요한계시록 Chapter 21

Translation: ESV

1

Then 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.

Key Message

God renews the fallen world and brings about an entirely new creation where chaos and evil no longer exist.

▸The vision of the new heaven and the new earth unfolds — the moment of fulfillment of the prophecies in Isaiah 65:17 and 66:22.

The vision of the new heaven and the new earth unfolds — the moment of fulfillment of the prophecies in Isaiah 65:17 and 66:22. The first heaven and earth pass away, and an entirely new creation appears. The absence of the sea signifies that the symbol of chaos and separation is removed.

Related Verses

For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make shall remain before me, says the LORD, so shall your offspring and your name remain.But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
2

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

Key Message

The new Jerusalem is the church, the bride of Christ, in its final completed form — an achievement God himself leads and accomplishes.

▸The holy city, new Jerusalem, descends from heaven.

3

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.'

Key Message

God dwelling eternally with humanity is the goal of all Scripture, and it is fully realized in the new creation.

▸A voice from the throne proclaims the heart of the new creation: God's dwelling place is with mankind, and God himself dwells with them.

4

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.

Key Message

In God's kingdom all suffering and death are completely abolished, and God himself personally wipes every tear from his people's eyes.

▸God himself wipes away every tear.

5

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.'

Key Message

God is the one who makes all things new, and this promise is guaranteed by his faithfulness and will certainly come to pass.

▸God seated on the throne speaks directly: 'I am making all things new.

6

And 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 from the spring of the water of life without payment.'

Key Message

God is the sovereign lord of history, and salvation is a free gift God gives without charge.

▸'It is done!' (γέγοναν) declares completion, as does 'It is done!' in 16:17.

7

The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

Key Message

The one who holds fast to the faith becomes an heir of God's kingdom and enjoys an eternal Father-son relationship with God.

▸The supreme promise given to the one who conquers: to inherit all things in the new creation and to enjoy an eternal Father-son relationship with God.

8

But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.

Key Message

Those who cannot enter God's kingdom are characterized by the abandonment of faith and moral corruption; their destiny is eternal punishment.

▸A list of the condemned is presented in contrast to the blessings for the one who conquers.

9

Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, 'Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.'

Key Message

The church, as the bride of the Lamb, is a pure and beautiful community in complete contrast to the prostitute Babylon.

▸One of the seven bowl angels invites John to see the new Jerusalem — the Bride of the Lamb.

10

And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God,

Key Message

The Spirit is the mediator of God's revelation; the vantage point on high symbolizes viewing reality from a heavenly perspective.

▸John is transported in the Spirit to a great high mountain and given a panoramic view of the new Jerusalem.

11

having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.

Key Message

The beauty and the source of light in the new Jerusalem is the glory of God — this is the heart of the new creation.

▸The most prominent feature of the new Jerusalem is the glory of God (δόξα).

12

It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed—

Key Message

The new Jerusalem is the city of the complete people of God, encompassing both the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles of the New Testament.

▸The wall and twelve gates of the new Jerusalem are described.

13

on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates.

Key Message

The new Jerusalem is a universal city accessible from every direction — God's house for all peoples of the whole world.

▸The twelve gates are distributed evenly — three on each side of the compass.

14

And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

Key Message

The new Jerusalem is the community of God's completed people, integrating both Old Testament Israel and the New Testament church — the twelve tribes and the twelve apostles.

▸The names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb are inscribed on the twelve foundations of the wall.

15

And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls.

Key Message

God knows and owns his city precisely; the measuring guarantees his complete protection and sovereignty.

▸The angel carries a golden measuring rod (a measuring instrument) to measure the city, its gates, and its walls.

16

The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal.

Key Message

The perfect cubic form of the new Jerusalem symbolizes that the entire city is the Holy of Holies, filled with God's presence.

▸The new Jerusalem is a perfect cube: its length, width, and height are all 12,000 stadia (approximately 1,380 miles).

17

He also measured its wall, 144 cubits by human measurement, which is also an angel's measurement.

Key Message

Every measurement of the new Jerusalem expresses God's perfection mathematically — a complete reality that both humans and angels can comprehend.

▸The wall's thickness (or height) is 144 cubits.

18

The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass.

Key Message

The materials of the new Jerusalem symbolize the glory of God and perfect purity — no human material can fully express them.

▸The wall is built of jasper, and the city itself is made of pure gold, clear as glass.

19

The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald,

Key Message

The twelve foundation stones adorned with jewels display the diverse and glorious character of God's people.

▸The list of jewels adorning the twelve foundations begins.

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.

Key Message

The complete list of twelve jewels expresses comprehensively the complete and diverse glory of God's kingdom.

▸The list of the remaining eight foundation jewels is completed.

21

And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

Key Message

The pearl gates and golden street symbolize the preciousness of entering God's kingdom and complete transparency before God.

▸Each of the twelve gates is made from a single enormous pearl.

22

And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.

Key Message

The absence of a physical temple in the new Jerusalem signifies the realization of complete, direct fellowship with God — God himself is the temple.

▸There is no physical temple in the new Jerusalem — a stunning declaration.

23

And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.

Key Message

In the new creation the glory of God and the Lamb become the source of all light, making even the natural luminaries unnecessary.

▸There is no need for the sun or moon in the new Jerusalem.

24

By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it,

Key Message

God's new creation embraces all nations and cultures, yet achieves complete integration in which all glory belongs to God.

▸All the nations walk in the light of the new Jerusalem, and the kings of the earth bring their glory into the city.

25

and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there.

Key Message

In the new Jerusalem there is no threat and no night; the gates stand open forever — a symbol of complete peace and security.

▸The gates of the new Jerusalem are never closed.

26

They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations.

Key Message

God does not discard humanity's cultural achievements and diversity but purifies them and receives them as the enrichment of the new creation.

▸The glory and honor of the nations come into the new Jerusalem.

27

But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Key Message

The new Jerusalem is completely holy; only those written in the Lamb's book of life — those saved through Christ — may enter.

▸The criterion for access to the new Jerusalem is declared.