Revelation 21 · Verse 22

Revelation 21:22

And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
Revelation 21:22, King James Version

Revelation 21:22 in other translations

BSBBut I saw no temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
WEBI saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
ASVAnd I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God the Almighty, and the Lamb, are the temple thereof.
YLTAnd a sanctuary I did not see in it, for the Lord God, the Almighty, is its sanctuary, and the Lamb,
DARBYAnd I saw no temple in it; for the Lord God Almighty is its temple, and the Lamb.
BBEAnd I saw no Temple there; because the Lord God, the Ruler of all, and the Lamb are its Temple.
WebsterAnd I saw no temple in it: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.

What does Revelation 21:22 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
22. no temple ... God ... the temple--As God now dwells in the spiritual Church, His "temple" (Greek, "naos," "shrine"; 1Co 3:17; 6:19), so the Church when perfected shall dwell in Him as her "temple" (naos: the same Greek). As the Church was "His sanctuary," so He is to be their sanctuary. Means of grace shall cease when the end of grace is come. Church ordinances shall give place to the God of ordinances. Uninterrupted, immediate, direct, communion with Him and the Lamb (compare Joh 4:23), shall supersede intervening ordinances.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 22. And I saw no temple therein. No structure reared expressly for the worship of God; no particular place where he was adored. It was all temple--nothing but a temple. It was not like Jerusalem, where there was but one house reared expressly for Divine worship, and to which the inhabitants repaired to praise God; it was all one great temple reared in honour of his name, and where worship ascended from every part of it. With this explanation, this passage harmonizes with what is said in Rev 2:12, 7:15.

For the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. They are present in all parts of it in their glory; they fill it with light; and the splendour of their presence may be said to be the temple. The idea here is, that it would be a holy world--all holy. No particular portion would be set apart for purposes of public worship, but in all places God would be adored, and every portion of it devoted to the purposes of religion.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 22 I saw no temple - There was no need of a temple where God and the Lamb were manifestly present.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Revelation 21:22-27
Perfect and direct communion with God, will more than supply the place of gospel institutions. And what words can more full express the union and co-equality of the Son with the Father, in the Godhead? What a dismal world would this be, if it were not for the light of the sun! What is there in heaven that supplies its place? The glory of God lightens that city, and the Lamb is the Light thereof. God in Christ will be an everlasting Fountain of knowledge and joy to the saints in heaven. There is no night, therefore no need of shutting the gates; all is at peace and secure. The whole shows us that we should be more and more led to think of heaven as filled with the glory of God, and enlightened by the presence of the Lord Jesus. Nothing sinful or unclean, idolatrous, or false and deceitful, can enter. All the inhabitants are made perfect in holiness. Now the saints feel a sad mixture of corruption, which hinders them in the service of God, and interrupts their communion with him; but, at their entrance into the holy of holies, they are washed in the laver of Christ's blood, and presented to the Father without spot. None are admitted into heaven who work abominations. It is free from hypocrites, such as make lies. As nothing unclean can enter heaven, let us be stirred up by these glimpses of heavenly things, to use all diligence, and to perfect holiness in the fear of God.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Revelation 21:22 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
ναὸνnaontempleG3485
οὐκouknotG3756
εἶδονeidonI sawG1492
ἐνeninG1722
αὐτῇ·autēait;G846
ὁho<the>G3588
γὰρgarforG1063
κύριοςkuriosthe LordG2962
ὁho<the>G3588
θεὸςtheosGodG2316
ὁho<the>G3588
παντοκράτωρpantokratōrAlmightyG3841
ναὸςnaostempleG3485
αὐτῆςautēsof itG846
ἐστινestinisG1510
καὶkaiandG2532
τὸtotheG3588
ἀρνίον.arnionLamb.G721

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

Cross references for Revelation 21:22

  • John 4:23

    But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

  • 1 Kings 8:27

    But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?

  • 2 Chronicles 2:6

    But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?

  • Isaiah 66:1

    Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?

  • John 4:21

    Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

  • Revelation 1:8

    I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

  • 2 Chronicles 6:18

    But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!

  • John 2:19-21

    Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body.

  • Revelation 16:7

    And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.

  • Revelation 21:4-5

    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. 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.

  • Colossians 2:9

    For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

  • Revelation 5:6

    And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I saw.
4,5; 1Ki 8:27; 2Ch 2:6; 6:18; Isa 66:1; Joh 4:23
the Lord.
1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7,14; 19:15
the Lamb.
Joh 2:19-21; 10:30; Col 1:19; 2:9; Heb 9:1-12

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

Context

  • Revelation 21:21

    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.

  • Revelation 21:22

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

  • Revelation 21:23

    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.

Read all of Revelation 21

Revelation 21:22 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y no vi en ella templo; porque el Señor Dios Todopoderoso es el templo de ella, y el Cordero.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et je ne vis pas de temple en elle; car le ✶Seigneur, Dieu, le Tout-puissant, et l’Agneau, en sont le temple.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und ich sah keinen Tempel in ihr, denn der Herr, Gott, der Allmächtige, ist ihr Tempel, und das Lamm.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et templum non vidi in ea: Dominus enim Deus omnipotens templum illius est, et Agnus.