Wahyu 21:1-2

A New Heaven and a New Earth

21:1 Then ¹  I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had ceased to exist, ²  and the sea existed no more. 21:2 And I saw the holy city – the new Jerusalem – descending out of heaven from God, made ready like a bride adorned for her husband.

Wahyu 21:9-10

The New Jerusalem Descends

21:9 Then ³  one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven final plagues came and spoke to me, ⁴  saying, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb!” 21:10 So ⁵  he took me away in the Spirit ⁶  to a huge, majestic mountain ⁷  and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.

[21:1]  ¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

[21:1]  ² tn For the translation of ἀπέρχομαι (apercomai; here ἀπῆλθαν [aphlqan]) L&N 13.93 has “to go out of existence – ‘to cease to exist, to pass away, to cease.’”

[21:9]  ³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

[21:9]  ⁴ tn Grk “with me.” The translation “with me” implies that John was engaged in a dialogue with the one speaking to him (e.g., Jesus or an angel) when in reality it was a one-sided conversation, with John doing all the listening. For this reason, μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ (met’ emou, “with me”) was translated as “to me.” See also v. 15.

[21:10]  ⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the angel’s invitation.

[21:10]  ⁶ tn Or “in the spirit.” “Spirit” could refer either to the Holy Spirit or the human spirit, but in either case John was in “a state of spiritual exaltation best described as a trance” (R. H. Mounce, Revelation [NICNT], 75).

[21:10]  ⁷ tn Grk “to a mountain great and high.”