John Gill

She was given clothing of fine linen, bright and pure.” For the fine linen she wears is the righteous acts of the saints.

“And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen,.... Or "Byssine": the "Byssus", of which fine linen is made, is said to grow on a tree, in height like to a poplar, and its leaves like a willow, and to be…”

Then the angel told me to write, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”

“And he saith unto me, write,.... What follows, because of the importance of it, and to show the certainty of it, and that it may be regarded and remembered: the person speaking is either the voice from the throne, Rev 19:5 or the angel that…”

He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is The Word of God.

“And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood,.... Either in his own, by which he became the Saviour of his church and people; or else in the blood of his saints, he now comes to avenge; or rather in the blood of his…”

And from His mouth proceeds a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with an iron scepter.

“And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword,.... The Complutensian edition, and all the Oriental versions, with the Vulture Latin, read, "a sharp twoedged sword".”

But the beast was captured along with the false prophet, who on its behalf had performed signs deceiving those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.

“And the beast was taken,.... At the first onset, as soon as ever the battle begun, and carried away captive, as it was threatened he should, Rev 13:10 and this by Christ, who will destroy him with the breath of his mouth, and the brightness…”

And he threw him into the Abyss, shut it, and sealed it over him, so that he could not deceive the nations until the thousand years were complete.

“And cast him into the bottomless pit,.... Or deep, into which the devils desired they might not be sent, and which they dreaded as a torment, it may be, because a place of confinement, Luk 8:31 for this is called a prison, Rev 20:7 and…”

And if anyone was found whose name was not written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life,.... Upon the opening of it, Rev 20:12 as all that worship the beast, and wonder after him, Rev 13:8 and all wicked men, everyone of them: was cast into the lake of fire; where…”

And He told me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.

“And he said unto me, it is done,.... The end of all things is come; it is all over with the first heaven and earth; these are no more, and the new heaven and earth are finished: there seems to be an allusion to the…”

The one who overcomes will inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he will be My son.

“He that overcometh,.... All spiritual enemies, sin, Satan, and the world, the antichristian beast, his image, mark, and number of his name; who is more than a conqueror through Christ; one that perseveres to the end, notwithstanding all temptations, trials, and difficulties; See Gill on…”

But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with…

“But the fearful,.... Not the timorous sheep and lambs of Christ, the dear children of God, who are sometimes of a fearful heart, on account of sin, temptation, and unbelief; but such who are of cowardly spirits, and are not valiant for the truth, but…”

Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls full of the seven final plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife…

“And there came unto me one of the seven angels,.... Either the first of them, as one of the four beasts is the first of them, Rev 6:1 or it may be the last, and very likely the same as in Rev 17:1 which had…”

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

“On the east three gates,.... On which were written the names of Joseph, Benjamin, and Dan: on the north three gates; on which were written the names of Reuben, Judah, and Levi: on the south three gates; on which were written the names of Simeon…”

The city lies foursquare, with its width the same as its length. And he measured the city with the rod, and all its dimensions were equal—12,000 stadia in length and…

“And the city lieth four square,.... To the four corners of the world, from whence its inhabitants come, and denotes the regularity, uniformity, perfection, and immovableness of it.”

And he measured its wall to be 144 cubits, by the human measure the angel was using.

“And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits,.... The root of which is twelve, for twelve times twelve is a hundred and forty four; which number is mystical and apostolical, and suited to the perfect state of this church: hence…”

The wall was made of jasper, and the city itself of pure gold, as pure as glass.

“And the building of the wall of it was of jasper,.... Which is expressive of the impregnableness, duration, brightness, and glory of salvation by Christ, the jasper being a very hard, durable, and bright stone; and salvation can never be made void, and of none…”

the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.

“The fifth, sardonyx,.... Which is partly of the sardian, and partly of the onyx stone, which resembles a man's nail, from whence it has its name; it is reddish, bordering on white; it may be thought to answer to the onyx in the breastplate, on…”

And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, with each gate consisting of a single pearl. The main street of the city was pure gold, as clear as glass.

“And the twelve gates were twelve pearls,.... Denoting the purity and preciousness of Christ, by whom the saints enter, and of the saints who enter in thereat, as well as of the place into which they enter.”

But I saw no temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.

“And I saw no temple therein,.... No material temple, as was in the old Jerusalem, or such as is described in Ezekiel's vision; nor any place of public worship, as under the Gospel dispensation; for in this state there will be no such external form…”

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

“And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine in it,.... Which may be understood either literally of these two luminaries, which all earthly cities need; and which, though they may be in being in the new heavens, yet…”

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

“And the nations of them which are saved,.... In distinction from them that will be deceived by Satan, Rev 20:”

But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who practices an abomination or a lie, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

“And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth,.... As evil thoughts, words, and actions do; and therefore he that enters into this city must be free from all these: or "that is defiled", as the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions read…”

“Behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of prophecy in this book.”

“Behold, I come quickly,.... These are the words not of the angel, but of Christ, as is manifest from Rev 22:12 and which are to be understood not of Christ's coming in his power to destroy Jerusalem, for this was past when John had these…”

“Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to what he has done.

“And, behold, I come quickly,..... This is repeated, to confirm the truth of Christ's second coming, and the speediness of it, and to point at the time when the above shall be, and to add what follows.”

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

“I am Alpha and Omega,.... See Gill on Rev 1:8. These characters are all put together here, which are before used in Rev 1:8 and are very pertinently mentioned in this place, when all promises and prophecies, relating to the glorious kingdom of Christ, were…”

But outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

“For without are dogs,.... That is, without the holy city are such persons who are comparable to dogs for their filthiness, impudence, and voraciousness, as are persecutors, heretics, and apostates, Mat 7:6. Some think Sodomites are intended, as in Deu 23:18.”