Revelation 21
The New Jerusalem
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. (Rev. 21:1 KJV)
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Rev. 21:2 KJV)
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. (Rev. 21:3 KJV)
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. (Rev. 21:4 KJV)
And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. (Rev. 21:5 KJV)
And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. (Rev. 21:6 KJV)
He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. (Rev. 21:7 KJV)
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Rev. 21:8 KJV)
And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. (Rev. 21:9 KJV)
And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, (Rev. 21:10 KJV)
Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; (Rev. 21:11 KJV)
And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: (Rev. 21:12 KJV)
On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. (Rev. 21:13 KJV)
And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. (Rev. 21:14 KJV)
And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. (Rev. 21:15 KJV)
And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. (Rev. 21:16 KJV)
And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. (Rev. 21:17 KJV)
And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. (Rev. 21:18 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; (Rev. 21:19 KJV)
The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst (Rev. 21:20 KJV)
And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. (Rev. 21:21 KJV)
And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. (Rev. 21:22 KJV)
And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. (Rev. 21:23 KJV)
And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. (Rev. 21:24 KJV)
And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. (Rev. 21:25 KJV)
And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. (Rev. 21:26 KJV)
And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. (Rev. 21:27 KJV)
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth..."
God's renewed creation takes their place.
New Jerusalem descends from heaven. Rather than people going to heaven permanently, the imagery emphasizes God bringing his dwelling to humanity.
"Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man."
"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain..."
God declares:
"Behold, I am making all things new."
This emphasizes renewal rather than merely replacement. God's work culminates in restoring creation to its intended purpose.
God says:
"It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End."
This echoes the completion of creation and the completion of redemption, affirming that God's plan has reached its fulfillment.
New Jerusalem is described as
Walls of precious stones
12 gates made of pearls.
Streets of pure gold.
12 foundations bearing the names of the apostles.
Gates named after the 12 tribes of Israel.
A striking feature is that there is no temple in the city:
"Its temple is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb."
The city has no need for the sun or moon because:
"The glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp."
The city's perfect holiness: Nothing impure enters it. Only those whose names are written in the Book of Life belong there.