KJV: And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
YLT: And the twelve gates are twelve pearls, each several one of the gates was of one pearl; and the broad-place of the city is pure gold -- as transparent glass.
Darby: And the twelve gates, twelve pearls; each one of the gates, respectively, was of one pearl; and the street of the city pure gold, as transparent glass.
ASV: And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the several gates was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
δώδεκα | twelve |
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Plural Root: δώδεκα Sense: twelve. |
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πυλῶνες | gates [were] |
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Plural Root: πυλών Sense: a large gate: of a palace. |
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μαργαρῖται | pearls |
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Plural Root: μαργαρίτης Sense: a pearl. |
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ἀνὰ | respectively |
Parse: Adverb Root: ἀνά Sense: into the midst, in the midst, amidst, among, between. |
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εἷς | one |
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: εἷς Sense: one. |
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ἕκαστος | each |
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: ἕκαστος Sense: each, every. |
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τῶν | of the |
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Plural Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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πυλώνων | gates |
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural Root: πυλών Sense: a large gate: of a palace. |
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ἑνὸς | one |
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Masculine Singular Root: εἷς Sense: one. |
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μαργαρίτου | pearl |
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular Root: μαργαρίτης Sense: a pearl. |
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πλατεῖα | street |
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular Root: πλατεῖα Sense: a broad way, a street. |
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τῆς | of the |
Parse: Article, Genitive Feminine Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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πόλεως | city |
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular Root: πόλις Sense: a city. |
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χρυσίον | gold |
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Singular Root: χρυσίον Sense: gold, both that which lies imbedded in the earth and is dug out of it. |
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καθαρὸν | pure |
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Singular Root: καθαρός Sense: clean, pure. |
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ὕαλος | glass |
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: ὕαλος Sense: any stone transparent like glass. |
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διαυγής | transparent |
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: διαυγάζω Sense: to shine through, to dawn. |
Greek Commentary for Revelation 21:21
These gate towers (πυλωνες pulōnes) were mentioned in Revelation 21:12. Each of these (cf. Isaiah 54:12) is a pearl, one of the commonest of jewels (Matthew 7:6; Matthew 13:46; 1 Timothy 2:9). [source]
Distributive use of ανα ana but with the nominative (used as adverb, not preposition) rather than the accusative (as a preposition) as appears also in Mark 14:19; John 8:9; with κατα kata in Romans 12:5, “a barbaric construction” according to Charles.Street (πλατεια plateia). For which word (broad way, οδος hodos understood) see Matthew 6:5, here the singular, but includes all the streets.Transparent Old word (from δια dia through, αυγη augē ray, shining through), here alone in N.T. [source]
For which word (broad way, οδος hodos understood) see Matthew 6:5, here the singular, but includes all the streets. [source]
Old word (from δια dia through, αυγη augē ray, shining through), here alone in N.T. [source]
The pearl seems to have been known from the earliest times to the Asiatic Greeks, in consequence of their intercourse with the Persians. Among the motives which impelled Caesar to attempt the conquest of Britain, was the fame of its pearl-fisheries. Pearls held the highest rank among precious stones. The Latin term unio (unity ) was applied to the pearl because no two were found exactly alike; but the word became in time restricted to the fine, spherical pearls, while the generic name was margarita. Shakespeare uses union for pearl in Hamlet, Act v., Sc. 2.“The king shall drink to Hamlet's better health:And in the cup an union shall he throw Richer than that which four successive kingsIn Denmark's crown have worn.”And again:“Drink of this potion: is thy union here?” [source]
Rev., each one of the several gates, thus bringing out the force of the genitive πυλώνων ofgates. The idea several is conveyed by ἀνά , as Luke 9:3, ἀνὰ δύο χιτῶνας “two coats apiece:” John 2:6, ἀνὰ μετρητὰξ δύο ἣ τρεῖς “two or three firkins apiece.” [source]
See on Luke 14:21. From πλατύς broadHence the broadway. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Revelation 21:21
Only here and Revelation 21:21. For the kindred adjective ὑάλινος ofglass, see on Revelation 4:6. [source]
Accusative retained after this passive verb of clothing, as so often. Πορπυρους Porphurous is old adjective for purple (from πορπυρα porphura), in N.T. only here and John 19:2, John 19:5. See preceding verse for κοκκινος kokkinos Perfect passive participle of χρυσοω chrusoō old verb, to gild, to adorn with gold, here alone in N.T.With gold and precious stone and pearls (χρυσιωι και λιτωι τιμιωι και μαργαριταις chrusiōi kai lithōi timiōi kai margaritais). Instrumental case. Χρυσιωι Chrusiōi is cognate with the participle. Λιτωι τιμιωι Lithōi timiōi is collective (Revelation 18:12, Revelation 18:16; Revelation 21:19). There is a ζευγμα zeugma also with μαργαριταις margaritais (Revelation 18:12, Revelation 18:16; Revelation 21:21), for which word see Matthew 7:6. Probably John is thinking of the finery of the temple prostitutes in Asia Minor.Full of abominations Agreeing with ποτηριον potērion “cup” (neuter singular accusative). Some MSS. read γεμων gemōn (nominative masculine like εχων echōn in Revelation 17:3, quite irregular). For βδελυγματων bdelugmatōn (genitive after γεμον gemon) see Matthew 24:15; (Mark 13:14), common in the lxx for idol worship and its defilements (from βδελυσσω bdelussō to render foul), both ceremonial and moral. See Jeremiah 15:7.Even the unclean things of her fornication (και τα ακαταρτα της πορνειας αυτης kai ta akatharta tēs porneias autēs). Either the accusative after γεμον gemon as in Revelation 17:3 (and full of the unclean things of her fornication) or the object of εχουσα echousa like ποτηριον potērion f0). [source]
Instrumental case. Χρυσιωι Chrusiōi is cognate with the participle. Λιτωι τιμιωι Lithōi timiōi is collective (Revelation 18:12, Revelation 18:16; Revelation 21:19). There is a ζευγμα zeugma also with μαργαριταις margaritais (Revelation 18:12, Revelation 18:16; Revelation 21:21), for which word see Matthew 7:6. Probably John is thinking of the finery of the temple prostitutes in Asia Minor. [source]
John returns, after the parenthesis in Revelation 21:11, to the structure in Revelation 21:10, only to use the accusative εχουσαν echousan as before to agree with πολιν polin but the nominative εχουσα echousa as again with “twelve gates” Πυλων Pulōn is an old word (from πυλη pulē gate) for a large gate as in Luke 16:20 and six times in Rev for the gate tower of a city wall (Revelation 21:12, Revelation 21:13, Revelation 21:15, Revelation 21:21, Revelation 21:25; Revelation 22:14) as in 1 Kings 17:10; Acts 14:13. See Ezekiel 48:31. for these twelve gates, one for each tribe (cf. Revelation 7:1-8). [source]
No copula ην ēn (was) expressed. The city shone like a mass of gold in contrast with the jasper lustre of the wall.Pure glass (υαλωι καταρωι hualōi katharōi). Associative instrumental case after ομοιον homoion υαλος Hualos (apparently from υει huei it rains, and so raindrop) in N.T. only Revelation 21:18, Revelation 21:21. [source]
Associative instrumental case after ομοιον homoion υαλος Hualos (apparently from υει huei it rains, and so raindrop) in N.T. only Revelation 21:18, Revelation 21:21. [source]
Connected probably with the river in Revelation 22:1, though many connect it with Revelation 22:2. Only one street mentioned here as in Revelation 21:21. [source]
Old adjective (from υαλος hualos glass, Revelation 21:18, Revelation 21:21), in N.T. only here and Revelation 15:2. Possibly from υει huei (it rains), like a raindrop. At any rate here it is the appearance, not the material. Glass was made in Egypt 4,000 years ago. In Exodus 24:10 the elders see under the feet of God in the theophany a paved work of sapphire stone (cf. Ezekiel 1:26). The likeness of the appearance of sky to sea suggests the metaphor here (Beckwith). [source]