Revelation 21:20-27
Context21:20 the fifth onyx, 1 the sixth carnelian, 2 the seventh chrysolite, 3 the eighth beryl, 4 the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, 5 the eleventh jacinth, 6 and the twelfth amethyst. 21:21 And the twelve gates are twelve pearls – each one of the gates is made from just one pearl! The 7 main street 8 of the city is pure gold, like transparent glass.
21:22 Now 9 I saw no temple in the city, because the Lord God – the All-Powerful 10 – and the Lamb are its temple. 21:23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, because the glory of God lights it up, and its lamp is the Lamb. 21:24 The nations 11 will walk by its light and the kings of the earth will bring their grandeur 12 into it. 21:25 Its gates will never be closed during the day 13 (and 14 there will be no night there). 15 21:26 They will bring the grandeur and the wealth 16 of the nations 17 into it, 21:27 but 18 nothing ritually unclean 19 will ever enter into it, nor anyone who does what is detestable 20 or practices falsehood, 21 but only those whose names 22 are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
[21:20] 1 sn Onyx (also called sardonyx) is a semiprecious stone that comes in various colors (L&N 2.35).
[21:20] 2 sn Carnelian is a semiprecious gemstone, usually red in color (L&N 2.36).
[21:20] 3 sn Chrysolite refers to either quartz or topaz, golden yellow in color (L&N 2.37).
[21:20] 4 sn Beryl is a semiprecious stone, usually blue-green or green in color (L&N 2.38).
[21:20] 5 sn Chrysoprase is a greenish type of quartz (L&N 2.40).
[21:20] 6 sn Jacinth is a semiprecious stone, probably blue in color (also called “hyacinth,” but that translation is not used here because of possible confusion with the flower of the same name). See L&N 2.41.
[21:21] 7 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[21:21] 8 tn The Greek word πλατεῖα (plateia) refers to a major (broad) street (L&N 1.103).
[21:22] 9 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic. Every verse from here to the end of this chapter begins with καί in Greek, but due to differences between Greek and contemporary English style, these have not been translated.
[21:22] 10 tn On this word BDAG 755 s.v. παντοκράτωρ states, “the Almighty, All-Powerful, Omnipotent (One) only of God…(ὁ) κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ π. …Rv 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 21:22.”
[21:24] 11 tn Or “the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).
[21:24] 12 tn Or “splendor”; Grk “glory.”
[21:25] 13 tn On the translation “during the day” see BDAG 436 s.v. ἡμέρα 1.a, “But also, as in Thu. et al., of time within which someth. occurs, ἡμέρας during the day Rv 21:25.”
[21:25] 14 tn The Greek connective γάρ (gar) most often expresses some sort of causal connection. However, in this context there is no causal force to the second phrase; γάρ simply expresses continuation or connection. Because of this it has been translated as “and.” See BDAG 189-90 s.v. 2.
[21:25] 15 tn The clause has virtually the force of a parenthetical comment.
[21:26] 16 tn Grk “honor,” but BDAG 1005 s.v. τιμή 2.b states, “An outstanding feature of the use of τ., as already shown in several passages, is its combination w. δόξα…of earthly possessions τὴν δόξαν καὶ τὴν τιμὴν τῶν ἐθνῶν Rv 21:26 (τιμή concr.=an object of value: Ezk 22:25).”
[21:26] 17 tn Or “the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).
[21:27] 18 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
[21:27] 19 tn Here BDAG 552 s.v. κοινός 2 states, “pert. to being of little value because of being common, common, ordinary, profane…b. specifically, of that which is ceremonially impure: Rv 21:27.”
[21:27] 20 tn Or “what is abhorrent”; Grk “who practices abominations.”
[21:27] 21 tn Grk “practicing abomination or falsehood.” Because of the way βδέλυγμα (bdelugma) has been translated (“does what is detestable”) it was necessary to repeat the idea from the participle ποιῶν (poiwn, “practices”) before the term “falsehood.” On this term, BDAG 1097 s.v. ψεῦδος states, “ποιεῖν ψεῦδος practice (the things that go with) falsehood Rv 21:27; 22:15.” Cf. Rev 3:9.
[21:27] 22 tn Grk “those who are written”; the word “names” is implied.