Revelation 21:22
in Revelation 21But I saw no temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God the Almighty, and the Lamb, are the temple thereof.
KJV
And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
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This verse in Revelation 21
Commentary
12 notes on this verseJust as the body consists of individual members, so is the temple constructed from precious stones. Although we are accustomed to material things, he does not want us here to think of something physical as is our habit. Therefore, relieving us from this manner of …
This site's exposition
no temple in the city
on Revelation 21:22-23
John saw no temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city has no need of sun or moon, the lights of Genesis 1:16, because the glory of God illuminates the city.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
A commentator
Caesarius of ArlesEXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:22, HOMILY 19 · Written before 542.
proposed
[He saw no temple in the city] because the church is in God and God is in the church.
God established the temple so that the people gathered within the walls of the temple might call upon him whom neither the world nor the temple can contain. In this way their minds might obtain through the work of faith what cannot be seen of …
And he says I saw no temple in it; for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. For what need is there of a temple when He is present and in a certain sense cohabiting with the saints of God and is …
The Medieval Church2 voices
For what need of a physical temple is there for one who will have God as protection and shelter, in whom we live and move and have our being? For he himself is both temple and in-dweller of the saints, dwelling in them and walking …
And I saw no temple in it, etc. Although, he says, I described the city as constructed with stones, yet I did not signify the rest of the saints to be in a material building, of which God himself is the only house, light, and …
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
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 of worship as now, such as preaching the word and administering ordinances. The Jews expect a third temple, but in vain.
The Lord God and the Lamb are the temple of it - He fills the new heaven and the new earth. He surrounds the city and sanctifies it, and all that are therein.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And I saw no temple therein - No structure reared expressly for the worship of God; no particular place where he was adored. It was all temple - nothing but a temple. It was not like Jerusalem, where there was but one house reared expressly for divine worship, and to which the inhabitants repaired to praise God; it was all one great temple reared in honor of his name, and where worship ascended from every part of it. With this explanation, this passage harmonizes with what is said in Rev 2:12; Rev 7:
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
6:19), so the Church when perfected shall dwell in Him as her "temple" (naos: the same Greek). As the Church was "His sanctuary," so He is to be their sanctuary. Means of grace shall cease when the end of grace is come.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
I saw no temple - There was no need of a temple where God and the Lamb were manifestly present.
The words behind it
19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ναὸν | naon | temple | G3485 → | 45 times |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| εἶδον | eidon | I saw | G1492 → | 374 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| αὐτῇ· | autea | it; | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| κύριος | kurios | the Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεὸς | theos | God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| παντοκράτωρ | pantokrator | Almighty | G3841 → | 10 times |
| ναὸς | naos | temple | G3485 → | 45 times |
| αὐτῆς | autes | of it | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἐστιν | estin | is | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀρνίον. | arnion | Lamb. | G721 → | 30 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ναὸνtemple
naonG3485 →45 times
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
εἶδονI saw
eidonG1492 →374 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
αὐτῇ·it;
auteaG846 →5565 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
κύριοςthe Lord
kuriosG2962 →711 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
θεὸςGod
theosG2316 →1312 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
παντοκράτωρAlmighty
pantokratorG3841 →10 times
ναὸςtemple
naosG3485 →45 times
αὐτῆςof it
autesG846 →5565 times
ἐστινis
estinG1510 →2333 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
ἀρνίον.Lamb.
arnionG721 →30 times
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
Isaiah 66:1This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me? Or where will My place of repose be?
it leads to
- 1 Kings 8:27
But will God indeed dwell upon the earth? Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain You, much less this temple I have built.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Acts 7:48–50
However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says:
- Acts 17:24
The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples made by human hands.
- Matthew 5:34–35
But I tell you not to swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
- 1 Kings 8:27
Through
John 4:23But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him.
it leads to
- Philippians 3:3
For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—
- Matthew 15:7–9
You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you:
- Philippians 3:3
Through
1 Kings 8:27But will God indeed dwell upon the earth? Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain You, much less this temple I have built.
it leads to
- Isaiah 66:1
This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me? Or where will My place of repose be?
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Chronicles 6:18
But will God indeed dwell with man upon the earth? Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain You, much less this temple I have built.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 66:1
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies35
On this verse
On this chapter
- The Apocalypse of Weeks
- Revelation, the Canon's Closing Scroll
- Courage
- Darkness
- Ezekiel's Temple, Ezekiel 40-48
- The Fall Feasts
Show the next 6 titles
- The Hebrew Feasts
- God and the Nations, from Abraham to the New Jerusalem
- Immanuel
- Isaiah, the Study Guide
- Jerusalem
- The Lake of Fire and the Second Death
Show the next 6 titles
About Revelation

This page draws on 12 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); Andreas of Caesarea, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:22; Apringius of Beja, TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:22; Bede, Commentary on Revelation; Caesarius of Arles, EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:22, HOMILY 19; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Oecumenius, Commentary on Revelation and Primasius of Hadrumetum, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:22.
