Revelation 21 · Verse 27

Revelation 21:27

And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Revelation 21:27, King James Version

Revelation 21:27 in other translations

BSBBut nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who practices an abomination or a lie, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
WEBThere will in no way enter into it anything profane, or one who causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
ASVand there shall in no wise enter into it anything unclean, or he that maketh an abomination and a lie: but only they that are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
YLTand there may not at all enter into it any thing defiling and doing abomination, and a lie, but--those written in the scroll of the life of the Lamb.
DARBYAnd nothing common, nor that maketh an abomination and a lie, shall at all enter into it; but those only who are written in the book of life of the Lamb.
BBEAnd nothing unclean may come into it, or anyone whose works are cursed or false; but only those whose names are in the Lamb's book of life.
WebsterAnd there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie; but they who are written in the Lamb's book of life.

What does Revelation 21:27 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
27. anything that defileth--Greek, "koinoun." A and B read [koinon,] "anything unclean." in the Lamb's book of life--(See on Re 20:12; Re 20:15). As all the filth of the old Jerusalem was carried outside the walls and burnt there, so nothing defiled shall enter the heavenly city, but be burnt outside (compare Re 22:15). It is striking that the apostle of love, who shows us the glories of the heavenly city, is he also who speaks most plainly of the terrors of hell. On Re 21:26, 27, Alford writes a Note, rash in speculation, about the heathen nations, above what is written, and not at all required by the sacred text: compare Note, see on Re 21:26.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 27. And there shall in no wise. On no account; by no means. This strong language denotes the absolute exclusion of all that is specified in the verse.

Anything that defileth. Literally, "anything common." Acts 10:14. It means here that nothing will be found in that blessed abode which is unholy or sinful. It will be a pure world, 2Pet 3:13.

Neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie. Rev 21:8.

But they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. Whose names are there recorded. Rev 3:5. Compare Rev 21:8.

(f) "there shall" Isa 35:8, 52:1, 60:21, Joel 3:17, Mt 13:41, 1Cor 6:9,10 Gal 5:19-21, Eph 5:5, Heb 12:14 (g) "Lamb's book of life" Rev 13:8

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 27 There shall in nowise enter into it any thing that defileth - See Isa 35:8; Isa 52:1. Neither an impure person - he who turns the grace of God into lasciviousness, nor a liar - he that holds and propagates false doctrines. But they which are written - The acknowledged persevering members of the true Church of Christ shall enter into heaven, and only those who are saved from their sins shall have a place in the Church militant. All Christians are bound by their baptism to renounce the devil and all his works, the pomps and vanities of this wicked world, and all the sinful lusts of the flesh; to keep God's holy word and commandments; and to walk in the same all the days of their life. This is the generation of them that seek thy face, O God of Jacob! Reader, art thou of this number? Or art thou expecting an eternal glory while living in sin? If so, thou wilt be fearfully disappointed. Presuming on the mercy of God is as ruinous as despairing of his grace. Where God gives power both to will and to do, the individual should work out his salvation with fear and trembling.

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 21:27 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
οὐoucertainlyG3756
μὴmēnotG3361
εἰσέλθῃeiselthēmay enterG1525
εἰςeisintoG1519
αὐτὴνautēnitG846
πᾶνpananythingG3956
κοινὸνkoinonunsanctifiedG2839
καὶkaiandG2532
ποιῶνpoiōnpracticingG4160
βδέλυγμαbdelugmaabominationG946
καὶkaiandG2532
ψεῦδοςpseudosa lieG5579
εἰeionlyG1487
μὴmēexceptG3361
οἱhoithoseG3588
γεγραμμένοιgegrammenoiwrittenG1125
ἐνeninG1722
τῷtōtheG3588
βιβλίῳbibliōbookG975
τῆςtēs<the>G3588
ζωῆςzōēsof lifeG2222
τοῦtouof theG3588
ἀρνίου.¶arniouLamb.G721

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

Cross references for Revelation 21:27

  • Isaiah 52:1

    Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.

  • Revelation 22:14-15

    Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

  • Revelation 3:5

    He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

  • Revelation 20:15

    And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

  • Isaiah 35:8

    And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.

  • Matthew 13:41

    The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

  • Joel 3:17

    So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.

  • Ezekiel 44:9

    Thus saith the Lord God; No stranger, uncircumcised in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary, of any stranger that is among the children of Israel.

  • Galatians 5:19-21

    Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

  • 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

    Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

  • Psalms 101:8

    I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the Lord.

  • Ephesians 5:5

    For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
there.
Le 13:46; Nu 5:3; 12:15; Ps 101:8; Isa 35:8; 52:1; 60:21; Joe 3:17
Mt 13:41; 1Co 6:9,10; Ga 5:19-21; Eph 5:5; Heb 12:14
worketh.
17:4,5
or maketh.
8; 22:14,15
they.
3:5; 13:8; 20:12,15; Php 4:3

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

Context

  • Revelation 21:26

    And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.

  • Revelation 21:27

    And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Read all of Revelation 21

Revelation 21:27 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		No entrará en ella ninguna cosa sucia, ó que hace abominación y mentira; sino solamente los que están escritos en el libro de la vida del Cordero.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il n’y entrera aucune chose souillée, ni ce qui fait une abomination et un mensonge: mais seulement ceux qui sont écrits dans le livre de vie de l’Agneau.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und nicht wird in sie eingehen irgend etwas Gemeines und was Greuel und Lüge tut, sondern nur die geschrieben sind in dem Buche des Lebens des Lammes.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Non intrabit in eam aliquod coinquinatum, aut abominationem faciens et mendacium, nisi qui scripti sunt in libro vitæ Agni.