Revelation 21 · Verse 15

Revelation 21:15

And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
Revelation 21:15, King James Version

Revelation 21:15 in other translations

BSBThe angel who spoke with me had a golden measuring rod to measure the city and its gates and walls.
WEBHe who spoke with me had for a measure a golden reed to measure the city, its gates, and its walls.
ASVAnd he that spake with me had for a measure a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
YLTAnd he who is speaking with me had a golden reed, that he may measure the city, and its gates, and its wall;
DARBYAnd he that spoke with me had a golden reed as a measure, that he might measure the city, and its gates, and its wall.
BBEAnd he who was talking with me had a gold measuring-rod to take the measure of the town, and of its doors, and its wall.
WebsterAnd he that talked with me, had a golden reed to measure the city, and its gates, and its wall.

What does Revelation 21:15 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
15. had a golden reed--so Coptic. But A, B, Vulgate, and Syriac read, "had (as) a measure, a golden reed." In Re 11:2 the non-measuring of the outer courts of the temple implied its being given up to secular and heathen desecration. So here, on the contrary, the city being measured implies the entire consecration of every part, all things being brought up to the most exact standard of God's holy requirements, and also God's accurate guardianship henceforth of even the most minute parts of His holy city from all evil.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 15. And he that talked with me. The angel, Rev 21:9.

Had a golden reed to measure the city. Rev 11:1. The reed, or measuring rod, here, is of gold, because all about the city is of the most rich and costly materials. The rod is thus suited to the personage who uses it, and to the occasion. Compare a similar description in Eze 40:3-5, 43:16. The object of this measuring is to show that the city has proper architectural proportions.

And the gates thereof, etc. To measure every part of the city, and to ascertain its exact dimensions.

(p) "golden reed" Rev 21:1, Eze 40:3, Zech 2:1

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 15 Had a golden reed - Several excellent MSS. add μετρον, a measure; he had a measuring rod made of gold. This account of measuring the city seems to be copied, with variations, from Eze 40:3, etc.

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 21:15 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.

ΚαὶKaiAndG2532
ὁhothe [one]G3588
λαλῶνlalōnspeakingG2980
μετ᾽met᾽withG3326
ἐμοῦemoumeG1473
εἶχενeichenhe hadG2192
μέτρονmetrona measuringG3358
κάλαμονkalamonreedG2563
χρυσοῦνchrusoungoldenG5552
ἵναinaso thatG2443
μετρήσῃmetrēsēhe may measureG3354
τὴνtēntheG3588
πόλινpolincityG4172
καὶkaiandG2532
τοὺςtoustheG3588
πυλῶναςpulōnasgatesG4440
αὐτῆςautēsof itG846
καὶkaiandG2532
τὸtotheG3588
τεῖχοςteichoswallG5038
αὐτῆς.autēsof it.G846

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

Cross references for Revelation 21:15

  • Zechariah 2:1

    I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold a man with a measuring line in his hand.

  • Revelation 11:1-2

    And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

  • Ezekiel 41:1-5

    Afterward he brought me to the temple, and measured the posts, six cubits broad on the one side, and six cubits broad on the other side, which was the breadth of the tabernacle. And the breadth of the door was ten cubits; and the sides of the door were five cubits on the one side, and five cubits on the other side: and he measured the length thereof, forty cubits: and the breadth, twenty cubits. Then went he inward, and measured the post of the door, two cubits; and the door, six cubits; and the breadth of the door, seven cubits. So he measured the length thereof, twenty cubits; and the breadth, twenty cubits, before the temple: and he said unto me, This is the most holy place. …

  • Exodus 40:3-5

    And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and cover the ark with the vail. And thou shalt bring in the table, and set in order the things that are to be set in order upon it; and thou shalt bring in the candlestick, and light the lamps thereof. And thou shalt set the altar of gold for the incense before the ark of the testimony, and put the hanging of the door to the tabernacle.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
a golden.
11:1,2; Ex 40:3-5; Eze 41:1-5; Zec 2:1

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

Context

  • Revelation 21:14

    And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

  • Revelation 21:15

    And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.

  • Revelation 21:16

    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.

Read all of Revelation 21

Revelation 21:15 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y el que hablaba conmigo, tenía una medida de una caña de oro para medir la ciudad, y sus puertas, y su muro.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et celui qui me parlait avait pour mesure un roseau d’or, pour mesurer la cité et ses portes et sa muraille.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und der mit mir redete hatte ein Maß, ein goldenes Rohr, auf daß er die Stadt messe und ihre Tore und ihre Mauern.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et qui loquebatur mecum, habebat mensuram arundineam auream, ut metiretur civitatem, et portas ejus, et murum.