Hitherto the prophecy of this book has presented to us a very remarkable mixture of light and shade, prosperity and adversity, mercy and judgment, in the conduct of divine Providence towards the church in the world: now, at the close of all, the day breaks, and the shadows flee away; a new world now appears, the former having passed away. Some are willing to understand all that is said in these last two chapters of the state of the church even here on earth, in the glory of the latter days; but others, more probably, take it as a representation of the perfect and triumphant state of the church in heaven. Let but the faithful saints and servants of God wait awhile, and they shall not only see, but enjoy, the perfect holiness and happiness of that world. In this chapter you have, I. An introduction to the vision of the new Jerusalem (Rev 21:1-9). II. The vision itself (Rev 21:10, etc.)
Source: Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706–21; Romans–Revelation completed by Nonconformist ministers). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
1 And I sawe a newe heauen, and a newe earth: for the first heauen, and the first earth were passed away, and there was no more sea.
2 And I Iohn sawe the holie citie newe Hierusalem come downe from God out of heauen, prepared as a bride trimmed for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heauen, saying, Behold, the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them: and they shalbe his people, and God himselfe shalbe their God with them.
4 And God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes: and there shalbe no more death, neither sorow, neither crying, neither shall there be any more paine: for the first things are passed.
5 And he that sate vpon the throne, sayd, Behold, I make all things newe: and he sayde vnto me, Write: for these wordes are faithfull and true.
6 And he said vnto me, It is done, I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ende. I wil giue to him that is a thirst, of the well of the water of life freely.
7 He that ouercommeth, shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my sonne.
8 But the fearful and vnbeleeuing, and the abominable and murtherers, and whoremogers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars shall haue their part in the lake, which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.
9 And there came vnto mee one of the seuen Angels, which had the seuen vials full of the seuen last plagues, and talked with mee, saying, Come: I will shewe thee the bride, the Lambes wife.
10 And he caried me away in the spirit to a great: and an hie mountaine, and he shewed me that great citie, that holie Hierusalem, descending out of heauen from God,
11 Hauing the glorie of God: and her shining was like vnto a stone most precious, as a Iasper stone cleare as crystall,
12 And had a great wall and hie, and had twelue gates, and at the gates twelue Angels, and the names written, which are the twelue tribes of the children of Israel.
13 On the East part there were three gates, and on the Northside three gates, on the Southside three gates, and on the Westside three gates.
14 And the wall of the citie had twelue foundations, and in them the Names of the Lambes twelue Apostles.
15 And hee that talked with mee, had a golden reede, to measure the citie withall, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
16 And the citie laie foure square, and the length is as large as the bredth of it, and he measured the citie with the reede, twelue thousande furlongs: and the length, and the bredth, and the height of it are equall.
17 And hee measured the wall thereof, an hundreth fourtie and foure cubites, by the measure of man, that is, of the Angell.
18 And ye building of the wall of it was of Iasper: and the citie was pure golde, like vnto cleare glasse.
19 And the foundations of the wall of ye city were garnished with all maner of precious stones: the first foundation was Iasper: the second of Saphire: the third of a Chalcedonie: the fourth of an Emeraude:
20 The fift of a Sardonix: the sixt of a Sardius: the seueth of a Chrysolite: the eight of a Beryl: the ninth of a Topaze: the tenth of a Chrysoprasus: the eleuenth of a Iacynth: the twelfth an Amethyst.
21 And the twelue gates were twelue pearles, and euery gate is of one pearle, and the streete of the citie is pure golde, as shining glasse.
22 And I sawe no Temple therein: for the Lord God almightie and the Lambe are the Temple of it.
23 And this citie hath no neede of the sunne, neither of the moone to shine in it: for the glorie of God did light it: and the Lambe is the light of it.
24 And the people which are saued, shall walke in the light of it: and the Kings of the earth shall bring their glorie and honour vnto it.
25 And the gates of it shall not be shut by day: for there shalbe no night there.
26 And the glorie, and honour of the Gentiles shall be brought vnto it.
27 And there shall enter into it none vncleane thing, neither whatsoeuer woorketh abomination or lies: but they which are written in ye Lambes booke of life.