the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby,(R) the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.[d] 21 The twelve gates(S) were twelve pearls,(T) each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.(U)

22 I did not see a temple(V) in the city, because the Lord God Almighty(W) and the Lamb(X) are its temple.

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 21:16 That is, about 1,400 miles or about 2,200 kilometers
  2. Revelation 21:17 That is, about 200 feet or about 65 meters
  3. Revelation 21:17 Or high
  4. Revelation 21:20 The precise identification of some of these precious stones is uncertain.