Revelation 21:13

21:13 There are three gates on the east side, three gates on the north side, three gates on the south side and three gates on the west side.

Revelation 21:12

21:12 It has a massive, high wall with twelve gates, with twelve angels at the gates, and the names of the twelve tribes of the nation of Israel are written on the gates.

Revelation 21:25

21:25 Its gates will never be closed during the day (and there will be no night there). 10 

Revelation 21:21

21:21 And the twelve gates are twelve pearls – each one of the gates is made from just one pearl! The 11  main street 12  of the city is pure gold, like transparent glass.


tn The words “There are” have been supplied to make a complete English sentence. This is a continuation of the previous sentence, a lengthy and complicated one in Greek.

tn The word “side” has been supplied four times in this verse for clarity.

tn Grk “jasper, having.” Here a new sentence was started in the translation.

tn Grk “a (city) wall great and high.”

tn On this term BDAG 897 s.v. πυλών 1 states, “gate, esp. of the large, impressive gateways at the entrance of temples and palaces…of the entrances of the heavenly Jerusalem…οἱ πυλῶνες αὐτῆς οὐ μὴ κλεισθῶσιν its entrances shall never be shut Rv 21:25; cp. vss. 12ab, 13abcd, 15, 21ab; 22:14.”

tn Grk “of the sons of Israel.” The translation “nation of Israel” is given in L&N 11.58.

tn Grk “on them”; the referent (the gates) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

tn On the translation “during the day” see BDAG 436 s.v. ἡμέρα 1.a, “But also, as in Thu. et al., of time within which someth. occurs, ἡμέρας during the day Rv 21:25.”

tn The Greek connective γάρ (gar) most often expresses some sort of causal connection. However, in this context there is no causal force to the second phrase; γάρ simply expresses continuation or connection. Because of this it has been translated as “and.” See BDAG 189-90 s.v. 2.

10 tn The clause has virtually the force of a parenthetical comment.

11 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

12 tn The Greek word πλατεῖα (plateia) refers to a major (broad) street (L&N 1.103).