Revelation 21:4
in Revelation 21‘He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,’ and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more: the first things are passed away.
KJV
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
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This verse in Revelation 21
Commentary
4 notes on this verseIt must be understood concerning the devil that he has certainly been conquered and crucified, but for those who have been crucified with Christ, moreover for all believers and likewise for all people, the devil will also be crucified at the time when what the apostle says will be fulfilled: "As in Adam all die, so also in Christ will all be made alive." Thus there is also in this a mystery of future resurrection.
This site's exposition
the tabernacle of God is with men
on Revelation 21:3-4
A great voice from heaven announces what Eden lost and Israel's tabernacle only pictured: the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, the same word used of God pitching his tent among Israel in the wilderness (Exodus 25:8) now fulfilled without a veil. God himself wipes away every tear, and death, sorrow, crying, and pain are named and ended one by one, Isaiah 25:8's promise realized at last. The former things are passed away because their cause, the curse of Genesis 3, is undone in the chapter that follows.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Neither shall sorrow, or crying, or pain, be any more: for the former things are gone away - Under the former heaven, and upon the former earth, there was death and sorrow, crying and pain; all which occasioned many tears: but now pain and sorrow are fled away, and the saints have everlasting life and joy.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
There shall be no more death - Because there shall be a general resurrection. And this is the inference which St Paul makes from his doctrine of a general resurrection, 1Co 15:26, where he says, “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” But death cannot be destroyed by there being simply no farther death; death can only be destroyed and annihilated by a general resurrection; if there be no general resurrection, it is most evident that death will still retain his empire.
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 |
| ἐξαλείψει | exaleipsei | He will wipe away | G1813 → | 5 times |
| πᾶν | pan | every | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| δάκρυον | dakruon | tear | G1144 → | |
| ἐκ | ek | from | G1537 → | 911 times |
| τῶν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὀφθαλμῶν | ophthalmon | eyes | G3788 → | 100 times |
| αὐτῶν, | auton | of them, | G846 → | 5565 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θάνατος | thanatos | death | G2288 → | 120 times |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἔσται | estai | will be | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ἔτι | eti | any longer | G2089 → | 140 times |
| οὔτε | oute | nor | G3777 → | 87 times |
| πένθος | penthos | mourning | G3997 → | 5 times |
| οὔτε | oute | nor | G3777 → | 87 times |
| κραυγή, | krauge | crying | G2906 → | |
| οὔτε | oute | nor | G3777 → | 87 times |
| πόνος | ponos | pain | G4192 → | 4 times |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἔσται | estai | they will be | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ἔτι· | eti | any longer; | G2089 → | 140 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | because | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| τὰ | ta | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πρῶτα | prota | former things | G4413 → | 152 times |
| ἀπῆλθαν.¶ | apelthan | have passed away. | G565 → | 115 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐξαλείψειHe will wipe away
exaleipseiG1813 →5 times
πᾶνevery
panG3956 →1235 times
δάκρυονtear
dakruonG1144 →
ἐκfrom
ekG1537 →911 times
τῶνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
ὀφθαλμῶνeyes
ophthalmonG3788 →100 times
αὐτῶν,of them,
autonG846 →5565 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
θάνατοςdeath
thanatosG2288 →120 times
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
ἔσταιwill be
estaiG1510 →2333 times
ἔτιany longer
etiG2089 →140 times
οὔτεnor
outeG3777 →87 times
πένθοςmourning
penthosG3997 →5 times
οὔτεnor
outeG3777 →87 times
κραυγή,crying
kraugeG2906 →
οὔτεnor
outeG3777 →87 times
πόνοςpain
ponosG4192 →4 times
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
ἔσταιthey will be
estaiG1510 →2333 times
ἔτι·any longer;
etiG2089 →140 times
ὅτιbecause
hotiG3754 →1292 times
τὰthe
taG3588 →19766 times
πρῶταformer things
protaG4413 →152 times
ἀπῆλθαν.¶have passed away.
apelthanG565 →115 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
Revelation 7:17For 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.’”
it leads to
- John 7:37–38
On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.
- Psalms 36:8–9
They feast on the abundance of Your house, and You give them drink from Your river of delights.
- 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.”
- Psalms 23:1–2
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
- John 7:37–38
Through
Isaiah 25:8He will swallow up death forever. The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from every face and remove the disgrace of His people from the whole earth. For the LORD has spoken.
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.’”
- Revelation 20:14
Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Corinthians 15:54
When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come to pass: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
- Revelation 7:17
Through
1 Corinthians 15:26The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
it leads to
- Isaiah 25:8
He will swallow up death forever. The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from every face and remove the disgrace of His people from the whole earth. For the LORD has spoken.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 25:8
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
- Light
- The God Who Sings: Zephaniah 3:17
- The Valley of Dry Bones: Ezekiel 37
- The Twelve Tribes
By subject
Suffering35 verses
Resurrection34 verses
About Revelation

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON JOSHUA 8.4.
