shining with the glory of God. Its radiance was like a most precious jewel, like a jasper, as clear as crystal.
Parallel translations
- WEB having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, as if it were a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
- KJV Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
- NKJV having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.
- NASB having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very valuable stone, like a stone of crystal-clear jasper.
- NLT It shone with the glory of God and sparkled like a precious stone—like jasper as clear as crystal.
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
The city shines with the very glory of God, radiant like a clear, precious jasper. God's own presence is its light and beauty.
Overview
The city's brilliance comes not from itself but from the indwelling glory of God (cf. v. 23). The imagery of precious, crystal-clear stone conveys purity, value, and the reflection of divine splendor. This recalls the glory that once filled the tabernacle and temple, now fully and permanently displayed among God's people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Rev 4:6And before the throne was something like a sea of glass, as clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, covered with eyes in front and back.
- Rev 22:5There will be no more night in the city, and they will have no need for the light of a lamp or of the sun. For the Lord God will shine on them, and they will reign forever and ever.
- Rev 22:1Then the angel showed me a river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb
- Rev 21:18–19The wall was made of jasper, and the city itself of pure gold, as pure as glass.
- Isa 60:19–20No longer will the sun be your light by day, nor the brightness of the moon shine on your night; for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your splendor.
- Ezek 1:26Above the expanse over their heads was the likeness of a throne with the appearance of sapphire, and on the throne high above was a figure like that of a man.
- Rev 4:3The One seated there looked like jasper and carnelian, and a rainbow that gleamed like an emerald encircled the throne.
- Isa 60:1–2Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.
- Isa 4:5Then the LORD will create over all of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud of smoke by day and a glowing flame of fire by night. For over all the glory there will be a canopy,
- Rev 21:22–23But I saw no temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
- Ezek 28:13–14You were in Eden, the garden of God. Every kind of precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald. Your mountings and settings were crafted in gold, prepared on the day of your creation.
- Ezek 48:35The perimeter of the city will be 18,000 cubits, and from that day on the name of the city will be: THE LORD IS THERE.”
- Job 28:17Neither gold nor crystal can compare to it, nor jewels of fine gold be exchanged for it.
- Ezek 43:2and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of many waters, and the earth shone with His glory.
- Rev 15:8And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power; and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.
- Ezek 1:22Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was the likeness of an awesome expanse, gleaming like crystal.
- Ezek 28:16By the vastness of your trade, you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mountain of God, and I banished you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 21:11 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.