Rev 21:10-19 | EE | STEP | Then God’s Spirit caused me to see and to hear strange things. The angel carried me away to a great mountain that was very high. He showed me God’s own special city, Jerusalem. The city was coming down out of heaven from God.

Revelation of John 21:10-19

10 Then God’s Spirit caused me to see and to hear strange things. The angel carried me away to a great mountain that was very high. He showed me God’s own special city, Jerusalem. The city was coming down out of heaven from God. 11 It was shining with the very bright light that comes from God. The city shone like a very valuable stone that is called jasper. It shone like clean glass. 12 It had a very big, high wall round it. The wall had 12 gates in it. 12 angels stood at the 12 gates. The names of the 12 family groups of Israel’s people were written on the 12 gates. 13 There were three gates on each side of the city:

3 gates were on the east side;
3 gates were on the north side;
3 gates were on the south side;
3 gates were on the west side.

14 They had built the city’s wall on top of 12 strong stones. They had written the name the Lamb’s12 apostles on those 12 stones. ^{▼▼21:14 When Jesus was alive on this earth, he chose 12 men to work with him. These special workers were called apostles. He sent them to teach other people about him. See Matthew 10:1-5; 28:18. One of these men (Judas Iscariot) did not continue to believe in Jesus. Later, other men, like Paul, were also called Christ’s apostles.}

15 The angel who talked to me had a long gold stick. He used it to measure things. So he could measure the city and its gates and its walls. 16 The shape of the city was a square. It was as long as it was wide. The angel measured the city with his stick. It was 12000 stadia (2400 kilometres) long. It was as wide and as high as it was long. 17 He also measured its wall. The size of the wall was 144 cubits (65 metres). That is the way that human people measure things. The angel also measured in the same way. ^{▼▼21:17 stadia and cubits were how people measured things in John’s time. 12000 stadia was about 1500 miles, or 2400 kilometers. 144 cubits was about 216 feet, or 65 meters. We don’t know if this was how high the wall was or how thick it was. The numbers (12000 and 144) may mean something special.}

18 The wall was made from stone that is called jasper. The city was made from the best kind of gold. The light shone through it, as light shines through clean glass. 19 The strong stones that were holding up the city’s wall were very beautiful. They had valuable stones in them that were different colours. Each great stone had its own special valuable stone. They were called:

1. Jasper;
2. Sapphire;
3. Agate;
4. Emerald;