Revelation 21:15
What does Revelation 21:15 mean?
A plain-English look at Revelation 21:15 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Revelation 21:15 means
The angel now measures the city, its gates, and its wall with a golden reed. Measurement signifies ownership, order, and holiness; the golden instrument underscores the city’s preciousness and purity. Nothing here is approximate or unstable—every dimension reflects deliberate design. God is not only the giver of glory but the architect who defines His dwelling. The act of measuring reassures believers that this promised home is real, exact, and complete. The city’s grandeur will be presented in terms that convey perfection rather than mere spectacle, inviting trust in the reliability of God’s prepared place.
Revelation 21:15 in context
Revelation 21 — A New Heaven and a New Earth
John's final vision. The first heaven and earth pass away, and the New Jerusalem comes down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. God himself dwells with his people; he wipes away every tear; there is no more death, sorrow, crying, or pain. The former things are passed away. The light of the city is the glory of God; its lamp is the Lamb. The story that began in the garden of Genesis ends in the city of Revelation, and the gates are never shut.
- New creation
- God dwelling with man
- End of death and sorrow
- Eternal worship
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And he that spake with me had for a measure a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And he that spake with me had for a measure a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And he who was talking with me had a gold measuring-rod to take the measure of the town, and of its doors, and its wall.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862And he who is speaking with me had a golden reed, that he may measure the city, and its gates, and its wall;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And he that spoke with me had a measure of a reed of gold, to measure the city and the gates thereof and the wall.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And he that spoke with me had a golden reed [as] a measure, that he might measure the city, and its gates, and its wall.
Context
After naming the city’s covenant identifiers, the vision turns to quantify its form. The use of a golden measuring reed connects holiness with precision. Verses 16–17 will reveal the city’s astonishing symmetry—a perfect cube—and the wall’s measurement. These details reinforce earlier themes of completeness (twelve, twelve thousand, one hundred forty-four) and prepare for the material descriptions that display purity and beauty in verses 18–21.
v.14And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
v.15This passage
v.16And the city lieth foursquare, and the length thereof is as great as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs: the length and the breadth and the height thereof are equal.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Ezekiel 41:1
And he brought me to the temple, and measured the posts, six cubits broad on the one side, and six cubits broad on the other side, which was the breadth of the tabernacle.
- Exodus 40:3
And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and thou shalt screen the ark with the veil.
- Zechariah 2:1
And I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand.
- Revelation 11:1
And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and one said, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
Sermon ideas from Revelation 21:15
Angles a pastor or small-group leader might preach or teach from this passage, drawn from the chapter's main themes.
What Revelation 21:15 teaches us about new creation
What Revelation 21:15 teaches us about god dwelling with man
What Revelation 21:15 teaches us about end of death and sorrow
What Revelation 21:15 teaches us about eternal worship
Related questions readers ask
Keep reading
Want to dig deeper? Explore Revelation 21
Hand-picked devotionals, topical studies, and pastoral answers that draw on Revelation 21.
Topics that quote it
Topic
Bible Verses About Adoption as Sons
God’s plan for us includes adoption into his family, bringing us from spiritual orphanhood to beloved children.
Topic
Bible Verses About Glorification
Glorification is the final stage of salvation, where believers receive perfect, incorruptible bodies and are made completely like Christ.
Topic
Bible Verses About God as Light
Exploring how God reveals Himself as light, symbolizing His holiness, truth, and presence in scripture
What the Bible says about…
Verses for this moment
Verses for
Bible Verses for the Fear of Death
When you're afraid to die — what scripture promises about the last enemy.
Verses for
Bible Verses for Grief After Losing Someone You Love
When the room is empty — verses that grieve with you, not around you.
Verses for
Bible Verses for Grief After a Miscarriage
A holy ache the world rarely names — scripture for the weight you're carrying.