God’s Word Translation
Revelation 21:23
23The city doesn’t need any sun or moon to give it light because the glory of God gave it light. The lamb was its lamp.
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
21The 12 gates were 12 pearls. Each gate was made of one pearl. The street of the city was made of pure gold, as clear as glass. 22I did not see any temple in it, because the Lord God Almighty and the lamb are its temple. The city doesn’t need any sun or moon to give it light because the glory of God gave it light. The lamb was its lamp. 24The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. 25Its gates will be open all day. They will never close because there won’t be any 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- the cityπόλιςpolis · cityG4172
- hadἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- noοὐou · noG3756
- needχρείαchreia · needG5532
- of the sunἥλιοςhēlios · sunG2246
- neitherοὐδέoude · norG3761
- of the moonσελήνηselēnē · moonG4582
- toἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- shineφαίνωphainō · to shine/appearG5316
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- itαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- forγάρgar · forG1063
- the gloryδόξαdoxa · gloryG1391
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- did lightenφωτίζωphōtizō · to illuminateG5461
- the Lambἀρνίονarnion · lambG721
- the lightλύχνοςluchnos · lampG3088
Cross-references for Revelation 21:23
- Revelation 21:11It had the glory of God. Its light was like a valuable gem, like gray quartz, as clear as crystal.
- Revelation 22:5There will be no more night, and they will not need any light from lamps or the sun because the Lord God will shine on them. They will rule as kings forever and ever.
- Isaiah 24:23The moon will be embarrassed. The sun will be ashamed, because the Lord of Armies will rule on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem. He will be glorious in the presence of his respected leaders.
- Isaiah 60:19The sun will no longer be your light during the day, nor will the brightness of the moon give you light, But the Lord will be your everlasting light. Your God will be your glory.
- Revelation 18:1After these things I saw another angel come from heaven. He had tremendous power, and his glory lit up the earth.
- Isaiah 2:10Go in among the rocks and hide underground because of the Lord’s terrifying presence and the honor of his majesty.
- Habakkuk 3:3God comes from Teman. The Holy One comes from Mount Paran. Selah His splendor covers the heavens. His praise fills the earth.
- Matthew 16:27The Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory. Then he will pay back each person based on what that person has done.
- Mark 8:38If people are ashamed of me and what I say in this unfaithful and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of those people when he comes with the holy angels in his Father’s glory.”
- John 17:24“Father, I want those you have given to me to be with me, to be where I am. I want them to see my glory, which you gave me because you loved me before the world was made.
- Acts 22:11“I was blind because the light had been so bright. So the men who were with me led me into the city of Damascus.
- Luke 2:32He is a light that will reveal ⌞salvation⌟ to the nations and bring glory to your people Israel.”
- John 1:4He was the source of life, and that life was the light for humanity.
- John 5:23so that everyone will honor the Son as they honor the Father. Whoever doesn’t honor the Son doesn’t honor the Father who 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
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