American Standard Version
Revelation 21:23
23And 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.
Revelation 21:23 in other versions
- King James Version (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.
- New International Version (NIV)The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.
- New King James Version (NKJV)The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.
Context of Revelation 21:23
21And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the several gates was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. 22And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God the Almighty, and the Lamb, are the temple thereof. 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. 24And the nations shall walk amidst the light thereof: and the kings of the earth bring their glory into it. 25And the gates thereof shall in no wise be shut by day (for there shall be no night there):
Read all of Revelation 21Revelation 21:23 word by word
καὶ ἡ πόλις οὐ χρείαν ἔχει τοῦ ἡλίου οὐδὲ τῆς σελήνης ἵνα φαίνωσιν αὐτῇ· ἡ γὰρ δόξα τοῦ θεοῦ ἐφώτισεν αὐτήν, καὶ ὁ λύχνος αὐτῆς τὸ ἀρνίον.Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Revelation 21:23
- Revelation 21:11having the glory of God: her light was like unto a stone most precious, as it were a jasper stone, clear as crystal:
- Revelation 22:5And there shall be night no more; and they need no light of lamp, neither light of sun; for the Lord God shall give them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
- Isaiah 24:23Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed; for Jehovah of hosts will reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem; and before his elders shall be glory.
- Isaiah 60:19The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but Jehovah will be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.
- Revelation 18:1After these things I saw another angel coming down out of heaven, having great authority; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
- Isaiah 2:10Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, from before the terror of Jehovah, and from the glory of his majesty.
- Habakkuk 3:3God came from Teman, And the Holy One from mount Paran. [Selah His glory covered the heavens, And the earth was full of his praise.
- Matthew 16:27For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then shall he render unto every man according to his deeds.
- Mark 8:38For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of man also shall be ashamed of him, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
- John 17:24Father, I desire that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
- Acts 22:11And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me I came into Damascus.
- Luke 2:32A light for revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of thy people Israel.
- John 1:4In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
- John 5:23that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father that sent him.
Commentaries on Revelation 21:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23No need of the sun - This is also one of the traditions of the ancient Jews, that "in the world to come the Israelites shall have no need of the sun by day, nor the moon by night." - Yalcut Rubeni, fol. 7, 3. God's light shines in this city, and in the Lamb that light is concentrated, and from him everywhere diffused.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it - This imagery seems to be derived from Isaiah 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 Revelation 21:11. That supplied the place of the sun and the moon. And the Lamb is the light…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-27Verses 22-27 Perfect and direct communion with God, will more than supply the place of gospel institutions. And what words can more full express the union and co-equality of the Son with the Father, in the Godhead? What a dismal world would this be, if it were not for the light of the sun! What is there in heaven that supplies its place? The glory of God lightens that city, and the Lamb is the Light thereof. God in Christ will be an everlasting Fountain…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23The city's vitality, energy, and life come from the glory of God and the Lamb, not from institutions or physical sources of power and light. The sun and moon were part of the first creation (Genesis 1:14–19; see Isaiah 60:19–20). The Lamb is its lamp: Jesus is the light of the world (see John 8:12; 9:5; 12:35–36).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. in it--so Vulgate. But A, B, and Andreas read, "(shine) on it," or literally, "for her." the light--Greek, "the lamp" (Is 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.Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 21:23
In the dictionaries
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
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries