independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended
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The new creation — a new heaven and a new earth 21:1–4
vv. 1–2 — the new heaven and earth, and the descending bride-city
1
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth.independent — Isa 65:17; 66:22 — the book's last εἶδον-series opens: creation itself renewed
For the first heaven and the first earth had passed away,cause — γάρ — the newness grounded: the first order ἀπῆλθαν (cf. 20:11, fled from the Face)
and the sea is no more.cause — the coordinate ground — the sea, reservoir of chaos and cradle of the beast (13:1), simply not there
2
And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem,independent — the city fronted before its verb — holy, NEW Jerusalem (3:12; Isa 52:1)
coming down out of heaven from God,participial — the descent — from heaven, from God: given, not built (cf. v. 10; Gal 4:26; Heb 11:10)
prepared as a brideparticipial — perfect ἡτοιμασμένην — made ready (19:7); the city IS a bride
adorned for her husband.participial — Isa 61:10 — κεκοσμημένην: the whore's borrowed finery (17:4) answered by the Bride's true adornment
vv. 3–4 — the voice from the throne: God tents with humanity
3
And I heard a loud voice from the throneindependent — ἤκουσα — the voice interprets the sight, as throughout the book (cf. 7:4)
saying:participial — the pleonastic speech-participle — feminine λεγούσης agreeing properly (contrast 4:1's λέγων)
'Behold, the dwelling of God is with humanity,content — ἰδού-tableau, verbless — ἡ σκηνή: the tent-presence, the σκηνή/shekinah wordplay; Lev 26:11–12; Ezek 37:27
and he will dwell with them,content — σκηνώσει — the verb of 7:15 (and John 1:14): God pitches his tent among them
and they will be his peoples,content — the covenant formula with plural λαοί — not one nation but peoples: the formula thrown open to the ἔθνη (v. 24)
and God himself will be with them,content — αὐτὸς ὁ θεός — Immanuel spelled out: God himself, in person
as their God,phrase modifier — appositional tail — αὐτῶν θεός, the covenant's other half (Jer 31:33; Ezek 37:27); textually disputed, kept
4
and he will wipe away every tear from their eyes,content — Isa 25:8 — every tear wiped by God's own hand; the promise of 7:17 kept at last
and death will be no more,content — Isa 25:8 again — death itself swallowed; only the lake keeps a death now (v. 8)
neither shall mourning nor crying nor pain be any more,content — the no-more column — πένθος, κραυγή, πόνος (Isa 35:10; 65:19); the negatives pile up, οὔτε on οὐκ
for the first things have passed away.'cause — the ground of the whole column — τὰ πρῶτα ἀπῆλθαν echoes v. 1: the first things gone, their griefs went with them
The throne speaks — Behold, I make all things new 21:5–8
vv. 5–6 — the Enthroned speaks: all things new, and the words made sure
5
And the one seated on the throne said:independent — ὁ καθήμενος ἐπὶ τῷ θρόνῳ speaks in his own voice — for the first time since 1:8
'Behold, I am making all things new.'content — Isa 43:19 — present ποιῶ: the making already under way; πάντα, nothing left un-renewed
And he says:independent — historic present λέγει — the dictation-frame
'Write,content — γράψον — the book's writing-command (1:11, 19; 14:13; 19:9)
for these words are faithful and true.'cause — the ground of the command — πιστοὶ καὶ ἀληθινοί, the Speaker's own titles (3:14; 19:11) lent to his words
6
And he said to me:independent — the third speech-frame — the sentence-column that runs to v. 8
'They are done!content — Γέγοναν — plural: THEY are done, all the words of God; the singular Γέγονεν of 16:17 consummated
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.content — the self-naming of 1:8 (cf. 22:13) — ἀρχὴ καὶ τέλος now spelling the letters out
I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life freely.content — Isa 55:1 — emphatic ἐγώ ... δωρεάν: the water of life without price (7:17; 22:17)
vv. 7–8 — the heir, and the excluded
7
The one who conquers will inherit these things,content — ὁ νικῶν — the seven letters' refrain (2:7 ff.) gathered into one bequest: ταῦτα, all of it
and I will be his Godcontent — the covenant pair — 2 Sam 7:14's promise to David's son, thrown open to every conqueror
and he will be my son.content — the pair's other half — υἱός: the only sonship-saying in the book
8
But to the cowardlycontent — the counter-column — δέ turns the page: eight fronted datives, the roll of the excluded; δειλοῖς first, the cowards who would not conquer
and faithlessphrase modifier — ἄπιστοι — foil to ὁ πιστός of 2:10, 13
and abominablephrase modifier — perfect ἐβδελυγμένοις — the abomination-stained, the whore's word (17:4–5; v. 27)
and murderersphrase modifier — φονεῦσιν (9:21)
and fornicatorsphrase modifier — πόρνοις — the whore's own trade (17:2)
and sorcerersphrase modifier — φαρμάκοις (9:21; 18:23 — Babylon's φαρμακεία)
and idolatersphrase modifier — εἰδωλολάτραις — the beast-worship behind the whole list
and all the liars —phrase modifier — the eighth, summarizing member — πᾶσιν τοῖς ψευδέσιν: ALL the false; the ψεῦδος returns at v. 27's door
their portion is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur,content — the verbless verdict — τὸ μέρος αὐτῶν: the inheritance-word inverted (κληρονομήσει, v. 7); the lake of 19:20; 20:10, 14–15
which is the second death.'relative — the identification — ὁ θάνατος ὁ δεύτερος (2:11; 20:6, 14): the death that survives v. 4 does so only as the lake
The bride-city — come, I will show you the wife of the Lamb 21:9–14
vv. 9–10 — the invitation and the transport: the mirror of 17:1–3
9
And one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls cameindependent — 17:1 verbatim — a bowl-angel again the guide: the hand that showed Babylon's judgment now shows the Bride
full of the seven last plagues,participial — case discord — genitive γεμόντων against accusative φιάλας (15:1, 7); the plagues spent, their bearer free for better news
and he spoke with me,independent — parataxis — as at 17:1, word for word
saying:participial — the pleonastic 'saying'
'Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.'content — the deliberate mirror of 17:1 — Δεῦρο, δείξω σοι there the great whore's sentence, here τὴν νύμφην τὴν γυναῖκα τοῦ ἀρνίου (19:7)
10
And he carried me away in the Spirit onto a great and high mountain,independent — the Spirit-transport (1:10; 4:2; 17:3) — a great high mountain (Ezek 40:2) where Babylon got a wilderness
and showed me the holy city Jerusalemindependent — ἔδειξεν — the promised δείξω performed
coming down out of heaven from God,participial — the descent of v. 2 repeated — the city is only ever seen mid-descent, always coming from God
vv. 11–14 — glory, wall, twelve gates, twelve foundations
11
having the glory of God;participial — ἔχουσαν τὴν δόξαν τοῦ θεοῦ — Isa 60:1–2; Ezek 43:2–5: the shekinah come back to the city
its radiance like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone clear as crystal;phrase modifier — verbless — ὁ φωστήρ, her luminary: jasper-crystal light, the Enthroned's own stone (4:3)
12
having a great and high wall,participial — SOLECISM — nominative ἔχουσα against accusative πόλιν; the wall of Ezek 40:5
having twelve gates,participial — the twelve gates — Ezek 48:31–34
and at the gates twelve angels,phrase modifier — verbless — angels for gatekeepers: Isa 62:6's watchmen; the cherub-guard of Gen 3:24 turned porter
and names inscribed,phrase modifier — the gate-inscriptions
which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel:relative — the decoding relative — Israel's twelve written into the city's doors (7:4–8; Ezek 48:31)
13
on the east three gates,phrase modifier — the four-directions roll — east first, the sunrise quarter (7:2; Ezek 42:16)
and on the north three gates,phrase modifier
and on the south three gates,phrase modifier
and on the west three gates.phrase modifier — the roll closes — three to a side: entry from every compass point, for the pilgrims of v. 24
14
And the wall of the city had twelve foundations,independent — SOLECISM — masculine ἔχων for neuter τεῖχος, participle standing for the finite verb
and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.phrase modifier — the apostles' names — the Lamb's twelve beneath Israel's twelve (Eph 2:20): one city founded on both covenants
The measuring — foursquare city, jeweled foundations 21:15–21
vv. 15–17 — the golden reed: city and wall measured
15
And the one who spoke with me had a golden measuring reed,independent — Ezek 40:3 — the surveyor with his reed; golden here, like everything the city touches
to measure the city and its gates and its wall.purpose — the survey's scope — city, gates, wall; at 11:1–2 the outer court went unmeasured: nothing is left out now
16
And the city lies foursquare,independent — τετράγωνος — foursquare like Ezekiel's city and altar (Ezek 43:16; 48:16, 20)
its length as great as its breadth.independent — verbless — the first equality
And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand stadia;independent — 12,000 stadia — twelve by a thousand, the sealed number (7:4 ff.) become geography: some 1,400 miles a side
its length and breadth and height are equal.independent — the third dimension — ἴσα: a cube, the holy of holies (1 Kgs 6:20) grown to cosmic scale; the whole city is inner sanctuary
17
And he measured its wall: a hundred forty-four cubits,independent — 144 cubits — 12 × 12 again; a token wall beside 12,000 stadia: emblem, not defense
by human measure,phrase modifier — apposition — μέτρον ἀνθρώπου, the surveyor's scale declared
which is an angel's.relative — the enigmatic gloss — ὅ ἐστιν ἀγγέλου: the angel's cubit IS the human cubit; the measuring angel keeps man's scale — the two worlds now share one measure
vv. 18–21 — the materials: jasper, gold, twelve stones, pearl gates
18
And the structure of its wall was jasper,independent — the materials-lines open, verbless — ἐνδώμησις: the wall built of God's own radiance (v. 11; 4:3)
and the city pure gold, like clear glass.independent — gold ὅμοιον ὑάλῳ — gold refined past opacity; the whore's gilding (17:4) outdone in substance
19
The foundations of the city's wall were adorned with every precious stone:independent — Isa 54:11–12 — κεκοσμημένοι, the Bride's own participle (v. 2) standing for the finite verb; the heading of the roll
the first foundation jasper,phrase modifier — the twelve-stone roll opens — jasper first: the wall's stone, the city's light, God's own (4:3); the list shadows the breastpiece's twelve (Exod 28:17–20)
the second sapphire,phrase modifier — σάπφιρος — the pavement under God's feet (Exod 24:10)
the third chalcedony,phrase modifier
the fourth emerald,phrase modifier — σμάραγδος — the rainbow's stone around the throne (4:3)
20
the fifth sardonyx,phrase modifier
the sixth carnelian,phrase modifier — σάρδιον — the Enthroned's second stone (4:3)
the seventh chrysolite,phrase modifier
the eighth beryl,phrase modifier
the ninth topaz,phrase modifier
the tenth chrysoprase,phrase modifier
the eleventh jacinth,phrase modifier
the twelfth amethyst.phrase modifier — the roll closes — twelve gems for twelve foundations bearing twelve apostolic names, gem by gem
21
And the twelve gates were twelve pearls,independent — verbless — the μαργαρῖται the whore wore (17:4; 18:12, 16) now hung as city gates
each one of the gates was of a single pearl.independent — distributive ἀνὰ εἷς with unbent nominative (the book's rough syntax) — one gate, one pearl
And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.independent — the street — χρυσίον καθαρόν again (v. 18), ὡς ὕαλος διαυγής: transparent gold underfoot
No temple, no night — the glory of God its light 21:22–27
vv. 22–23 — no temple, no sun: God and the Lamb suffice
22
And I saw no temple in it,independent — the stunning negation — in Ezekiel's city the temple is everything (Ezek 40–48); here ναὸν οὐκ εἶδον
for the Lord God Almighty is its temple, and the Lamb.cause — the ground — singular ναός ἐστιν with καὶ τὸ ἀρνίον appended: God and Lamb one sanctuary; παντοκράτωρ, the throne-title (4:8)
23
And the city has no need of the sun or of the moonindependent — Isa 60:19 — sun and moon pensioned off
to shine on it,purpose — epexegetic ἵνα — the need defined: that they should shine on her
for the glory of God has illumined it,cause — the ground — the δόξα of v. 11; aorist ἐφώτισεν: the lighting an accomplished fact
and its lamp is the Lamb.cause — the coordinate ground, verbless — ὁ λύχνος τὸ ἀρνίον: the glory is the light, the Lamb its lamp
vv. 24–27 — the nations' procession through open gates
24
And the nations will walk by its light,independent — Isa 60:3 — the ἔθνη, deceived at 20:3, 8, here walking by her light: the procession column opens
and the kings of the earth bring their glory into it,independent — the kings of the earth — the whore's clients (17:2, 18) turned porters of glory; present φέρουσιν amid futures: the procession already moving
25
and its gates will never be shut by day,independent — Isa 60:11 — οὐ μὴ κλεισθῶσιν: the emphatic never; open gates, the pearl doors never swung to
for there will be no night there,cause — the parenthetic ground — no night (22:5): 'by day' is the only time the city keeps
26
And they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it.independent — Isa 60:5, 11 — the caravans of tribute; οἴσουσιν resumes φέρουσιν: the nations' δόξα καὶ τιμή offered, not plundered
27
And nothing common will ever enter it,independent — the exclusion — οὐ μή ... πᾶν, the Semitic 'nothing at all' (Isa 52:1): no κοινόν through the open gates
nor anyone who makes abomination and a lie,phrase modifier — the coordinate subject — masculine ὁ ποιῶν after neuter πᾶν κοινόν: the maker of the whore's βδέλυγμα (17:4–5) and of v. 8's ψεῦδος
but only those written in the Lamb's book of life.conditional — the exception — elliptical εἰ μή leaning back on εἰσέλθῃ: the Lamb's book of life (13:8; 20:12, 15) the city's one admission-list
Analysis. Revelation 21 is built as the deliberate answer to chapter 17, and the layout lets the mirror show: the same bowl-angel formula, the same Δεῦρο-δείξω invitation descending through the speech-participle into blue quoted content, the same Spirit-transport — but a great high mountain for the wilderness, and the Bride for the whore. The seer's καί-paratactic narrative runs in purple at depth 0, and the chapter's two great speeches hang as blue cnt-columns: the throne-voice's dwelling-proclamation under λεγούσης (vv. 3–4, taken as one quotation through the tear-wiping and the no-more column to the ὅτι-ground 'the first things passed away'), and the Enthroned's own speech under εἶπέν (vv. 5–8), whose counter-column of eight fronted datives — the roll of the excluded, hung from δειλοῖς — lands on the verbless μέρος-verdict and its second-death relative. The city itself is drawn in the tableau manner of ch. 4: verbless materials-lines, participial ἔχουσα-steps with the book's discords flagged rather than smoothed (genitive γεμόντων against accusative φιάλας, v. 9; nominative ἔχουσα against accusative πόλιν, v. 12; masculine ἔχων for neuter τεῖχος, v. 14; the unbent ἀνὰ εἷς of v. 21) — and its two rosters are set as formulaic columns on the model of the ch. 7 tribal roll: four direction-lines under πυλῶνας, and the twelve foundation stones one line per stone under θεμέλιοι. Choices the layout takes a side on: the γάρ of v. 1 grounds the newness and is anchored on καινήν; the whole death-mourning-crying-pain column of v. 4 rests on a single ὅτι; μέτρον ἀνθρώπου is apposition with its enigmatic ὅ ἐστιν ἀγγέλου gloss as a relative beneath it; the ἵνα of v. 23 is read as epexegetic of χρείαν; and the εἰ μή of v. 27 is drawn as an elliptical exceptive leaning back on εἰσέλθῃ — the Lamb's book of life the one admission-list through gates that are never shut.