Revelation 21:18

Revelation 21:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.
• New International Version (NIV)The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass.
• New King James Version (NKJV)The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass.

Context of Revelation 21:18

16The city is laid out as a square—its length the same as its width. He measured the city with the rod—12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal. 17He also measured its wall—144 cubits by human measurement, which is also an angel’s measurement. The material of the city’s wall was jasper, while the city was pure gold, clear as glass. 19The foundations of the city wall were decorated with every kind of precious stone—the first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; 20the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, carnelian; the seventh, yellow topaz; the eighth; beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst.

Revelation 21:18 word by word

καὶ ἡ ἐνδώμησις τοῦ τείχους αὐτῆς ἴασπις, καὶ ἡ πόλις χρυσίον καθαρὸν ὅμοιον ὑάλῳ καθαρῷ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• the buildingὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the buildingἐνδόμησιςendomēsis · materialG1739
• of the wallτεῖχοςteichos · wallG5038
• of itαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• jasperἴασπιςiaspis · jasperG2393
• the cityπόλιςpolis · cityG4172
• pureκαθαρόςkatharos · cleanG2513
• goldχρυσίονchrusion · goldG5553
• like untoὅμοιοςhomoios · likeG3664
• glassὕαλοςhualos · glassG5194

Cross-references for Revelation 21:18

• Revelation 21:11having the glory of God—her radiance like a most precious stone, like a jasper, sparkling like crystal.

Commentaries on Revelation 21:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18The building of the wall of it was of jasper - The oriental jasper is exceedingly hard, and almost indestructible. Pillars made of this stone have lasted some thousands of years, and appear to have suffered scarcely any thing from the tooth of time. Pure gold, like unto clear glass - Does not this imply that the walls were made of some beautifully bright yellow stone, very highly polished? This description has been most injudiciously applied to heaven…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18And the building of the wall of it - The material of which the wall was composed. This means the wall above the foundation, for that was composed of twelve rows of precious stones, Revelation 21:14, Revelation 21:19-20. The height of the foundation is not stated, but the entire wall above was composed of jasper. Was of jasper - See the notes on Revelation 4:3. Of course, this cannot be taken literally; and an attempt to explain all this literally would…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. 18The wall is made of jasper (see study note on Revelation 21:11; compare Revelation 4:3). The city is crafted from gold, which is not opaque like earthly gold. Instead, like God's transformed people, the heavenly gold is clear and pure.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. the building--"the structure" [Tregelles], Greek, "endomeesis." gold, like ... clear glass--Ideal gold, transparent as no gold here is [Alford]. Excellencies will be combined in the heavenly city which now seem incompatible.Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 21:18

• Church
• Glass
• Gold
• Heaven
• Jerusalem
• Paradox
• Readings, Select
• Walls, of the Cities

In the dictionaries

• Glass
• Jacinth
• Jasper
• Tabernacle
• Unbelieving
• Wall
• Citizenship
• Heavens, New (and Earth, New)
• Revelation of John
• Stones, Precious

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