Revelation 21:11
in Revelation 21shining with the glory of God. Its radiance was like a most precious jewel, like a jasper, as clear as crystal.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
having the glory of God: her light was like unto a stone most precious, as it were a jasper stone, clear as crystal:
KJV
Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
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This verse in Revelation 21
Commentary
14 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Having the glory of God - A glory or splendor such as became the dwelling place of God. The nature of that splendor is described in the following verses. And her light - In Rev 21:23 it is said that “the glory of God did lighten it.” That is, it was made light by the visible symbol of the Deity - the “Shekinah.” See the Luk 2:9 note; Act 9:3 note. The word here rendered “light” - φωστὴρ phōstēr - occurs nowhere else in the New Testament except in Php 2:
This site's exposition
Having the glory of God
The city's first attribute named is not its measurements but having the glory of God, the kabod that once filled the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34) and departed the temple before its destruction (Ezekiel 10:18) now permanently resident in the city itself. Her light is likened to a jasper stone, clear as crystal, the same stone that opened the throne vision at 4:3, so that the whole city now wears what once only surrounded the throne. Glory has moved from being seen around God to shining out of the place he lives with his people.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
Her radiance, that is, the Sun of righteousness Christ (Mal. 4:2), is said to be like a jasper stone. The jasper, as was said above, being somewhat green, signifies the life-giving and life-sustaining Christ, "who opens his hand and fills every living thing with good …
And the gate glittered to such a degree under the sunbeams, that I marvelled at the splendour of the gate; and round about the gate stood twelve virgins.
A commentator
Primasius of HadrumetumCOMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:11 · Written before 560.
proposed
[To which bride] the Lord says, "You are the light of the world." This expression pertains to the entire body of Christ, although the apostles heard it from the mouth of the Truth, since they were first in both time and merit.… Although the jasper …
We read of this very city in the prophets: "The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor shall the brightness of the moon give you light. But the Lord will be everlasting light, and your God will be your glory." … As …
The Medieval Church1 voice
The radiance of the church is Christ, who here is depicted as a jasper and clear as crystal to indicate that he is unfading and life-giving and pure. He is also depicted by means of other images. For the manifold diversity of his generosity for …
7 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church3 voices
QUESTION: And he took me up in spirit to a great mountain: and he shewed me the holy city Jerusalem. ANSWER: After the fall of Babylon, the holy city, which is the bride of the Lamb, is seen on the mountain, for the stone cut …
Her light was like a precious stone. The precious stone is Christ, who says: The glory which you have given me I have given to them (John 17).
Like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. Jasper, for the brightness of virtues; crystal, for the inner purity of the mind and unfeigned faith (1 Tim. 1).
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Having the glory of God - For her light, verse 23, ver. 23, Isaiah xl, 1, 2, Zech. ii, 5. Her window - There was only one, which ran all round the city. The light did not come in from without through this for the glory of God is within the city.
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Having the glory of God,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Having the glory of God--not merely the Shekinah-cloud, but God Himself as her glory dwelling in the midst of her. Compare the type, the earthly Jerusalem in the millennium (Zec 2:5; compare Re 21:23, below). her light--Greek, "light-giver": properly applied to the heavenly luminaries which diffuse light.
Having the glory of God - Instead of the sun and moon, it has the splendor of God to enlighten it. Unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal - Among precious stones there are some even of the same species more valuable than others: for their value is in proportion to their being free from flaws, and of a good water, i.e., a uniform and brilliant transparency. A crystal is perfectly clear, the oriental jasper is a beautiful sea-green. The stone that is here described is represented as a perfectly transparent jasper, being as unclouded as the brightest crystal, and consequently the most precious of its species. Nothing can be finer than this description: the light of this city is ever intense, equal, and splendid; but it is tinged with this green hue, in order to make it agreeable to the sight. Nothing is so friendly to the eye as blue or green; all other colors fatigue; and, if very intense, injure the eye. These are the colors of the earth and sky, on which the eye of man is to be constantly fixed. To these colors the structure of the eye is adapted; and the general appearance of the earth and the sky is adapted to this structure.
The words behind it
15 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἔχουσαν | echousan | having | G2192 → | 707 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δόξαν | doxan | glory | G1391 → | 165 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεοῦ. | theou | of God. | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| ὁ | ho | The | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| φωστὴρ | phoster | radiance | G5458 → | |
| αὐτῆς | autes | of it | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ὅμοιος | homoios | [was] like | G3664 → | 45 times |
| λίθῳ | litho | as a stone | G3037 → | 58 times |
| τιμιωτάτῳ | timiotato | most precious | G5093 → | 13 times |
| ὡς | hos | like | G5613 → | 500 times |
| λίθῳ | litho | as a stone | G3037 → | 58 times |
| ἰάσπιδι | iaspidi | jasper | G2393 → | 4 times |
| κρυσταλλίζοντι | krustallizonti | being clear as crystal | G2929 → |
ἔχουσανhaving
echousanG2192 →707 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
δόξανglory
doxanG1391 →165 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
θεοῦ.of God.
theouG2316 →1312 times
ὁThe
hoG3588 →19766 times
φωστὴρradiance
phosterG5458 →
αὐτῆςof it
autesG846 →5565 times
ὅμοιος[was] like
homoiosG3664 →45 times
λίθῳas a stone
lithoG3037 →58 times
τιμιωτάτῳmost precious
timiotatoG5093 →13 times
ὡςlike
hosG5613 →500 times
λίθῳas a stone
lithoG3037 →58 times
ἰάσπιδιjasper
iaspidiG2393 →4 times
κρυσταλλίζοντιbeing clear as crystal
krustallizontiG2929 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Revelation 22:1Then the angel showed me a river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb
it leads to
- Revelation 7:17
For the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd. ‘He will lead them to springs of living water,’ and ‘God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’”
- John 4:14
But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up to eternal life.”
- John 7:38–39
Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’”
- Psalms 36:8–9
They feast on the abundance of Your house, and You give them drink from Your river of delights.
- John 4:10–11
Jesus answered, “If you knew the gift of God and who is asking you for a drink, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
- Revelation 7:17
Through
Revelation 4:6And before the throne was something like a sea of glass, as clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, covered with eyes in front and back.
it leads to
- Revelation 15:2
And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, beside which stood those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name. They were holding harps…
- Revelation 5:6
Then I saw a Lamb who appeared to have been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven…
- Revelation 15:2
Through
Revelation 22:5There will be no more night in the city, and they will have no need for the light of a lamp or of the sun. For the Lord God will shine on them, and…
it leads to
- Isaiah 60:19–20
No longer will the sun be your light by day, nor the brightness of the moon shine on your night; for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your…
- Isaiah 60:19–20
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies19
On this chapter
- The Apocalypse of Weeks
- Revelation, the Canon's Closing Scroll
- Ezekiel, the Study Guide
- Ezekiel's Temple, Ezekiel 40-48
- The Fall Feasts
- The Hebrew Feasts
- Heaven
- The Lake of Fire and the Second Death
- The New Jerusalem
- Precious Stones
- The Tabernacle
- The City
- The Harlot
- Light
- The God Who Sings: Zephaniah 3:17
- The Valley of Dry Bones: Ezekiel 37
- The Twelve Tribes
About Revelation
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Alcuin of York, QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS MANUAL ON REVELATION; Andreas of Caesarea, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:11; Apringius of Beja, TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:10-11; Bede, Commentary on Revelation; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Revelation; Primasius of Hadrumetum, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:11 and Shepherd of Hermas, Shepherd of Hermas, Similitude 9.