Revelation 21:1-7

A New Heaven and a New Earth

21:1 Then ¹  I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had ceased to exist, ²  and the sea existed no more. 21:2 And I saw the holy city – the new Jerusalem – descending out of heaven from God, made ready like a bride adorned for her husband. 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: “Look! The residence ³  of God is among human beings. ⁴  He ⁵  will live among them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them. ⁶  21:4 He ⁷  will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death will not exist any more – or mourning, or crying, or pain, for the former things have ceased to exist.” ⁸ 

21:5 And the one seated on the throne said: “Look! I am making all things new!” Then ⁹  he said to me, “Write it down, ¹⁰  because these words are reliable ¹¹  and true.” 21:6 He also said to me, “It is done! ¹²  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the one who is thirsty I will give water ¹³  free of charge ¹⁴  from the spring of the water of life. 21:7 The one who conquers ¹⁵  will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

² tn For the translation of ἀπέρχομαι (apercomai; here ἀπῆλθαν [aphlqan]) L&N 13.93 has “to go out of existence – ‘to cease to exist, to pass away, to cease.’”

³ tn Or “dwelling place”; traditionally, “tabernacle”; literally “tent.”

⁴ tn Or “people”; Grk “men” (ἀνθρώπων, anqrwpwn), a generic use of the term. In the translation “human beings” was used here because “people” occurs later in the verse and translates a different Greek word (λαοί, laoi).

⁵ tn Grk “men, and he.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

⁶ tc ‡ Most mss (א Ï^K) do not add the words “[as] their God” (αὐτῶν θεός, autwn qeos) after “he will be with them.” The mss with these words include A 2030 2050 2329 al. The Andreas group (Ï^A) also has the words, but in a different arrangement with the preceding (ἔσται μετ᾿ αὐτῶν θεὸς αὐτῶν, estai met’ autwn qeo" autwn). Not only do the words float, but scribes may have been motivated to make a connection here more directly with Isa 7:14; 8:8; Jer 24:7; 31:33; Zech 8:8. In light of sufficient external evidence as well as the possibility that the longer reading is theologically motivated, the shorter reading is preferred. NA²⁷ places the words in brackets, indicating doubts as to their authenticity.

⁷ tn Grk “God, and he.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

⁸ tn For the translation of ἀπέρχομαι (apercomai; here ἀπῆλθαν [aphlqan]) L&N 13.93 has “to go out of existence – ‘to cease to exist, to pass away, to cease.’”

⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

¹⁰ tn The words “it down” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

¹¹ tn Grk “faithful.”

¹² tn Or “It has happened.”

¹³ tn The word “water” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

¹⁴ tn Or “as a free gift” (see L&N 57.85).

¹⁵ tn Or “who is victorious”; traditionally, “who overcomes.”