Revelation 21:16

New American Standard Bible (1995)

The city is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as the width; and he measured the city with the rod, fifteen hundred miles; its length and width and height are equal.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The city is laid out in a square; its length and width are the same. He measured the city with the rod at 12,000 stadia. Its length, width, and height are equal.

King James Version (1611)
And the city lieth foure square, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelue thousand furlongs: the length, and the breadth, and the height of it are equall.

King James Version
And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.

New American Standard Bible
The city is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as the width; and he measured the city with the rod, twelve thousand stadia; its length, width, and height are equal.

New Century Version
The city was built in a square, and its length was equal to its width. The angel measured the city with the rod. The city was 1,500 miles long, 1,500 miles wide, and 1,500 miles high.

English Standard Version
The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal.

Berean Standard Bible
The city lies foursquare, with its width the same as its length. And he measured the city with the rod, and all its dimensions were equal-12,000 stadia in length and width and height.

Contemporary English Version
The city was shaped like a cube, because it was just as high as it was wide. When the angel measured the city, it was about fifteen hundred miles high and fifteen hundred miles wide.

Complete Jewish Bible
The city is laid out in a square, its length equal to its width. With his rod he measured the city at 1,500 miles, with length, width and height the same.

Darby Translation
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.

Easy-to-Read Version
The city was built in a square. Its length was equal to its width. The angel measured the city with the rod. The city was 12,000 stadia long, 12,000 stadia wide, and 12,000 stadia high.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And the citie laie foure square, and the length is as large as the bredth of it, and he measured the citie with the reede, twelue thousande furlongs: and the length, and the bredth, & the height of it are equall.

George Lamsa Translation
And the city was laid four-square, and the length was the same as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, about twelve furlongs, twelve thousand paces. And the length and breadth and the height were equal.

Good News Translation
The city was perfectly square, as wide as it was long. The angel measured the city with his measuring stick: it was fifteen hundred miles long and was as wide and as high as it was long.

Lexham English Bible
And the city is laid out as a square, and its length is the same as its width. And he measured the city with the measuring rod at twelve thousand stadia; the length and the width and the height of it are equal.

Literal Translation
And the city lies four cornered, even its length as much as the width also. And he measured the city with the reed at twelve thousand stadia; its length and width and height are equal.

Amplified Bible
The city is laid out as a square, its length being the same as its width; and he measured the city with his rod—twelve thousand stadia (about 1,400 miles); its length and width and height are equal.

American Standard Version
And the city lieth foursquare, and the length thereof is as great as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs: the length and the breadth and the height thereof are equal.

Bible in Basic English
And the town is square, as wide as it is long; and he took the measure of the town with the rod, one thousand and five hundred miles: it is equally long and wide and high.

Hebrew Names Version
The city lies foursquare, and its length is as great as its breadth. He measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand stadia. Its length, breadth, and height are equal.

International Standard Version
The city was square: its length was the same as its width. He measured the city with his rod, and it was 12,000 stadia long.[fn] Its length, width, and height were the same.

Etheridge Translation
And the city was set four-square, and the length of it was as the breadth: and he measured the city with the rod, upon twelve stadia of twelve thousand. And the length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.

Murdock Translation
And the city stood up four square; and its length was the same as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed, to twelve furlongs of twelve thousand; and the length and the breadth and the height of it were [fn] equal.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the citie was buylt foure square, & the length was as large as ye breadth: and he measured the citie with the reede twelue thousande furlonges, and the length, and the breadth, and the heyght of it were equall.

English Revised Version
And the city lieth foursquare, and the length thereof is as great as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs: the length and the breadth and the height thereof are equal.

World English Bible
The city lies foursquare, and its length is as great as its breadth. He measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand stadia. Its length, breadth, and height are equal.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And the city lyeth four-square, and the length is as large as the breadth. And he measured the city with the reed twelve thousand furlongs: the length, and the breadth, and the height of it, are equal.

Weymouth's New Testament
The plan of the city is a square, the length being the same as the breadth; and he measured the city furlong by furlong, with his measuring rod--it is twelve hundred miles long, and the length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the citee was set in square; and the lengthe of it is so miche, `as miche as is the breede. And he mat the citee with the rehed, bi furlongis twelue thousyndis. And the heiythe, and the lengthe and breede of it, ben euene.

Update Bible Version
And the city lies foursquare, and the length thereof is also as great as the width: and he measured the city with the reed, 1,380 miles: the length and the width and the height thereof are equal.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the hight of it are equal.

New English Translation
Now the city is laid out as a square, its length and width the same. He measured the city with the measuring rod at fourteen hundred miles (its length and width and height are equal).

New King James Version
The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal.

New Living Translation
When he measured it, he found it was a square, as wide as it was long. In fact, its length and width and height were each 1,400 miles.

New Life Bible
He found out that the city was as wide as it was long and it was as high as it was wide. It was as long as a man could walk in fifty days. It was the same each way.

New Revised Standard
The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width; and he measured the city with his rod, fifteen hundred miles; its length and width and height are equal.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, the city, four-square, lieth, and, the length thereof, is as great as the breadth. And he measured the city, with the reed, - twelve thousand furlongs: the length, and the breadth, and the height thereof, are, equal.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the city lieth in a four-square: and the length thereof is as great as the breadth. And he measured the city with the golden reed for twelve thousand furlongs: and the length and the height and the breadth thereof are equal.

Revised Standard Version
The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its breadth; and he measured the city with his rod, twelve thousand stadia; its length and breadth and height are equal.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And the cite was bylt iiii. square and the length was as large as the bredth of it and he measured the cite with the rede .xii M. fur longes: and the lenght and the bredth and ye heyth of it were equall.

Young's Literal Translation
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;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And the cite was bylt foure square, and the length was as large as the bredth of it, and he measured the cite with the rede twolue M. furlonges: and the length and the bredth, and ye heyth of it, were equall.

Mace New Testament (1729)
the city was a square, the length being as large as the breadth: he measured the city with the reed, and found it twelve thousand furlongs: the length, the breadth, and the height of it were equal.

Simplified Cowboy Version
The town was a perfect square measuring 1500 miles on each side.

Contextual Overview

⁹ Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, "Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." ¹⁰ And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, ¹¹ having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper. ¹² It had a great and high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names were written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. 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. 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. ¹⁵ The one who spoke with me had a gold measuring rod to measure the city, and its gates and its wall. ¹⁶ The city is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as the width; and he measured the city with the rod, fifteen hundred miles; its length and width and height are equal.¹⁷ And he measured its wall, seventy-two yards, according to human measurements, which are also angelic measurements. ¹⁸ The material of the wall was jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

four square, The square form of this city probably denotes its stability; while its vast dimensions, being 1,500 miles on each side, are emblematical of magnificence, and of its capability of containing all the multitude of inhabitants which should ever enter it, however immense or innumerable. Ezekiel 48:17, Ezekiel 48:18, Ezekiel 48:20, Ezekiel 48:35

twelve: Ezekiel 48:8-19

Reciprocal: Exodus 38:1 - General 1 Kings 6:2 - threescore Ezra 6:3 - the height Ezekiel 41:4 - twenty cubits Ezekiel 41:8 - a full Ezekiel 48:30 - the goings John 6:19 - furlongs John 11:18 - fifteen furlongs

Cross-References

Genesis 27:38
Esau said to his father, "Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father." So Esau lifted his voice and wept.

Genesis 29:11
Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted his voice and wept.

Genesis 44:34
"For how shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me—for fear that I see the evil that would overtake my father?"

Judges 2:4
When the angel of the LORD spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, the people lifted up their voices and wept.

Ruth 1:9
"May the LORD grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband." Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept.

1 Samuel 24:16
When David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, "Is this your voice, my son David?" Then Saul lifted up his voice and wept.

1 Samuel 30:4
Then David and the people who were with him lifted their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to weep.

1 Kings 3:26
Then the woman whose child was the living one spoke to the king, for she was deeply stirred over her son and said, "Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and by no means kill him." But the other said, "He shall be neither mine nor yours; divide him!"

Esther 8:6
"For how can I endure to see the calamity which will befall my people, and how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?"

Isaiah 49:15
"Can a woman forget her nursing child And have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the city lieth four square,.... To the four corners of the world, from whence its inhabitants come, and denotes the regularity, uniformity, perfection, and immovableness of it.

And the length is as large as the breadth; this church state will be all of a piece, perfect, entire, and wanting nothing.

And he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs; or fifteen hundred miles; a monstrously large city indeed! such an one as never was upon earth; see Ezekiel 48:35 and which shows, that this is not to be understood literally, but mystically; and intends the capaciousness of it, here being room enough for all the twelve tribes of Israel; that is, for all the elect of God; for as in Christ's Father's house, so in this kingdom state of his, there will be many mansions, or dwelling places, enough for all his people. This city will hold them all. The Jews h say of Jerusalem, that in time to come it shall be so enlarged, as to reach to the gates of Damascus, yea, to the throne of glory.

The length, and the breadth, and the height of it are equal. A perfectly uniform state! according to the Ethiopic version, it is in length twelve thousand furlongs, and every measure equal, so that it is so many furlongs in length, breadth, and height.

h Shirhashirim Rabba, fol. 24. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And the city lieth four-square - It was an exact square. That is, there was nothing irregular about it; there were no crooked walls; there was no jutting out, and no indentation in the walls, as if the city had been built at different times without a plan, and had been accommodated to circumstances. Most cities have been determined in their outline by the character of the ground - by hills, streams, or ravines; or have grown up by accretions, where one part has been joined to another, so that there is no regularity, and so that the original plan, if there was any, has been lost sight of. The New Jerusalem, on the contrary, had been built according to a plan of the utmost regularity, which had not been modified by the circumstances, or varied as the city grew. The idea here may be, that the church, as it will appear in its state of glory, will be in accordance with an eternal plan, and that the great original design will have been fully carried out.

And the length is as large as the breadth - The height also of the city was the same - so that it was an exact square.

And he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs - As eight furlongs make a mile, the extent of the walls, therefore, must have been three hundred and seventy-five miles. Of course, this must preclude all idea of there being such a city literally in Palestine. This is clearly a figurative or symbolical representation; and the idea is, that the city was on the most magnificent scale, and with the largest proportions, and the description here is adopted merely to indicate this vastness, without any idea that it would be understood “literally.”

The length, and the breadth, and the height of it are equal - According to this representation, the height of the city, not of the walls (compare Revelation 21:17), would be three hundred and seventy-five miles. Of course, this cannot be understood literally, and the very idea of a literal fulfillment of this shows the absurdity of that method of interpretation. The idea intended to be conveyed by this immense height would seem to be that it would contain countless numbers of inhabitants. It is true that such a structure has not existed, and that a city of such a height may seem to be out of all proportion; but we are to remember:

(a)That this is a “symbol”; and,

(b)That, considered as one mass or pile of buildings, it may not seem to be out of proportion. It is no uncommon thing that a house should be as high as it is long or broad.

The idea of vastness and of capacity is the main idea designed to be represented. The image before the mind is, that the numbers of the redeemed will be immense.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Revelation 21:16. The city lieth foursquare — Each side was equal, consequently the length and breadth were equal; and its height is here said to be equal to its length. It is hard to say how this should be understood. It cannot mean the height of the buildings, nor of the walls, for neither houses nor walls could be twelve thousand furlongs in height; some think this means the distance from the plain country to the place where the city stood. But what need is there of attempting to determine such measures in such a visionary representation? The quadrangular form intimates its perfection and stability, for the square figure was a figure of perfection among the Greeks; αντρ τετραγωνος, the square or cubical man, was, with them, a man of unsullied integrity, perfect in all things.