Revelation 21:21 (WEB)

Passage

The twelve gates were twelve pearls. Each one of the gates was made of one pearl. The street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

Nearby Context

Revelation 21:19 The foundations of the city’s wall were adorned with all kinds of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald;

Revelation 21:20 the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprasus; the eleventh, jacinth; and the twelfth, amethyst.

Revelation 21:21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls. Each one of the gates was made of one pearl. The street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

Revelation 21:22 I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God, the Almighty, and the Lamb, are its temple.

Revelation 21:23 The city has no need for the sun, neither of the moon, to shine, for the very glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb.

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 20's "the fifth sardonyx the sixth sardius the..." into verse 22's "I saw no temple in it for...", so "twelve" 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 "twelve" and "gates" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.