Revelation: Chapter 21 - Question 8 of 8

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 Read Chapter 21Chapter 21:  The Bride of the Lamb:

Let's continue to look at how the bride of Christ is described in Chapter 21:

New American Standard Version of the BibleAnd the one who spoke with me had a gold measuring rod to measure the city, and its gates and its wall. 16And 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. 17And he measured its wall, seventy-two yards, according to human measurements, which are also angelic measurements. Revelation 21:15-17 (NAS)

A look at the measurements:

An angel that was with John had a golden rod (or reed) to measure the city, the gates and the walls.  In the Greek language in which the Revelation was written, the unit of measure for the length, width and height is a stadion (or furlong), which is 1/8th of a Roman mile:

  1. The length of the city was 12,000 stadion (furlongs)* (verse 16).

  2. The width of the city was 12,000 stadion (furlongs)* (verse 16).

  3. The height of the city was 12,000 stadion (furlongs)* (verse 16).

  4. The wall of the city was 144 cubits** high (verse 17).

* Note:  a furlong or stadia was 1/8 of a Roman mile (approximately 200 yards).  12,000 furlongs would be approximately 7.2 million feet or 1364 miles. The New American Standard version converts it to roughly 1500 miles.

** Note:  a cubit was the length of a man's arm from the elbow to the tip of the finger (approximately 1/2 yard or 1.5 feet).  144 cubit would equal approximately 216 feet or 72 yards.

Question:

According to Revelation 21:16 the width, length and height of the city were what?

All Different Lengths Very Small All Equal


Other Translations - Revelation 21:15-17:

Easy-to-Read Version of the BibleThe angel who talked with me had a measuring rod made of gold. The angel had this rod to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. 16The 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.  17The angel also measured the wall. It was 144 cubits high. (The angel was using the same measurement that people use.) (ERV)

American Standard Version of the BibleAnd he that spake with me had for a measure a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. 16And 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. 17And he measured the wall thereof, a hundred and forty and four cubits, (according to) the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. (ASV)

King James Version of the BibleAnd he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. 16And 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. 17And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. (KJV)

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