Revelation 21:16-17

21:16 Now ¹  the city is laid out as a square, ²  its length and width the same. He ³  measured the city with the measuring rod ⁴  at fourteen hundred miles ⁵  (its length and width and height are equal). 21:17 He also measured its wall, one hundred forty-four cubits ⁶  according to human measurement, which is also the angel’s. ⁷ 

[21:16]  ¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the somewhat parenthetical nature of the description of the city.

[21:16]  ² tn Or “the city lies square.” On κεῖμαι (keimai) in this context, BDAG 537 s.v. 2 states, “lie, of things…ἡ πόλις τετράγωνος κεῖται is laid out as a square Rv 21:16.”

[21:16]  ³ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[21:16]  ⁴ tn Grk “with the rod”; the word “measuring” is supplied from the description in v. 15.

[21:16]  ⁵ tn Or “two thousand two hundred kilometers,” Grk “12,000 stades.” A stade was a measure of length about 607 ft (185 m).

[21:17]  ⁶ tn Here the measurement was kept in cubits in the translation because of the possible symbolic significance of the number 144 (12 times 12). This is about 216 ft (65 m).

[21:17]  ⁷ tn Here L&N 81.1 translate the phrase μέτρον ἀνθρώπου, ὅ ἐστιν ἀγγέλου (metron anqrwpou, {o estin angelou) “‘the unit of measurement used by a person, that is, by an angel’ Re 21:17.” It is more likely that μέτρον is an accusative of respect or reference.