Revelation 21:1

Revelation 21:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
• New International Version (NIV)Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.

Context of Revelation 21:1

I saw a new heaven and a new earth, because the first heaven and earth had disappeared, and the sea was gone. 2Then I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, dressed like a bride ready for her husband. 3I heard a loud voice from the throne say, “God lives with humans! God will make his home with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them and be their God.

Revelation 21:1 word by word

Καὶ εἶδον οὐρανὸν καινὸν καὶ γῆν καινήν. ὁ γὰρ πρῶτος οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ πρώτη γῆ ἀπῆλθαν, καὶ ἡ θάλασσα οὐκ ἔστιν ἔτι.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• I sawὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• a newκαινόςkainos · newG2537
• heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
• earthγῆgē · earth: planetG1093
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• the firstπρῶτοςprōtos · firstG4413
• were passed awayπαρέρχομαιparerchomai · to pass byG3928
• wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• noοὐou · noG3756
• moreἔτιeti · stillG2089
• seaθάλασσαthalassa · seaG2281

Cross-references for Revelation 21:1

• Revelation 21:5The one sitting on the throne said, “I am making everything new.” He said, “Write this: ‘These words are faithful and true.’ ”
• Isaiah 65:17I will create a new heaven and a new earth. Past things will not be remembered. They will not come to mind.
• Isaiah 66:22“The new heaven and earth that I am about to make will continue in my presence,” declares the Lord. “So your descendants and your name will also continue in my presence.
• 2 Peter 3:13But we look forward to what God has promised—a new heaven and a new earth—a place where everything that has God’s approval lives.
• Revelation 20:11I saw a large, white throne and the one who was sitting on it. The earth and the sky fled from his presence, but no place was found for them.
• Revelation 13:1I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns, seven heads, and ten crowns on its horns. There were insulting names on its heads.
• Isaiah 27:1On that day the Lord will use his fierce and powerful sword to punish Leviathan, that slippery snake, Leviathan, that twisting snake. He will kill that monster which lives in the sea.
• Isaiah 57:20But the wicked are like the churning sea. It isn’t quiet, and its water throws up mud and slime.
• Daniel 7:3Four large animals, each one different from the others, came out of the sea.

Commentaries on Revelation 21:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1A new heaven and a new earth - See the notes on 2 Peter 3:13; : The ancient Jews believed that God would renew the heavens and the earth at the end of seven thousand years. The general supposition they founded on Isaiah 65:17. There was no more sea - The sea no more appeared than did the first heaven and earth. All was made new; and probably the new sea occupied a different position and was differently distributed, from that of the old sea. However, with…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1And I saw a new heaven and a new earth - Such a heaven and earth that they might properly be called new; such transformations, and such changes in their appearance, that they seemed to be just created. He does not say that they were created now, or anew; that the old heavens and earth were annihilated; but all that he says is, that there were such changes that they seemed to be new. If the earth is to be renovated by fire, such a renovation will give an…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1A new heaven, and new earth: the new Jerusalem where God dwells, and banishes all sorrow from his people. (1-8) Its heavenly origin, glory, and secure defence. (9-21) Its perfect happiness, as enlightened with the presence of God and the Lamb, and in the free access of multitudes, made holy. (22-27) Verses 1-8 The new heaven and the new earth will not be separate from each other; the earth of the saints, their glorified, bodies, will be heavenly. The old…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1The vision describes God's creation of a new heaven and earth (compare Genesis 1:1 with Isaiah 65:17; 66:22). The old creation has vanished because it was subject to decay (see Romans 8:20–21; 2 Peter 3:7, 10). the sea was no more: The sea symbolized chaos or the abyss (see study note on Revelation 9:1–12) and was sometimes depicted as a roaring monster (see Psalms 46:3; 74:14; see also Job 3:8; 41:1–34; Luke 21:25). The new creation will be free from all…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-27The remaining two chapters describe the eternal and consummated kingdom of God and the saints on the new earth. As the world of nations is to be pervaded by divine influence in the millennium, so the world of nature shall be, not annihilated, but transfigured universally in the eternal state which follows it. The earth was cursed for man's sake; but is redeemed by the second Adam. Now is the Church; in the millennium shall be the kingdom; and after that…Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 21:1

• Astronomy
• Earth
• Heaven
• Meteorology and Celestial Phenomena
• Readings, Select
• Restoration
• Sea

In the dictionaries

• New Earth
• Jacinth
• Tabernacle
• Unbelieving
• Citizenship
• Eschatology of the New Testament
• Heavens, New (and Earth, New)
• Parousia
• Regeneration
• Revelation of John

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