New King James Version
Revelation 21:19
19The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald,
Revelation 21:19 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
- New International Version (NIV)The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald,
- English Standard Version (ESV)The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald,
- New Living Translation (NLT)The wall of the city was built on foundation stones inlaid with twelve precious stones: the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald,
Context of Revelation 21:19
17Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. 18The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 20the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
Read all of Revelation 21Revelation 21:19 word by word
οἱ θεμέλιοι τοῦ τείχους τῆς πόλεως παντὶ λίθῳ τιμίῳ κεκοσμημένοι. ὁ θεμέλιος ὁ πρῶτος ἴασπις, ὁ δεύτερος σάπφιρος, ὁ τρίτος χαλκηδών, ὁ τέταρτος σμάραγδος,Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- the foundationsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the foundationsθεμέλιοςthemelios · foundationG2310
- of the wallτεῖχοςteichos · wallG5038
- of the cityπόλιςpolis · cityG4172
- garnishedκοσμέωkosmeō · to arrangeG2885
- with all mannerπᾶςpas · allG3956
- of preciousτίμιοςtimios · preciousG5093
- stonesλίθοςlithos · stoneG3037
- firstπρῶτοςprōtos · firstG4413
- jasperἴασπιςiaspis · jasperG2393
- the secondδεύτεροςdeuteros · secondlyG1208
- sapphireσάπφειροςsappheiros · sapphireG4552
- the thirdτρίτοςtritos · thirdG5154
- a chalcedonyχαλκηδώνchalkēdōn · chalcedonyG5472
- the fourthτέταρτοςtetartos · fourthG5067
- an emeraldσμάραγδοςsmaragdos · emeraldG4665
Cross-references for Revelation 21:19
- Job 28:16It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, In precious onyx or sapphire.
- Proverbs 3:15She is more precious than rubies, And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.
- Isaiah 54:11“O you afflicted one, Tossed with tempest, and not comforted, Behold, I will lay your stones with colorful gems, And lay your foundations with sapphires.
- Exodus 28:17And you shall put settings of stones in it, four rows of stones: The first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and an emerald; this shall be the first row;
- Exodus 29:10“You shall also have the bull brought before the tabernacle of meeting, and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands on the head of the bull.
Commentaries on Revelation 21:19
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19The foundations of the wall - Does not this mean the foundations or thresholds of the gates? The gates represented the twelve tribes, Revelation 21:12; and these foundations or thresholds, the twelve apostles, Revelation 21:14. There was no entrance into the city but through those gates, and none through the gates but over these thresholds. The whole of the Mosaic dispensation was the preparation of the Gospel system: without it the Gospel would have no…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19And the foundations of the wall of the city - notes on Revelation 21:14. Were garnished - Were adorned, or decorated. That is, the foundations were composed of precious stones, giving them this highly ornamented and brilliant appearance. The first foundation - The first “row, layer, or course.” notes on Revelation 21:14. Was jasper - See the notes on Revelation 4:3. The second, sapphire - This stone is not elsewhere mentioned in the New Testament. It is a…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. 19The twelve precious stones on the city's wall foundation remind us of the twelve stones on the high priest's breastplate. These stones represented God's people (see Exodus 28:17–20).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. And--so Syriac, Coptic, and Andreas. But A, B, and Vulgate omit. Compare Re 21:14 with this verse; also Is 54:11. all manner of precious stones--Contrast Re 18:12 as to the harlot, Babylon. These precious stones constituted the "foundations." chalcedony--agate from Chalcedon: semi-opaque, sky-blue, with stripes of other colors [Alford].Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 21:19
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries