Revelation 21:24
in Revelation 21By its light the nations will walk, and into it the kings of the earth will bring their glory.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the nations shall walk amidst the light thereof: and the kings of the earth bring their glory into it.
KJV
And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
⋯
This verse in Revelation 21
Commentary
11 notes on this verseAnd the nations will walk by its light. It signifies that the same Lamb who is now the way for those on pilgrimage, will then be life for the citizens.
This site's exposition
the nations will walk
on Revelation 21:24-26
By its light the nations will walk, and into it the kings of the earth will bring their glory (Isaiah 60:3 and 60:11). Its gates will never be shut at the end of the day, because there will be no night there.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
A commentator
Primasius of HadrumetumCOMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:24 · Written before 560.
proposed
With these words it is to be understood that the Lamb himself who then will be the life of the citizens [of the heavenly city] is the way for those who are underway [toward the heavenly city]. For it is necessary that whatever dignity they …
And it says the nations will walk by its light. Not only the nations, but also the saints from Israel who have believed. But since those from the Gentiles are more numerous, it indicated these as well as those from the greater number. And the …
By the light, the Lamb is clearly shown to be the [city's] lamp, and the kings and the nations will walk in his light. The prophet knew this and said, "In your light we shall see light." The apostle also spoke concerning this light: "The …
The Medieval Church2 voices
QUESTION: And the nations shall walk through the light of it. ANSWER: It means that it is the selfsame Lamb that is now the way for travelers and will then be the life for citizens. [Ref. to John 14:6]
And the kings of the earth will bring their glory and honor into it. Here he speaks of spiritual kings, who bring all the riches of their virtues to the Church with praise.
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And the nations of them which are saved,.... In distinction from them that will be deceived by Satan, Rev 20:
Shall walk by the light thereof - Which throws itself outward from the city far and near. And the kings of the earth - Those of them who have a part there. Bring their glory into it - Not their old glory, which is now abolished; but such as becomes the new earth, and receives an immense addition by their entrance into the city.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
The nations of them which are saved - This is an illusion to the promise that the Gentiles should bring their riches, glory, and excellence, to the temple at Jerusalem, after it should be rebuilt. See Rev 21:26.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And the nations of them which are saved - All the nations that are saved; or all the saved considered as nations. This imagery is doubtless derived from that in Isaiah, particularly Isa 60:3-9. See the notes on that passage. Shall walk in the light of it - Shall enjoy its splendor, and be continually in its light. And the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it - All that they consider as constituting their glory, treasures, crowns, scepters, robes. The idea is, that all these will be devoted to God in the future days of the church in its glory, and will be, as it were, brought and laid down at the feet of the Saviour in heaven. The language is derived, doubtless, from the description in Isa 60:3-14. Compare Isa 49:23.
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 |
| περιπατήσουσιν | peripatesousin | will walk | G4043 → | 94 times |
| τὰ | ta | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἔθνη | ethne | nations | G1484 → | 161 times |
| διὰ | dia | through | G1223 → | 664 times |
| τοῦ | tou | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| φωτὸς | photos | light | G5457 → | 72 times |
| αὐτῆς, | autes | of it | G846 → | 5565 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| βασιλεῖς | basileis | kings | G935 → | 114 times |
| τῆς | tes | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γῆς | ges | earth | G1093 → | 248 times |
| φέρουσιν | pherousin | bring | G5342 → | |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δόξαν | doxan | glory | G1391 → | 165 times |
| αὐτῶν | auton | of them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| εἰς | eis | into | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| αὐτήν. | auten | it. | G846 → | 5565 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
περιπατήσουσινwill walk
peripatesousinG4043 →94 times
τὰthe
taG3588 →19766 times
ἔθνηnations
ethneG1484 →161 times
διὰthrough
diaG1223 →664 times
τοῦthe
touG3588 →19766 times
φωτὸςlight
photosG5457 →72 times
αὐτῆς,of it
autesG846 →5565 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
βασιλεῖςkings
basileisG935 →114 times
τῆςof the
tesG3588 →19766 times
γῆςearth
gesG1093 →248 times
φέρουσινbring
pherousinG5342 →
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
δόξανglory
doxanG1391 →165 times
αὐτῶνof them
autonG846 →5565 times
εἰςinto
eisG1519 →1755 times
αὐτήν.it.
autenG846 →5565 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 22:2down the middle of the main street of the city. On either side of the river stood a tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit and yielding a fresh crop for each month.…
it leads to
- Revelation 22:1
Then 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
- 1 Peter 2:24
He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. “By His stripes you are healed.”
- Revelation 2:7
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to eat from the tree of life in the…
- Ezekiel 47:8–12
And he said to me, “This water flows out to the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah. When it empties into the Sea, the water there becomes fresh.
- Genesis 2:9
Out of the ground the LORD God gave growth to every tree that is pleasing to the eye and good for food. And in the middle of the garden were the tree of life…
- Revelation 22:1
Through
Isaiah 66:18“And I, knowing their deeds and thoughts, am coming to gather all nations and tongues, and they will come and see My glory.
it leads to
- Psalms 86:9
All the nations You have made will come and bow before You, O Lord, and they will glorify Your name.
- Revelation 11:15
Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and loud voices called out in heaven: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign…
- Isaiah 2:2
In the last days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to…
- Psalms 86:9
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
- Covenant Theology and Dispensationalism
- Darkness
- Ezekiel's Temple, Ezekiel 40-48
Show the next 6 titles
- The Fall Feasts
- The Hebrew Feasts
- God Dwelling with His People, from Eden to the New Jerusalem
- Heaven
- Immanuel
- Isaiah, the Study Guide
Show the next 6 titles
About Revelation

This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Alcuin of York, QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS MANUAL ON REVELATION; Apringius of Beja, TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:24-26; Bede, Commentary on Revelation; 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 and Primasius of Hadrumetum, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:24.
