Revelation 21 | NRSV Bible | YouVersion (2024)

21

The New Heaven and the New Earth

1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

“See, the home#21.3 Gk tabernacle of God is among mortals.

He will dwell#21.3 Gk tabernacle with them as their God;#21.3 Other ancient authorities lack as their God

they will be his peoples,#21.3 Other ancient authorities read people

and God himself will be with them;#21.3 Other ancient authorities add and be their God

4he will wipe every tear from their eyes.

Death will be no more;

mourning and crying and pain will be no more,

for the first things have passed away.”

5And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. 7Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will be my children. 8But as for the cowardly, the faithless,#21.8 Or the unbelieving the polluted, the murderers, the fornicators, the sorcerers, the idolaters, and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Vision of the New Jerusalem

9Then 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.” 10And in the spirit#21.10 Or in the Spirit he carried me away to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. 11It has the glory of God and a radiance like a very rare jewel, like jasper, clear as crystal. 12It has a great, high wall with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates are inscribed the names of the twelve tribes of the Israelites; 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 has twelve foundations, and on them are the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

15The angel#21.15 Gk He who talked to me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. 16The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width; and he measured the city with his rod, fifteen hundred miles;#21.16 Gk twelve thousand stadia its length and width and height are equal. 17He also measured its wall, one hundred forty-four cubits#21.17 That is, almost seventy-five yards by human measurement, which the angel was using. 18The wall is built of jasper, while the city is pure gold, clear as glass. 19The 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, 20the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. 21And 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.

22I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23And 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. 24The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. 25Its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. 26People will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27But 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.

Revelation 21 | NRSV Bible | YouVersion (2024)

FAQs

What does Revelation 21 mean in the Bible? ›

Revelation 21 is the twenty-first chapter of the Book of Revelation in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. This chapter contains the accounts of "the new heaven and the new earth", followed by the appearance of the New Jerusalem, "prepared as a bride".

How many people will go to heaven? ›

The revelation to John supports Matthew 8:11, which says that many will come from every corner of the earth to sit with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The number 144,000 that were sealed or chosen are not pre-chosen. The number 12 itself is symbolic.

What does Revelation 21:4 teach us? ›

When it's all said and done, the Lord declares that He will wipe away every tear. A better day is indeed coming, and He is working to bring an end to all pain and suffering. As we place our trust in Him, we can know that a new Kingdom awaits… one that makes every moment until then worthwhile!

What is the second death in the Bible? ›

The second death is mentioned only in the book of Revelation and is a symbol of permanent destruction. A synonym for the second death is the “lake of fire.” Referring to this, Revelation 20:14 says: “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This means the second death.”

Do animals get to go to heaven? ›

The theology would hint that heaven and earth are not for God, but for God's creatures. And, thus, animals that have been so loving and helpful to their owners would be there, too.

Who is the bride in Revelation 21? ›

This should be clear from Revelation 21:9, which introduces the description of Jerusalem's measurements by calling the city “the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” We know, of course, that the bride of Christ is none other than the church (Eph. 5:22–33; Rev.

Which people will not go to heaven? ›

Galatians 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have ...

How soon after death do you go to heaven? ›

We enter heaven immediately upon our death, or our souls sleep until the second coming of Christ and the accompanying resurrection. Most have chosen to believe what the Bible appears to overwhelmingly propose: our souls (spirits) penetrate heaven immediately after we take our final breath.

Where in the Bible does it say not everyone will go to heaven? ›

In Matthew 7:21–23, Jesus is recorded as saying: “Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

Will we remember each other in heaven? ›

The basis of Paul's encouragement and comfort is that we'll be together with those we love and with the Lord forever in heaven. Our fellowship with our Christian loved ones goes right on! We'll pick up where we left off, and we will know even as we are known. We will recognize Him and others, even as they recognize us.

What does Revelation 21:5 say? ›

ESV And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."

What does the Bible say about old things passed away? ›

2Cor. 5 Verses 14 to 21

[17] Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Does God give second chances after death? ›

Some have promoted the idea of a second chance after death. But the Bible does not indicate that people get an opportunity to repent or to put faith in Jesus after they die. Hebrews 9:27 says, “People are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.”

Who will be resurrected first? ›

There is order to the Resurrection. Jesus Christ was the first to be resurrected, thus preparing the way for all others (see 1 Corinthians 15:20; 2 Nephi 2:8; Alma 40:2–4).

What happens after a person dies according to the Bible? ›

According to the Bible, people lose all thoughts, senses, and emotions once they die. They are not conscious in any sense of the word. They are peacefully at rest. Their spirit, or the Breath that gives them and makes them a living soul, has left their bodies and returned to God until the Resurrection.

What does the new heaven and new earth mean? ›

Definition. “The new heavens and new earth” refers to the state of creation after Jesus' return and final judgment. It is also referred to as “new creation,” and both of these terms communicate that Christ's work renews and restores creation at his second coming.

What is the seal of God on the forehead in Revelations? ›

Revelation says that the redeemed bear a seal on their foreheads. The seal consists of the names of God and the Lamb and shows that the redeemed belong to God (Revelation 14:1). The seal is presumably not a visible one but a way of indicating that people find their identity in relationship to God and Christ.

What did Jesus mean when he said "I make all things new"? ›

By undergoing the passion, Jesus paid the price for our human sin (death) and granted us the opportunity for salvation and relationship with God the Father. Thus, in the context of the film, Christ “made all things new” through his death and resurrection.

What is the city in Revelation 21? ›

New Jerusalem of Revelation 21 is 2225 km in length, width, and height. A city of these gigantic proportions cannot be located on Earth; but, as stated in Rev. 21, A New Heaven and a New Earth, the city comes "down out of Heaven from God", presumably onto, the "new earth."

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