Revelation 21 · Verse 11

Revelation 21:11

Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
Revelation 21:11, King James Version

Revelation 21:11 in other translations

BSBshining with the glory of God. Its radiance was like a most precious jewel, like a jasper, as clear as crystal.
WEBhaving the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
ASVhaving the glory of God: her light was like unto a stone most precious, as it were a jasper stone, clear as crystal:
YLThaving the glory of God, and her light is like a stone most precious, as a jasper stone clear as crystal,
DARBYhaving the glory of God. Her shining was like a most precious stone, as a crystal-like jasper stone;
BBEHaving the glory of God: and her light was like a stone of great price, a jasper stone, clear as glass:
WebsterHaving the glory of God: and her light was like to a stone most precious, even like a jasper-stone, clear as crystal;

What does Revelation 21:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
11. Having the glory of God--not merely the Shekinah-cloud, but God Himself as her glory dwelling in the midst of her. Compare the type, the earthly Jerusalem in the millennium (Zec 2:5; compare Re 21:23, below). her light--Greek, "light-giver": properly applied to the heavenly luminaries which diffuse light. Compare Note, see on Php 2:15, the only other passage where it occurs. The "and" before "her light' is omitted in A, B, and Vulgate. even like--Greek, "as it were." jasper--representing watery crystalline brightness.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 11. Having the glory of God. A glory or splendour such as became the dwelling-place of God. The nature of that splendour is described in the following verses.

And her light. In Rev 21:23 it is said that "the glory of God did lighten it." That is, it was made light by the visible symbol of the Deity--the Shekinah. Lk 2:9; Acts 9:3. The word here rendered light--φωστηρ--occurs nowhere else in the New Testament except in Php 2:15. It means, properly, a light, a light-giver, and, in profane writers, means commonly a window. It is used here to denote the brightness or shining of the Divine glory, as supplying the place of the sun, or of a window.

Like unto a stone most precious. A stone of the richest or most costly nature.

Even like a jasper stone. On the jasper, Rev 4:3. It is used there for the same purpose as here, to illustrate the majesty and glory of God.

Clear as crystal. Pellucid or resplendent like crystal. There are various kinds of jasper--as red, yellow, and brown, brownish yellow, etc. The stone is essentially a quartz, and the word crystal here is used to show that the form of it referred to by John was clear and bright.

(m) "glory of God" Isa 60:1,2

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 11 Having the glory of God - Instead of the sun and moon, it has the splendor of God to enlighten it. Unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal - Among precious stones there are some even of the same species more valuable than others: for their value is in proportion to their being free from flaws, and of a good water, i.e., a uniform and brilliant transparency. A crystal is perfectly clear, the oriental jasper is a beautiful sea-green. The stone that is here described is represented as a perfectly transparent jasper, being as unclouded as the brightest crystal, and consequently the most precious of its species. Nothing can be finer than this description: the light of this city is ever intense, equal, and splendid; but it is tinged with this green hue, in order to make it agreeable to the sight. Nothing is so friendly to the eye as blue or green; all other colors fatigue; and, if very intense, injure the eye. These are the colors of the earth and sky, on which the eye of man is to be constantly fixed. To these colors the structure of the eye is adapted; and the general appearance of the earth and the sky is adapted to this structure.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Revelation 21:9-21

God has various employments for his holy angels. Sometimes they sound the trumpet of Divine Providence, and warn a careless world; sometimes they discover things of a heavenly nature of the heirs of salvation. Those who would have clear views of heaven, must get as near to heaven as they can, on the mount of meditation and faith. The subject of the vision is the church of God in a perfect, triumphant state, shining…

Read the full comment on Revelation 21:9-21 →

Revelation 21:11 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἔχουσανechousanhavingG2192
τὴνtēntheG3588
δόξανdoxangloryG1391
τοῦtou<the>G3588
θεοῦ.theouof God.G2316
ὁhoTheG3588
φωστὴρphōstērradianceG5458
αὐτῆςautēsof itG846
ὅμοιοςhomoios[was] likeG3664
λίθῳlithōas a stoneG3037
τιμιωτάτῳtimiōtatōmost preciousG5093
ὡςhōslikeG5613
λίθῳlithōas a stoneG3037
ἰάσπιδιiaspidijasperG2393
κρυσταλλίζοντιkrustallizontibeing clear as crystalG2929

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Revelation 21:11

  • Revelation 4:6

    And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.

  • Revelation 22:5

    And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

  • Revelation 22:1

    And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

  • Revelation 21:18-19

    And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. 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;

  • Isaiah 60:19-20

    The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.

  • Ezekiel 1:26

    And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.

  • Revelation 4:3

    And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.

  • Ezekiel 28:13-14

    Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.

  • Isaiah 4:5

    And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence.

  • Ezekiel 48:35

    It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The Lord is there.

  • Job 28:17

    The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.

  • Revelation 21:22-23

    And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 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.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the glory.
22,23; 22:5; Isa 4:5; 60:1,2,19,20; Eze 48:35
her.
19; Eze 1:26; 28:13,14,16
clear.
18; 4:6; 22:1; Job 28:17; Eze 1:22

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Revelation 21:10

    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,

  • Revelation 21:11

    Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

  • Revelation 21:12

    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:

Read all of Revelation 21

Revelation 21:11 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Teniendo la claridad de Dios: y su luz era semejante á una piedra preciosísima, como piedra de jaspe, resplandeciente como cristal.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		ayant la gloire de Dieu. Son luminaire était semblable à une pierre très précieuse, comme à une pierre de jaspe cristallin.
German
Elberfelder 1871		und sie hatte die Herrlichkeit Gottes. Ihr Lichtglanz war gleich einem sehr kostbaren Edelstein, wie ein krystallheller Jaspisstein;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		habentem claritatem Dei: et lumen ejus simile lapidi pretioso tamquam lapidi jaspidis, sicut crystallum.