Revelation 21:16 (DBY)

Passage

And the city lies four-square, and its length [is] as much as the breadth. And he measured the city with the reed twelve thousand stadia: the length and the breadth and height of it are equal.

Nearby Context

Revelation 21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

Revelation 21:15 And he that spoke with me had a golden reed [as] a measure, that he might measure the city, and its gates, and its wall.

Revelation 21:16 And the city lies four-square, and its length [is] as much as the breadth. And he measured the city with the reed twelve thousand stadia: the length and the breadth and height of it are equal.

Revelation 21:17 And he measured its wall, a hundred [and] forty-four cubits, [a] man's measure, that is, [the] angel's.

Revelation 21:18 And the building of its wall [was] jasper; and the city pure gold, like pure glass:

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "city", "lies", "four-square", "length", "much", "breadth", and "measured". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "city" and "lies", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 15's "And he that spoke with me had..." into verse 17's "And he measured its wall a hundred...", so "city" and "lies" belong inside that flow. In Revelation context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "city" and "lies" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.