Revelation 21:15

Revelation 21:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
• New International Version (NIV)The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall.

Context of Revelation 21:15

13On the east side [there were] three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. 14And the wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb (Christ). The one who was speaking with me had a gold measuring rod to measure the city, and its gates and its wall. 16The city is laid out as a square, its length being the same as its width; and he measured the city with his rod—twelve thousand stadia (about 1,400 miles); its length and width and height are equal. 17He measured its wall also—a hundred forty-four cubits (about 200 feet), according to man’s measurements, which are [also] angelic [measurements].

Revelation 21:15 word by word

Καὶ ὁ λαλῶν μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ εἶχεν μέτρον κάλαμον χρυσοῦν ἵνα μετρήσῃ τὴν πόλιν καὶ τοὺς πυλῶνας αὐτῆς καὶ τὸ τεῖχος αὐτῆς.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• heὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• that talkedλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
• withμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• hadἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• a goldenχρύσεοςchruseos · goldenG5552
• reedκάλαμοςkalamos · reed/stick/penG2563
• toἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• measureμετρέωmetreō · to measureG3354
• the cityπόλιςpolis · cityG4172
• the gatesπυλώνpulōn · gateG4440
• thereofαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• the wallτεῖχοςteichos · wallG5038

Cross-references for Revelation 21:15

• Revelation 11:1Then there was given to me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, “Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar [of incense], and [count] those who worship in it.
• Exodus 40:3You shall place the ark of the Testimony there, and you shall screen off the ark [from the Holy Place of God’s Presence] with the veil (partition curtain).
• Ezekiel 41:1Then he (the angel) brought me to the nave (outer sanctuary) and measured the side pillars; six cubits wide on each side was the width of the side pillar.
• Zechariah 2:1And I looked up, and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand.

Commentaries on Revelation 21:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Had a golden reed - Several excellent MSS. add , a measure; he had a measuring rod made of gold. This account of measuring the city seems to be copied, with variations, from Ezekiel 40:3, etc.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15And he that talked with me - The angel, Revelation 21:9. Had a golden reed to measure the city - See the notes on Revelation 11:1. The reed, or measuring rod, here, is of gold, because all about the city is of the most rich and costly materials. The rod is thus suited to the personage who uses it, and to the occasion. Compare a similar description in Ezekiel 40:3-5; Ezekiel 43:16. The object of this measuring is to show that the city has proper…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-21Verses 9-21 God has various employments for his holy angels. Sometimes they sound the trumpet of Divine Providence, and warn a careless world; sometimes they discover things of a heavenly nature of the heirs of salvation. Those who would have clear views of heaven, must get as near to heaven as they can, on the mount of meditation and faith. The subject of the vision is the church of God in a perfect, triumphant state, shining in its lustre; glorious in…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15-17measure the city: Measuring sets accepted boundaries. This contrasts with the unmeasured section of the temple (see Revelation 11:2 and Ezekiel 40:3–42:20).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. had a golden reed--so Coptic. But A, B, Vulgate, and Syriac read, "had (as) a measure, a golden reed." In Re 11:2 the non-measuring of the outer courts of the temple implied its being given up to secular and heathen desecration. So here, on the contrary, the city being measured implies the entire consecration of every part, all things being brought up to the most exact standard of God's holy requirements, and also God's accurate guardianship…Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 21:15

• Church
• Jerusalem
• Readings, Select
• Reed

In the dictionaries

• Jacinth
• Tabernacle
• Unbelieving
• Wall
• Architecture
• Citizenship
• Heavens, New (and Earth, New)
• Measuring Reed
• Reed
• Reed, Measuring

Commentaries on Revelation 21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings