I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and the sea is no more.
Parallel translations
- KJV And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
- BSB Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
- NKJV Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.
- NASB Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.
- NLT Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
John sees a new heaven and new earth replacing the old, with the sea gone. God renews all creation for his redeemed people.
Overview
The vision fulfills Isaiah's promise of new heavens and a new earth (Isaiah 65:17) and the cosmic renewal Paul anticipates (Romans 8:19-21). The vanishing sea, often a biblical image of chaos and separation, signals that all that threatens and divides is removed. This renewed creation is the inheritance secured by Christ for those who are his.
Cross-references & the web
Theme
- Heaven"A new heaven and a new earth."
Cross-references · 10
- Isa 65:17–19“For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things will not be remembered, nor come into mind.
- 2 Pet 3:13But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
- Isa 66:22“For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me,” says Yahweh, “so your offspring and your name shall remain.
- Rev 21:5He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” He said, “Write, for these words of God are faithful and true.”
- 2 Pet 3:10But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
- Rev 20:11I saw a great white throne, and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. There was found no place for them.
- Isa 27:1In that day, Yahweh with his hard and great and strong sword will punish leviathan, the fleeing serpent, and leviathan the twisted serpent; and he will kill the dragon that is in the sea.
- Dan 7:3Four great animals came up from the sea, diverse one from another.
- Rev 13:1Then I stood on the sand of the sea. I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads. On his horns were ten crowns, and on his heads, blasphemous names.
- Isa 57:20But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it can’t rest, and its waters cast up mire and mud.
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Christ at the center
Revelation ends the story with the slain-yet-standing Lamb who is worthy, the Lion of Judah, the Alpha and Omega, the returning King who makes all things new and dwells with his people forever.
How Revelation 21:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.