Revelation 21 · Verse 23

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.
Revelation 21:23, King James Version

Revelation 21:23 in other translations

BSBAnd the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its lamp.
WEBThe city has no need for the sun or moon to shine, for the very glory of God illuminated it and its lamp is the Lamb.
ASVAnd the city hath no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine upon it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the lamp thereof is the Lamb.
YLTand the city hath no need of the sun, nor of the moon, that they may shine in it; for the glory of God did lighten it, and the lamp of it is the Lamb;
DARBYAnd the city has no need of the sun nor of the moon, that they should shine for it; for the glory of God has enlightened it, and the lamp thereof is the Lamb.
BBEAnd the town has no need of the sun, or of the moon, to give it light: for the glory of God did make it light, and the light of it is the Lamb.
WebsterAnd the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God enlightened it, and the Lamb is the light of it.

What does Revelation 21:23 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
23. in it--so Vulgate. But A, B, and Andreas read, "(shine) on it," or literally, "for her." the light--Greek, "the lamp" (Is 60:19, 20). The direct light of God and the Lamb shall make the saints independent of God's creatures, the sun and moon, for light.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 23. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it. This imagery seems to be derived from Isa 60:19-20. Isa 60:19 Isa 60:20. No language could give a more striking or beautiful representation of the heavenly state than that which is here employed.

For the glory of God did lighten it. By the visible splendour of his glory. Rev 21:11. That supplied the place of the sun and the moon.

And the Lamb is the light thereof. The Son of God; the Messiah. Rev 5:6; Isa 60:19.

(a) "sun" Rev 22:5, Isa 60:19,20 (b) "the light" Jn 1:4

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 23 No need of the sun - This is also one of the traditions of the ancient Jews, that "in the world to come the Israelites shall have no need of the sun by day, nor the moon by night." - Yalcut Rubeni, fol. 7, 3. God's light shines in this city, and in the Lamb that light is concentrated, and from him everywhere diffused.

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…

Read the full comment on Revelation 21:22-27 →

Revelation 21:23 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
ἡhētheG3588
πόλιςpoliscityG4172
οὐounoG3756
χρείανchreianneedG5532
ἔχειecheihasG2192
τοῦtouof theG3588
ἡλίουhēliousunG2246
οὐδὲoudenorG3761
τῆςtēsof theG3588
σελήνηςselēnēsmoonG4582
ἵναinathatG2443
φαίνωσινphainōsinthey may shineG5316
αὐτῇ·autēain it;G846
ἡhētheG3588
γὰρgarforG1063
δόξαdoxagloryG1391
τοῦtou<the>G3588
θεοῦtheouof GodG2316
ἐφώτισενephōtisenenlightenedG5461
αὐτήν,autēnit,G846
καὶkaiandG2532
ὁhotheG3588
λύχνοςluchnoslampG3088
αὐτῆςautēsof itG846
τὸto[is] theG3588
ἀρνίον.arnionLamb.G721

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

Cross references for Revelation 21:23

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • John 1:9

    That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

  • 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;

  • Isaiah 24:23

    Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.

  • Luke 2:32

    A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

  • Revelation 18:1

    And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.

  • Habakkuk 3:3

    God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise.

  • Revelation 21:25

    And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.

  • John 5:23

    That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

  • John 1:18

    No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

  • John 1:14

    And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the city.
11; 22:5; Isa 24:23; 60:19,20
for.
11; 18:1; Isa 2:10,19,21; Hab 3:3; Mt 16:27; Mr 8:38; Joh 17:24
Ac 22:11
the Lamb.
Lu 2:32; Joh 1:4,9,14,18; 5:23

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

Context

  • 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.

  • Revelation 21:24

    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.

Read all of Revelation 21

Revelation 21:23 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y la ciudad no tenía necesidad de sol, ni de luna, para que resplandezcan en ella: porque la claridad de Dios la iluminó, y el Cordero era su lumbrera.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et la cité n’a pas besoin du soleil ni de la lune, pour l’éclairer; car la gloire de Dieu l’a illuminée, et l’Agneau est sa lampe.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und die Stadt bedarf nicht der Sonne, noch des Mondes, auf daß sie ihr scheinen; denn die Herrlichkeit Gottes hat sie erleuchtet, und ihre Lampe ist das Lamm.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et civitas non eget sole neque luna ut luceant in ea, nam claritas Dei illuminavit eam, et lucerna ejus est Agnus.