Revelation 21:23
in Revelation 21And 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the city hath no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine upon it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the lamp thereof is the Lamb.
KJV
And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
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This verse in Revelation 21
Commentary
5 notes on this verseA commentator
Victorinus of PettauCommentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John · Written before 304.
And in that he says that the sun is not necessary in the city, he shows, evidently, that the Creator as the immaculate light shines in the midst of it, whose brightness no mind has been able to conceive, nor tongue to tell.
This site's exposition
no temple therein
on Revelation 21:22-23
John looks for the temple and finds none, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it, the building that measured the presence of God through every earlier chapter of the Bible now unnecessary because the presence itself fills the city without mediation. The sun and moon are likewise unneeded, for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof, the first creation's ordinance of Genesis 1:16 exceeded by direct glory. What Israel's tabernacle and temple pictured in shadow, a place to meet God through priest and veil, stands here as the city's own furniture, God and the Lamb its only sanctuary and its only sun.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
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 will not have the use with respect to this city they now have.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it - This imagery seems to be derived from Isa 9:19-20. See notes on those verses. No language could give a more striking or beautiful representation of the heavenly state than what is here employed. For the glory of God did lighten it - By the visible splendor of his glory. See the notes on Rev 21:11. That supplied the place of the sun and the moon. And the Lamb is the light thereof - The Son of God; the Messiah.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
But A, B, and ANDREAS read, "(shine) on it," or literally, "for her." the light--Greek, "the lamp" (Isa 60:19, 20). The direct light of God and the Lamb shall make the saints independent of God's creatures, the sun and moon, for light.
The words behind it
27 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 |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πόλις | polis | city | G4172 → | 163 times |
| οὐ | ou | no | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| χρείαν | chreian | need | G5532 → | 49 times |
| ἔχει | echei | has | G2192 → | 707 times |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἡλίου | heliou | sun | G2246 → | 32 times |
| οὐδὲ | oude | nor | G3761 → | 141 times |
| τῆς | tes | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| σελήνης | selenes | moon | G4582 → | 9 times |
| ἵνα | ina | that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| φαίνωσιν | phainosin | they may shine | G5316 → | 30 times |
| αὐτῇ· | autea | in it; | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| δόξα | doxa | glory | G1391 → | 165 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεοῦ | theou | of God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| ἐφώτισεν | ephotisen | enlightened | G5461 → | 11 times |
| αὐτήν, | auten | it, | G846 → | 5565 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λύχνος | luchnos | lamp | G3088 → | 14 times |
| αὐτῆς | autes | of it | G846 → | 5565 times |
| τὸ | to | [is] the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀρνίον. | arnion | Lamb. | G721 → | 30 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
πόλιςcity
polisG4172 →163 times
οὐno
ouG3756 →1664 times
χρείανneed
chreianG5532 →49 times
ἔχειhas
echeiG2192 →707 times
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
ἡλίουsun
heliouG2246 →32 times
οὐδὲnor
oudeG3761 →141 times
τῆςof the
tesG3588 →19766 times
σελήνηςmoon
selenesG4582 →9 times
ἵναthat
inaG2443 →668 times
φαίνωσινthey may shine
phainosinG5316 →30 times
αὐτῇ·in it;
auteaG846 →5565 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
δόξαglory
doxaG1391 →165 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
θεοῦof God
theouG2316 →1312 times
ἐφώτισενenlightened
ephotisenG5461 →11 times
αὐτήν,it,
autenG846 →5565 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
λύχνοςlamp
luchnosG3088 →14 times
αὐτῆςof it
autesG846 →5565 times
τὸ[is] the
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
John 1:9The true Light who gives light to every man was coming into the world.
it leads to
- John 12:46
I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in Me should remain in darkness.
- John 1:4
In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.
- 1 John 2:8
Then again, I am also writing to you a new commandment, which is true in Him and also in you. For the darkness is fading and the true light is already shining.
- Isaiah 49:6
He says: “It is not enough for You to be My Servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the protected ones of Israel. I will also make You a light…
- 1 Thessalonians 5:4–7
But you, brothers, are not in the darkness so that this day should overtake you like a thief.
- John 12:46
Through
Revelation 21:11shining with the glory of God. Its radiance was like a most precious jewel, like a jasper, as clear as crystal.
it leads to
- Revelation 22:5
There 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…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Revelation 22:5
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…
- Daniel 7:18
But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess it forever—yes, forever and ever.’
- 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
- Precious Stones
- The Tabernacle
- The City
- The Harlot
- The God Who Sings: Zephaniah 3:17
- The Valley of Dry Bones: Ezekiel 37
- The Twelve Tribes
About Revelation
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); 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) and Victorinus of Pettau, Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John.