New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Revelation 21
1
I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth were completely gone. There was no longer any sea.
Reference
2
I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem. It was coming down out of heaven from God. It was prepared like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
Reference
Holy
Revelation 21:10
Revelation 22:19
Parallel theme
Hebrews 13:14
References God
Hebrews 11:10
Revelation 3:12
Isaiah 61:10
Hebrews 12:22
3
I heard a loud voice from the throne. It said, "Now God makes his home with people. He will live with them. They will be his people. And God himself will be with them and be their God.
Reference
Parallel theme
John 14:23
References God
Zechariah 8:8
Hebrews 8:10
Jeremiah 31:33
Zechariah 13:9
Hebrews 11:16
Jeremiah 32:38
Temple
2 Corinthians 6:16
Ezekiel 37:27
Revelation 7:15
4
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or sadness. There will be no more crying or pain. Things are no longer the way they used to be."
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Corinthians 15:26
Isaiah 60:20
Isaiah 35:10
Isaiah 51:11
Jeremiah 31:13
Matthew 24:35
Isaiah 30:19
References God
Isaiah 25:8
Revelation 7:17
1 John 2:17
5
He who was sitting on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down. You can trust these words. They are true."
Reference
Faith
Revelation 22:6
Parallel theme
2 Corinthians 5:17
Isaiah 42:9
Isaiah 43:19
Revelation 4:2
Revelation 20:11
Revelation 1:19
Truth
Revelation 19:9
6
He said to me, "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last. I am the Beginning and the End. Anyone who is thirsty may drink from the spring of the water of life. It doesn't cost anything!
Reference
7
Anyone who overcomes will receive all this from me. I will be his God, and he will be my child.
Reference
Parallel theme
2 Corinthians 6:18
Revelation 2:11
Matthew 25:34
Revelation 2:17
Matthew 19:29
Proverbs 3:35
References God
Revelation 21:3
Hebrews 8:10
Revelation 2:7
Zechariah 8:8
8
"But others will have their place in the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. Those who are afraid and those who do not believe will be there. Murderers and those who pollute themselves will join them. Those who commit sexual sins and those who practice witchcraft will go there. Those who worship statues of gods and all who tell lies will be there too. It is the second death."
Reference
9
One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke to me. The bowls were filled with the seven last plagues. The angel said, "Come. I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb."
Reference
10
Then he carried me away in a vision. The Spirit took me to a huge, high mountain. He showed me Jerusalem, the Holy City. It was coming down out of heaven from God.
Reference
11
It shone with the glory of God. It gleamed like a very valuable jewel. It was like a jasper, as clear as crystal.
Reference
Light
Revelation 22:5
Parallel theme
Revelation 4:6
Ezekiel 1:22
Revelation 4:3
Ezekiel 1:26
Ezekiel 48:35
References God
Revelation 22:1
12
The city had a huge, high wall with 12 gates. Twelve angels were at the gates, one at each of them. On the gates were written the names of the 12 tribes of Israel.
Reference
13
There were three gates on the east and three on the north. There were three gates on the south and three on the west.
14
The wall of the city had 12 foundations. Written on them were the names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb.
Reference
15
The angel who talked with me had a gold measuring rod. He used it to measure the city, its gates and its walls.
16
The city was laid out like a square. It was as long as it was wide. The angel measured the city with the rod. It was 1,400 miles long. It was as wide and high as it was long.
17
He measured the wall of the city. It was 200 feet thick. The angel did the measuring as a man would.
19
The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of jewel. The first foundation was made out of jasper. The second was made out of sapphire. The third was made out of chalcedony. The fourth was made out of emerald.
Reference
Parallel theme
Proverbs 3:15
20
The fifth was made out of sardonyx. The sixth was made out of carnelian. The seventh was made out of chrysolite. The eighth was made out of beryl. The ninth was made out of topaz. The tenth was made out of chrysoprase. The eleventh was made out of jacinth. The twelfth was made out of amethyst.
21
The 12 gates were made from 12 pearls. Each gate was made out of a single pearl. The main street of the city was made out of pure gold, as clear as glass.
Reference
22
I didn't see a temple in the city. This was because the Lamb and the Lord God who rules over all are its temple.
Reference
Parallel theme
John 4:23
2 Chronicles 2:6
John 4:21
References God
1 Kings 8:27
Revelation 5:6
Revelation 16:7
Colossians 2:9
References Lord
Revelation 1:8
Isaiah 66:1
23
The city does not need the sun or moon to shine on it. God's glory is its light, and the Lamb is its lamp.
Reference
Glory
Revelation 21:11
Isaiah 24:23
Luke 2:32
Revelation 18:1
Habakkuk 3:3
Light
Revelation 22:5
John 1:9
Parallel theme
John 5:23
Revelation 21:25
References God
John 1:18
24
The nations will walk by the light of the city. The kings of the world will bring their glory into it.
Reference
Glory
Revelation 21:26
Isaiah 55:5
Isaiah 66:18
Kingdom
Isaiah 52:15
Parallel theme
Revelation 22:2
Zechariah 2:11
Psalm 22:27
Romans 15:16
Isaiah 2:2
Salvation
Isaiah 60:16
26
The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.
Chapter Summary
Revelation 21 describes the new heaven, new earth, and New Jerusalem, where God permanently dwells with His people, removes death and suffering, provides the water of life, and fills the holy city with His glory, creating an eternal reality where darkness, corruption, deception, and pain have completely disappeared.
The chapter begins with John seeing a new heaven and a new earth.
The former creation has passed away.
This represents the beginning of the eternal state following the final judgment described in Revelation 20.
John then sees the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from heaven.
The city is prepared like a bride for her husband.
A loud voice announces the central promise of the chapter:
God will dwell with humanity.
This is the fulfillment of the great biblical hope of God's presence among His people.
God will wipe away every tear.
There will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain.
Everything associated with the brokenness of the former creation will have passed away.
God declares that He is making everything new.
He identifies Himself as the Alpha and Omega, emphasizing that He is the beginning and the end and remains sovereign throughout all history.
He promises the water of life freely to those who are thirsty.
Those who overcome will inherit these blessings and will have God as their Father.
The chapter then contrasts this inheritance with the final destiny of those who remain in rebellion against God.
The vision returns to the New Jerusalem.
John is taken to a great and high mountain where he sees the city descending from God.
The city shines with God's glory.
Its walls, gates, foundations, and streets are described using gold, pearls, and precious stones.
The city has twelve gates, with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel written upon them.
Its twelve foundations bear the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
This combination connects the eternal city with the complete people of God across the biblical story.
The city is perfectly shaped and measured.
Its extraordinary dimensions communicate order, perfection, completeness, and holiness.
The city does not need an ordinary temple because God and the Lamb are its temple.
God's presence fills the entire city.
It also does not need the sun or moon because the glory of God provides its light and the Lamb is its lamp.
There is no night.
There is no darkness.
The gates remain open because there is no longer any threat requiring them to be closed.
The nations and kings bring their glory into the city, presenting a picture of humanity restored under God's rule.
Yet nothing unclean or deceptive can enter.
Only those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life belong within the city.
The chapter therefore presents the ultimate answer to everything that has gone wrong throughout Revelation.
Babylon has fallen.
The beast has been defeated.
Satan has been judged.
Death has been destroyed.
Now God's people receive an eternal home where God Himself lives among them.
Revelation 21 presents the ultimate restoration of creation, where God permanently dwells with His redeemed people in the New Jerusalem, removes death, suffering, darkness, and corruption completely, provides eternal life through the water of life, and fills the renewed world with His glory, demonstrating that God's final purpose is not merely to defeat evil but to establish an eternal creation where His people live securely in His presence forever.
The chapter begins with John seeing a new heaven and a new earth.
The former creation has passed away.
This represents the beginning of the eternal state following the final judgment described in Revelation 20.
John then sees the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from heaven.
The city is prepared like a bride for her husband.
A loud voice announces the central promise of the chapter:
God will dwell with humanity.
This is the fulfillment of the great biblical hope of God's presence among His people.
God will wipe away every tear.
There will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain.
Everything associated with the brokenness of the former creation will have passed away.
God declares that He is making everything new.
He identifies Himself as the Alpha and Omega, emphasizing that He is the beginning and the end and remains sovereign throughout all history.
He promises the water of life freely to those who are thirsty.
Those who overcome will inherit these blessings and will have God as their Father.
The chapter then contrasts this inheritance with the final destiny of those who remain in rebellion against God.
The vision returns to the New Jerusalem.
John is taken to a great and high mountain where he sees the city descending from God.
The city shines with God's glory.
Its walls, gates, foundations, and streets are described using gold, pearls, and precious stones.
The city has twelve gates, with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel written upon them.
Its twelve foundations bear the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
This combination connects the eternal city with the complete people of God across the biblical story.
The city is perfectly shaped and measured.
Its extraordinary dimensions communicate order, perfection, completeness, and holiness.
The city does not need an ordinary temple because God and the Lamb are its temple.
God's presence fills the entire city.
It also does not need the sun or moon because the glory of God provides its light and the Lamb is its lamp.
There is no night.
There is no darkness.
The gates remain open because there is no longer any threat requiring them to be closed.
The nations and kings bring their glory into the city, presenting a picture of humanity restored under God's rule.
Yet nothing unclean or deceptive can enter.
Only those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life belong within the city.
The chapter therefore presents the ultimate answer to everything that has gone wrong throughout Revelation.
Babylon has fallen.
The beast has been defeated.
Satan has been judged.
Death has been destroyed.
Now God's people receive an eternal home where God Himself lives among them.
Revelation 21 presents the ultimate restoration of creation, where God permanently dwells with His redeemed people in the New Jerusalem, removes death, suffering, darkness, and corruption completely, provides eternal life through the water of life, and fills the renewed world with His glory, demonstrating that God's final purpose is not merely to defeat evil but to establish an eternal creation where His people live securely in His presence forever.