BIBLE VERSE STUDY
Revelation 21:1-5 — New Heaven, New Earth
John sees a new heaven and earth, the holy city descending, God's dwelling with humanity, and the promise that all things are made new.
Scripture
1And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth are passed away; and the sea is no more.
2And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
3And I heard a great voice out of the throne saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he shall dwell with them, and they shall be his peoples, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God:
4and he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more: the first things are passed away.
5And he that sitteth on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he saith, Write: for these words are faithful and true.
What this passage means
The passage opens by replacing the first creation with a new one: the prior heaven and earth have passed away (G0565 ἀπῆλθαν, from ἀπέρχομαι), and the sea — often a symbol of disorder in apocalyptic imagery — is no more (G3756 οὐκ, G1510 ἔστιν). The adjective G2537 καινός is repeated for the heaven, the earth, and the city, marking each as freshly brought into being rather than merely repaired.
In verse 2 the holy city is personified: G4172 πόλιν, G0040 ἁγίαν, G2419 Ἱερουσαλὴμ, prepared (G2090 ἡτοιμασμένην) like a bride (G3565 νύμφην). The descent is marked by G2597 καταβαίνουσαν 'coming down,' and the city is said to originate G0575 ἀπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ — its source is God Himself.
Verse 3 introduces the throne voice that announces God's dwelling with humanity; verse 4 catalogs the removal of tears, death, mourning, crying, and pain; verse 5 seals it with the throne speaker's declaration that He makes all things new, and commands John to write because the words are faithful and true.
Context
The passage begins the climactic vision of John's apocalypse. The recurring verb G3708 εἶδον 'I saw' (verses 1 and 2) frames the revelation as a prophetic vision. The supplied verses (21:1-5) focus on creation's renewal and God's presence; the immediately following verses (21:6-8) move to the declaration that these things have come to pass and to warnings and promises for the faithful.
The Greek article G3588 marks 'the first' heaven and earth as definite entities being set aside, contrasting with G4413 πρῶτος used of what is earlier in time. The combination of G1537 ἐκ and G0575 ἀπὸ in verse 2 distinguishes heavenly origin from divine source, and the bridal figure G3565 νύμφην echoes earlier bridal imagery elsewhere in the Apocalypse.
Key words in the original
- G2537 The adjective καινός modifies 'heaven,' 'earth,' and 'Jerusalem' in 21:1-2, marking what John sees as freshly brought into being. The supplied source gloss is null.
- G0565 ἀπῆλθαν from ἀπέρχομαι renders 'are passed away' for the first heaven and earth in verse 1. The supplied gloss and definition are null.
- G0040 ἅγιος in verse 2 marks Jerusalem as 'holy' city. The supplied gloss and definition are null.
Related verses
- Isaiah 65:17 Isaiah 65:17 supplies the prophetic background for 'new heavens and a new earth' in Revelation 21:1, with the Isaiah passage adding that former things will not be remembered.
- Isaiah 25:8 Isaiah 25:8 anticipates both 'death swallowed up' and the wiping away of tears, matching the pairing in Revelation 21:4.
- Ezekiel 37:27 Ezekiel 37:27 provides the temple/dwelling language that Revelation 21:3 echoes when it announces God's tabernacle with humanity.
Common questions
Why is the sea said to be no more?
The Greek of verse 1 says 'the sea is no more' (G2281 θάλασσα, G3756 οὐκ, G1510 ἔστιν, G2089 ἔτι). The passage itself does not explain the symbolism; readers must consult the broader context of apocalyptic imagery to interpret the absence of the sea in the new creation.
What does it mean that God makes all things new in verse 5?
Verse 5 records the speaker on the throne declaring, 'Behold, I make all things new,' followed by the command to write because the words are faithful and true. The supplied text does not elaborate further on the mode or scope of this renewal beyond stating it as a divine declaration.
How does the new Jerusalem relate to God's dwelling with humanity?
Verses 2-3 link them sequentially: first John sees the holy city, new Jerusalem, descending from God (G0575 ἀπὸ, G2316 Θεοῦ); then a great voice from the throne announces that the tabernacle of God is with men and He will dwell with them. The passage presents the descent of the city and the proclamation of divine presence as a connected sequence.