Revelation 21:18 (YLT)

Passage

and the building of its wall was jasper, and the city <FI>is<Fi> pure gold--like to pure glass;

Nearby Context

Revelation 21:16 and the city lieth square, and the length of it is as great as the breadth; and he did measure the city with the reed--furlongs twelve thousand; the length, and the breadth, and the height, of it are equal;

Revelation 21:17 and he measured its wall, an hundred forty-four cubits, the measure of a man, that is, of the messenger;

Revelation 21:18 and the building of its wall was jasper, and the city <FI>is<Fi> pure gold--like to pure glass;

Revelation 21:19 and the foundations of the wall of the city with every precious stone have been adorned; the first foundation 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; the twelfth, amethyst.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "building", "wall", "jasper", "city", "pure", "gold--like", and "glass". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "building" and "wall", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 17's "and he measured its wall an hundred..." into verse 19's "and the foundations of the wall of...", so "building" and "wall" 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 "building" and "wall" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.