Revelation 21:15-17
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
15 [a]The one who spoke to me held a gold measuring rod to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. 16 The city was square, its length the same as [also] its width. He measured the city with the rod and found it fifteen hundred miles[b] in length and width and height. 17 He also measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits[c] according to the standard unit of measurement the angel used.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 21:15–17 The city is shaped like a gigantic cube, a symbol of perfection (cf. 1 Kgs 6:19–20). The measurements of the city and its wall are multiples of the symbolic number twelve; see note on Rev 7:4–9.
- 21:16 Fifteen hundred miles: literally, twelve thousand stades, about 12,000 furlongs (see note on Rev 14:20); the number is symbolic: twelve (the apostles as leaders of the new Israel) multiplied by 1,000 (the immensity of Christians); cf. Introduction. In length and width and height: literally, “its length and width and height are the same.”
- 21:17 One hundred and forty-four cubits: the cubit was about eighteen inches in length. Standard unit of measurement the angel used: literally, “by a human measure, i.e., an angel’s.”
Revelation 21:15-17
New International Version
15 The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod(A) of gold to measure the city, its gates(B) and its walls. 16 The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia[a] in length, and as wide and high as it is long. 17 The angel measured the wall using human(C) measurement, and it was 144 cubits[b] thick.[c]
Footnotes
- Revelation 21:16 That is, about 1,400 miles or about 2,200 kilometers
- Revelation 21:17 That is, about 200 feet or about 65 meters
- Revelation 21:17 Or high
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