The Meaning of Revelation 21:21 Explained

Revelation 21:21

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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Revelation 21:21 Mean?

Study Notes

street
Revelation 22:2 , cf: Revelation 3:4 .

Verse Meaning

Evidently each gate-tower that John saw ( Revelation 21:12-13) had been carved out of one huge pearl (cf. Isaiah 54:11-12). [1]
"Among the ancients, pearls were ranked highest among precious stones, because their beauty derives entirely from nature, improvement by human workmanship being an impossibility ..." [2]
John further described the street or pavement of the city probably referring to all the streets since all would be connected. These were pure gold ( Revelation 21:18), as pure as transparent glass. Old Testament priests who ministered in Solomon"s temple walked on a gold floor originally ( 1 Kings 6:30).

Context Summary

Revelation 21:9-27 - "the Holy City"
The "new Jerusalem" is the redeemed Church united with her Lord in the act of governing the whole world. A city is obviously the seat of imperial rule. In that blessed condition the saints will rule the earth as the powers of darkness rule it now. We shall enjoy the fellowship of the good and great of every age. In a literal sense we shall be fellow-citizens with the saints. All ages and dispensations will blend there. Angels at the gates; the names of the twelve tribes and twelve Apostles engraved in imperishable characters to indicate the blending of the dispensations; the differing stones, representing variety of character and function but all blending in the light of the Lamb on the throne.
The happy throngs pour through the gates with never-ending rapture. Those gates, facing every quarter, stand always open; but none desire to go forth, except commissioned on some errand by the King. All the glory and honor of the world are gathered within those walls, because Jesus will be king over every department of human life. There will be room for all beauty, art, and culture in the city of eternal light and love. [source]

Chapter Summary: Revelation 21

1  A new heaven and a new earth
10  The heavenly Jerusalem, with a full description thereof
23  She needs no sun, the glory of God being her light
24  The kings of the earth bring their riches unto her

Greek Commentary for Revelation 21:21

Twelve pearls [δωδεκα μαργαριται]
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]
Each one [ανα εις εκαστος]
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]
Street [πλατεια]
For which word (broad way, οδος — hodos understood) see Matthew 6:5, here the singular, but includes all the streets. [source]
Transparent [διαυγης]
Old word (from δια — dia through, αυγη — augē ray, shining through), here alone in N.T. [source]
Pearls [μαργαρίται]
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]
Every several gate [ἀνὰ εἷς ἕκαστος τῶν πυλώνων]
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]
Street [πλατεῖα]
See on Luke 14:21. From πλατύς broadHence the broadway. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Revelation 21:21

Revelation 21:18 Glass [ὑάλῳ]
Only here and Revelation 21:21. For the kindred adjective ὑάλινος ofglass, see on Revelation 4:6. [source]
Revelation 17:4 In purple and scarlet [πορπυρουν και κοκκινον]
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]
Revelation 17:4 With gold and precious stone and pearls [χρυσιωι και λιτωι τιμιωι και μαργαριταις]
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]
Revelation 21:12 Having a wall great and high [εχουσα τειχος μεγα και υπσηλον]
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]
Revelation 21:18 Was pure gold [χρυσιον καταρον]
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]
Revelation 21:18 Pure glass [υαλωι καταρωι]
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]
Revelation 22:2 In the midst of the street thereof [εν μεσωι της πλατειας αυτης]
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]
Revelation 4:6 As it were a glassy sea [ως ταλασσα υαλινη]
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]

What do the individual words in Revelation 21:21 mean?

And the twelve gates [were] pearls respectively one each of the gates was of one pearl the street of the city gold pure as glass transparent
Καὶ οἱ δώδεκα πυλῶνες μαργαρῖται ἀνὰ εἷς ἕκαστος τῶν πυλώνων ἦν ἐξ ἑνὸς μαργαρίτου πλατεῖα τῆς πόλεως χρυσίον καθαρὸν ὡς ὕαλος διαυγής

δώδεκα  twelve 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: δώδεκα  
Sense: twelve.
πυλῶνες  gates  [were] 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: πυλών  
Sense: a large gate: of a palace.
μαργαρῖται  pearls 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: μαργαρίτης  
Sense: a pearl.
ἀνὰ  respectively 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ἀνά  
Sense: into the midst, in the midst, amidst, among, between.
εἷς  one 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: εἷς  
Sense: one.
ἕκαστος  each 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἕκαστος  
Sense: each, every.
τῶν  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
πυλώνων  gates 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: πυλών  
Sense: a large gate: of a palace.
ἑνὸς  one 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: εἷς  
Sense: one.
μαργαρίτου  pearl 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: μαργαρίτης  
Sense: a pearl.
πλατεῖα  street 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: πλατεῖα  
Sense: a broad way, a street.
τῆς  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
πόλεως  city 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: πόλις  
Sense: a city.
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.
καθαρὸν  pure 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: καθαρός  
Sense: clean, pure.
ὕαλος  glass 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ὕαλος  
Sense: any stone transparent like glass.
διαυγής  transparent 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: διαυγάζω  
Sense: to shine through, to dawn.