Revelation 21:13 (LSB)

Passage

There were three gates on the east and three gates on the north and three gates on the south and three gates on the west.

Nearby Context

Revelation 21:11 having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like precious stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper.

Revelation 21:12 It had a great and high wall. It had twelve gates and at those gates, twelve angels; and names have been written on those gates, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel.

Revelation 21:13 There were three gates on the east and three gates on the north and three gates on the south and three gates on the west.

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

Revelation 21:15 And the one who spoke with me had a gold measuring rod to measure the city and its gates and its wall.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "three", "gates", "east", and "north". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "three" and "gates", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 12's "It had a great and high wall..." into verse 14's "And the wall of the city had...", so "three" and "gates" 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 "three" and "gates" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.