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.
Parallel translations
- WEB The city has no need for the sun, neither of the moon, to shine, for the very glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb.
- BSB And 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.
- NKJV The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.
- NASB And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb.
- NLT And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light.
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 needs no sun or moon, for God's glory illuminates it and the Lamb is its lamp. God himself is the light of the new creation.
Overview
This fulfills Isaiah 60:19-20, where the Lord becomes everlasting light for his people. That the Lamb is the city's lamp shows Christ is the means by which God's glory shines upon the redeemed (John 8:12). Creation's lights are no longer needed where God's own presence radiates.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 20
- Isa 60:19–20The 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.
- Rev 22:5And 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 1:9That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
- Rev 21:11Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
- Isa 24:23Then 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 2:32A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
- Rev 18:1And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
- John 1:4In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
- Hab 3:3God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise.
- John 1:14And 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.
- John 1:18No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
- John 5:23That 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.
- Rev 21:25And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
- Matt 16:27For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
- Acts 22:11And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.
- Mark 8:38Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
- Isa 2:21To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.
- Isa 2:10Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty.
- Isa 2:19And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.
- John 17:24Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
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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 21:23 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
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