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Revelation 21:14

in Revelation 21

The wall of the city had twelve foundations bearing the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

KJV

And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

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This verse in Revelation 21

Commentary

12 notes on this verse

A commentator

Primasius of Hadrumetum

COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:14 · Written before 560.

Having mentioned the patriarchs, he now mentions the apostles. Although we know that the church has but a single foundation, that is, Christ, it is not surprising that here it is said to have twelve [foundations]. In Christ the apostles have merited to be foundations …

This site's exposition

twelve gates

on Revelation 21:12-14

The wall has twelve gates inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel and twelve foundations bearing the names of the twelve apostles. There are three gates on each side, the pattern of Israel's camp around the tabernacle in Numbers 2.

This site's exposition

the twelve apostles of the Lamb

Tribes name the gates and apostles the foundations. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown note that Christ Himself is the true foundation, and the twelve are foundations only by their witness to Him. Primasius of Hadrumetum likewise holds that the church has a single foundation, Christ, in whom the apostles became foundations.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

Oecumenius

Commentary on Revelation · Written before 550.

proposed

And the wall of the city, he says, had twelve foundations; for Christ, whom we have thought of as a wall, rests upon the preaching of the apostles, and upon them has gone forth as a "chief cornerstone," (1 Peter 2:6; Isa. 28:16; Eph. 2:20) …

The Medieval Church3 voices

A commentator

Andreas of Caesarea

COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:14 · Written before 614.

proposed

The foundations of the wall are the blessed apostles, upon whom the church of Christ has been established. Their names have been inscribed upon them, as upon a public placard, for the easy instruction of those who read them.

A commentator

Bonaventure

Collations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 9 · Written in the 13th century.

proposed

This Holy Spirit, acting in the minds of the chosen, brings about Scriptures and gives firmness to the Christian faith. And because it acts more specially in the apostles, they are said to be the twelve foundation stones. And it is said that the twelve …

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Revelation · Written before 735.

proposed

And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, etc. What the gates are, the foundations are; what the city is, the wall is. The patriarchs can also be designated by the term foundations, who held the names, that is, the figures, of the apostles …

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb - Figuratively showing that the inhabitants of the city had built only on that faith which the apostles once delivered to the saints.
4 more voices on this verse

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

And the wall of the city had twelve foundations,....

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

The wall - had twelve foundations - Probably twelve stones, one of which served for a foundation or threshold to each gate; and on these were inscribed the names of the twelve apostles, to intimate that it was by the doctrine of the apostles that souls enter into the Church, and thence into the New Jerusalem.

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

Peter is not the only apostolic rock on whose preaching Christ builds His Church. Christ Himself is the true foundation: the twelve are foundations only in regard to their apostolic testimony concerning Him.
And the wall of the city had twelve foundations - It is not said whether these foundations were twelve rows of stones placed one above another under the city, and extending round it, or whether they were twelve stones placed at intervals. The former would seem to be the most probable, as the latter would indicate comparative feebleness and liability to fall. Compare the notes on Rev 21:19. And in them - In the foundation of stones. That is, the names of the apostles were cut or carved in them so as to be conspicuous. The names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb - Of the Lamb of God; the Messiah. For an illustration of this passage, see the notes on Eph 2:20.

The words behind it

18 Greek words

Every 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.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Matthew 16:18And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.14 worksEphesians 2:20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone.10 worksJohn 1:29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!8 worksHebrews 11:10For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.7 worksEphesians 4:11And it was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,7 works2 Timothy 2:19Nevertheless, God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord must turn away from iniquity.”7 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Isaiah 54:11“O afflicted city, lashed by storms, without solace, surely I will set your stones in antimony and lay your foundations with sapphires.4 worksRevelation 21:19–21The foundations of the city walls were adorned with every kind of precious stone: The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald,4 worksLuke 6:13When daylight came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also designated as apostles:4 worksMatthew 10:2–4These are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon, called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John;3 worksRevelation 18:20Rejoice over her, O heaven, O saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced for you His judgment against her.3 worksJude 1:17But you, beloved, remember what was foretold by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ3 worksEphesians 3:5which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.3 works1 Corinthians 3:10–11By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one must be careful how he builds.3 worksActs 1:2until the day He was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles He had chosen.3 worksExodus 24:4And Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. Early the next morning he got up and built an altar at the base of the mountain, along with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel.3 worksGalatians 2:9And recognizing the grace that I had been given, James, Cephas, and John—those reputed to be pillars—gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised.2 worksGenesis 35:22While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard about it. Jacob had twelve sons:2 works

Where this verse connects

1 approved connection.

  • A number that shapes the passage

    Revelation 21:12

    Twelve gates (tribes) and twelve foundations (apostles): the city sums OT + NT Israel. Depth-3 structural note for Row 5.

    Source: text; STEPBible floor

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    Ephesians 2:20

    built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone.

    it leads to

    • 1 Peter 2:4–5

      As you come to Him, the living stone, rejected by men but chosen and precious in God’s sight,

    • Isaiah 28:16

      So this is what the Lord GOD says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will never be shaken.

    • 1 Peter 2:7–8

      To you who believe, then, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”

    • Psalms 118:22

      The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

  • Through

    Hebrews 11:10

    For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

    it leads to

    • Hebrews 13:14

      For here we do not have a permanent city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.

    • Philippians 3:20

      But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,

    • 2 Corinthians 5:1

      Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is dismantled, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.

    • Hebrews 12:22

      Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to myriads of angels

Where this verse is studied

On this page

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About Revelation

The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, Jan and Hubert van Eyck, about 1430 to 1432. Public domain.
The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, Jan and Hubert van Eyck, about 1430 to 1432. Public domain.
Revelation: the study guide →Read Revelation 21 →
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); Andreas of Caesarea, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:14; Bede, Commentary on Revelation; Bonaventure, Collations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 9; 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; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Revelation; Primasius of Hadrumetum, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:14 and Primasius of Hadrumetum, Commentary on the Apocalypse.

Read on in Revelation 21 →