* * *
a Or for the testimony of Jesus
b Other ancient authorities read from God, out of heaven, or out of heaven from God
20.2 Dragon. See 12.3. Ancient serpent, Devil, Satan. See 12.9, 10. The reference to a thousand years, i.e., the millennium, is unparalleled in Jewish eschatology.
20.4–6 During Satan’s imprisonment the Christian martyrs are raised to life for a thousand-year reign with Christ.
20.4 Those seated on them were given authority to judge. The seated figures are not specified; the saints are sometimes associated with God in judgment (see Dan 7.9; Mt 19.28; 1 Cor 6.2). Those over whom they exercise judgment also remain unspecified. Those who had been beheaded, martyrs of relatively high social status (more painful forms of execution were reserved for the lower classes). Not worshiped the beast or its image. See 13.11–18. Its mark. See 13.16.
20.5 The rest of the dead, all but the martyrs; in the author’s mind they have a privileged position in God’s plan. The first resurrection, restricted to Christian martyrs, is not mentioned elsewhere in the NT.
20.6 Blessed. See note on 1.3. Second death. See note on 2.11.
20.7–10 The release and second defeat of Satan are unparalleled in Jewish eschatology.
20.8 Gog and Magog, names for a hostile northern king and his nation (Ezek 38–39) that came to symbolize all of Israel’s enemies; rabbinic sources refer to the final war as “the war of Gog and Magog” (see, e.g., Babylonian Talmud Berakot 7b; Sanhedrin 97b). Gather them for battle. See also 16.12–16; 19.19. As the sands of the sea, a metaphor for an enormous, terrifying army (see Josh 11.4; Judg 7.12).
20.9 Marched up. In the biblical idiom one always goes up, never down, to Jerusalem (Isa 2.3; Jer 31.6; Mic 4.2). The camp of the saints implies that the saints constitute an encamped army. The beloved city, Jerusalem (see Pss 78.68; 87.2; Sir 24.11). Fire came down from heaven, the divine destruction of the hostile forces (see Ezek 39.6).
20.10 The lake of fire and sulfur. See notes on 9.18; 19.20.
20.11–15 The final judgment embraces the rest of the dead (cf. 20.4–6).
20.11 A great white throne, the judgment seat of God. The earth and the heaven fled from his presence, a metaphor for the awesome theophanic majesty of God (taken literally in 21.1).
20.12 Books were opened (Dan 7.10). The plural suggests two sets of books, one for the righteous, the other for the wicked. Book of life. See note on 3.5.
20.13 The sea, one of the two abodes of the dead; Death and Hades were the abode under the earth.
20.14 Second death. See note on 2.11.
Revelation 21
The New Heaven and the New Earth
1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
“See, the homea of God is among mortals.
He will dwellb with them;
they will be his peoples,c
and God himself will be with them;d
4he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away.”
5And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. 7Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will be my children. 8But as for the cowardly, the faithless,e the polluted, the murderers, the fornicators, the sorcerers, the idolaters, and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
Vision of the New Jerusalem
9Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10And in the spiritf he carried me away to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. 11It has the glory of God and a radiance like a very rare jewel, like jasper, clear as crystal. 12It has a great, high wall with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates are inscribed the names of the twelve tribes of the Israelites; 13on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. 14And the wall of the city has twelve foundations, and on them are the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15The angelg who talked to me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. 16The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width; and he measured the city with his rod, fifteen hundred miles;h its length and width and height are equal. 17He also measured its wall, one hundred forty-four cubitsi by human measurement, which the angel was using. 18The wall is built of jasper, while the city is pure gold, clear as glass. 19The foundations of the wall of the city are adorned with every jewel; the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. 21And the twelve gates are twelve pearls, each of the gates is a single pearl, and the street of the city is pure gold, transparent as glass.
22I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. 25Its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. 26People will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27But nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
next chapter
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a Gk the tabernacle
b Gk will tabernacle
c Other ancient authorities read people
d Other ancient authorities add and be their God
e Or the unbelieving
f Or in the Spirit
g Gk He
h Gk twelve thousand stadia
i That is, almost seventy-five yards
21.1–8 A new heaven and earth replace their earlier counterparts.
21.1 A new heaven and a new earth, an allusion to Isa 65.17; 66.22 (see also Jubilees 1.29; 4.26; 1 Enoch 91.16); for Judaism the renewal of creation constitutes the final eschatological event.
21.2 The new Jerusalem. Belief in a heavenly counterpart to the earthly Jerusalem was common in early Judaism and early Christianity (see Gal 4.26; Phil 3.20; Heb 11.10, 14–16).
21.3–8 Preparatory heavenly throne-room scene (see note on 4.1–11).
21.3 The home…mortals, an allusion to Ezek 37.26.
21.4 Wipe every tear. See note on 7.17.
21.5 I am making all things new. See Isa 43.19; cf. 2 Cor 5.17.
21.6 I am…Omega (spoken by God). See note on 1.8. Water of life. See note on 7.17.
21.7 Those who conquer, those faithful unto death (see 2.7, 11, 17, 26; 3.5, 12, 21). I will be…my children. The covenant relationship is often defined using the metaphor of adoption (see 2 Sam 7.14; Pss 2.7; 89.26–27; Jer 3.19; Jubilees 1.24).
21.8 Second death. See note on 2.11.
21.9–22.7 The final vision: the new Jerusalem.
21.9 Wife of the Lamb. See note on 19.7.
21.10 In the spirit…mountain. See notes on 1.10; 17.3; see also Ezek 40.2.
21.15 The measuring rod is to reveal structure and size to the reader; see note on 11.1.
21.16 The city lies foursquare, i.e., it forms a gigantic cube; the square shape domi
nates the eschatological temple in Ezek 40–48 and the Dead Sea Scrolls Temple Scroll (11Q19).
21.18–21 On the use of precious stones in the construction of the future temple, a metaphor for magnificence and luxury, see Isa 54.11–12; Tob 13.16–17.
21.23 The glory of God is its light. See Isa 60.19–20.
21.27 Nothing unclean will enter it. It is like a sanctuary in that nothing profane is allowed in. In the Dead Sea Scrolls and the OT, the sanctity of the temple was sometimes extended to the city (see Isa 52.1). The Lamb’s book of life. See note on 3.5.
Revelation 22
The River of Life
1Then the angela showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of lifeb with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3Nothing accursed will be found there any more. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servantsc will worship him; 4they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
6And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true, for the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servantsd what must soon take place.”
7“See, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
Epilogue and Benediction
8I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me; 9but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servante with you and your comradesf the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God!”
10And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.”
12“See, I am coming soon; my reward is with me, to repay according to everyone’s work. 13I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”
14Blessed are those who wash their robes,g so that they will have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates. 15Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and fornicators and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
16“It is I, Jesus, who sent my angel to you with this testimony for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”
17The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.”
And let everyone who hears say, “Come.”
And let everyone who is thirsty come.
Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift.
18I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book; 19if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away that person’s share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
20The one who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.”
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
21The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen.h
* * *
a Gk he
b Or the Lamb. 2In the middle of the street of the city, and on either side of the river, is the tree of life
c Gk slaves
d Gk slaves
e Gk slave
f Gk brothers
g Other ancient authorities read do his commandments
h Other ancient authorities lack all; others lack the saints; others lack Amen
22.1 The river of the water of life. See Ezek 47.1–12; Zech 14.8.
22.2 The tree of life, a collective noun meaning “trees” (see Ezek 47.7–12; cf. Gen 2.9). Twelve kinds of fruit suggests the miraculous fruitfulness of the new world (Ezek 47.12; cf. 1 Enoch 10.19). The tree. The author reverts to a single tree of life (see note on 2.7). Healing of the nations, i.e., their conversion.
22.4 They will see his face. According to OT tradition, no one can see God (see Ex 33.20; Deut 4.12; see also Jn 1.18; 6.46; 1 Jn 4.12). His name will be on their foreheads. See note on 7.3.
22.6 The spirits of the prophets, the individual spirits of all the prophets (see 1 Cor 14.32). His angel. See note on 1.1.
22.7 I am coming soon. See note on 3.11. Blessed. See note on 1.3.
22.8–21 Epilogue and benediction.
22.10 Do not seal up…this book. Jewish apocalypses sometimes contain a command to seal the book until the end (see Dan 12.4, 9).
22.13 I am…Omega (spoken by Christ). See note on 1.8.
22.14 Blessed. See note on 1.3. Who wash their robes. See note on 7.14. The tree of life. See note on 2.7. Enter the city by the gates, enter as a citizen, not a thief (see Jn 10.1).
22.15 Outside. See note on 21.27.
22.16 My angel. See note on 1.1. Root and the descendant of David. See note on 5.5. Bright morning star. See note on 2.28.
22.17 Water of life. See note on 7.17.
22.19 Tree of life. See note on 2.7. Holy city, the new Jerusalem (21.9–27).
22.21 Revelation ends like a letter (see, e.g., 1 Thess 5.28); see note on 1.4–5a.
* * *
Quotations of the Jewish Scriptures in the New Testament
* * *
The purpose of this table is to help readers study the early church’s use and interpretation of the Jewish scriptures. It does not include every possible reference, but only direct quotations and clear allusions to specific passages. The chapter and verse numbering is that of the NRSV.
In using the table, it is important to bear in mind that the nt authors, writing in Greek, generally quoted from the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures (known as the Septuagint), whereas the nrsv ot is translated directly from the Hebrew and Aramaic texts. Also, ancient Jewish and Christian interpreters, including the nt authors, were less concerned with the original sense of the Hebrew scriptures than with finding useful and appropriate applications of them in their own situations. For these reasons, there are often differences in wording or meaning between an ot passage and a nt quotation of it.
Index to Color Maps
Note: Entries in this index, carried over verbatim from the print edition of this title, are unlikely to correspond to the pagination of any given e-book reader. However, entries in this index, and other terms, may be easily located by using the search feature of your e-book reader.
This index lists geographical names found in the color maps at the back of the book. The numbers of the map(s) on which the name appears is listed first, followed by the key, or grid reference (a letter-figure combination that refers to the letters and figures at the margins of the map). Places whose names have changed over time are identified by a “see also” reference. For example, the entry for Azotus indicates it can be found on Map 11 in location B-5, and on Map 13 in location A-5, and readers are referred to Ashdod, its alternate name.
Abel, 4, C-2; see also Abel-beth-maacah
Abel-beth-maacah, 5, 7, C-1
Abel-meholah, 5, C-3
Abila (in Abilene), 13, D-1
Abila (in Decapolis), 11, D-2; 13, 18, D-3
Abilene, 13, D-1
Abydos (in Egypt), 2, B-4; 6, C-4
Abydos (in Greece), 6, B-1
Acco, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 18, B-2; 4, B-3; see also Ptolemais
Acco (region), 9, B-2
Accrabah, 9, C-4
Achaia, 12, D-3; 17, C-2
Achshaph, 3, B-3
Achzib, 3, 7, 9, 18, B-2
Achzib (region), 9, B-2
Adam, 3, C-4
Adasa, 11, C-4
Adida, 11, B-4
Adora, 11, B-5
A
doraim, 5, 7, B-5
Adramyttium, 17, D-2
Adria, Sea of, 12, C-2; 17, B-1
Adullam, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, B-5
Aegean Sea, 6, B-1; 10, A-2; 12, D-3; 17, C-2
Aenon, 13, C-4
Africa, 12, C-3
Agade, 2, E-3
Agrigentum, 17, A-2
Agrippias, 13, A-6
Agrippina, 13, C-3
Ahlab, 3, C-2
Ai, 3, 9, 18, C-4
Aiath, 7, C-4
Aijalon, 3, 5, 7, B-4
Aijalon River, 1, B-4
Ain Feshka, 18, C-5
Ain Ghazzal, 18, D-4
Ain Karim, 18, B-5
Akhetaton (Tell el-Amarna), 2, B-4
Akkad, 2, E-3
Akrabattene, 11, C-6
Akrabbim, Ascent of, 5, B-6
Alaca Huyuk, 2, C-1
Alalakh, 2, C-2
Alashiya (Kittim), 2, B-2; see also Cyprus
Albis River, 12, C-1
Aleppo, 6, D-2
Alexandria (in Egypt), 10, A-3; 12, E-3; 17, E-4
Alexandria Arion (Herat), 10, E-2
Alexandria Harmozia, 10, D-3
Alexandria Arachosiorum, 10, E-3
Alexandria Eschata, 10, F-2
Alexandrium, 11, 13, C-4
Alpes, 12, B-2
Alps (mountains), 12, C-2
Amalek (people), 4, B-5
Amasia, 17, F-1
Amathus, 11, C-3; 13, C-4
Amisus, 17, F-1
Amman, 1, 18, D-4; see also Rabbah
Ammon, 1, 3, 5, 7, D-4; 4, 9, C-4; 6, C-3
Amon, Temple of, 8, 10, A-3
Amphipolis, 17, C-1
Anat, 6, D-2; 8, C-2
Anathoth, 7, 9, C-4
Ancyra, 6, C-1; 8, B-1; 10, B-2; 12, E-2; 17, E-1
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