Revelation 21 14

Revelation 21:14 kjv

And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

Revelation 21:14 nkjv

Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

Revelation 21:14 niv

The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

Revelation 21:14 esv

And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

Revelation 21:14 nlt

The wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were written the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

Revelation 21 verses

Revelation 21 14 Meaning

The wall of the glorious New Jerusalem, God's eternal dwelling with humanity, is depicted as having twelve foundational layers. These foundations are explicitly inscribed with the names of the twelve apostles chosen by Jesus Christ, referred to as "the Lamb." This signifies the eternal importance and foundational role of the apostles' eyewitness testimony and teachings, rooted in Christ, for the entire structure of God's completed and eternal redemptive plan, encompassing His people from all ages. It highlights the divine order, permanence, and the secure, divinely established nature of the eternal city.

Revelation 21 14 Context

Revelation chapter 21 paints a vivid picture of the "New Heaven and New Earth," marking the ultimate fulfillment of God's redemptive plan. After the judgment of all evil, God makes His dwelling place with humanity in a radically transformed creation. Verses 9-27 specifically focus on the descent and detailed description of the New Jerusalem. This city is depicted as a perfect cube, of immense proportions, illuminated by the glory of God, and containing no temple because God and the Lamb are its temple.

The verse under analysis, Revelation 21:14, immediately follows the description of the city's great, high wall and its twelve gates, on which are inscribed the names of the twelve tribes of Israel (Rev 21:12). This establishes a significant parallel: just as the twelve tribes represent the entirety of God's people in the Old Covenant and are honored on the gates, the twelve apostles represent the foundation of the Church, built upon their testimony to Jesus Christ. The overall historical context for the original audience, who faced persecution and pressure to conform to Roman imperial cults, would see this vision as a powerful assurance of God's ultimate victory and the secure, eternal reward for those who remain faithful to the Lamb, in stark contrast to the fleeting empires of this world. The heavenly Jerusalem offers refuge and vindication, where true authority and foundational truth are established by God Himself, not by earthly powers or human philosophies.

Revelation 21 14 Word analysis

• The wall (τὸ τεῖχος - to teichos): Refers to a strong, protective barrier. In the context of a city, it denotes security, permanence, and definition. Here, it speaks to the impenetrable and eternally secure nature of the New Jerusalem.
• of the city (τῆς πόλεως - tēs poleōs): Refers to the New Jerusalem, described extensively in Revelation 21. It represents the perfect dwelling place of God and His redeemed people, a holy and eternal metropolis.
• had (ἔχων - echōn): Indicates possession or existence. The wall intrinsically possesses these foundations.
• twelve (δώδεκα - dōdeka): This number holds profound symbolic significance in biblical numerology, often representing divine government, completeness, and perfect administration. It unifies the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles, signifying God's complete people and perfect order.
• foundations (θεμελίους - themelious): These are the base layers upon which a structure is built. They denote stability, support, and the bedrock of truth. In a spiritual sense, they signify the fundamental principles and divine appointments upon which the eternal city stands. This directly connects to the building metaphors of the church.
• and on them (ἐπ᾽ αὐτῶν - ep' autōn): Specifies direct placement, indicating that the names are explicitly associated with and part of these foundational layers. They are integral to the very structure.
• were (ἦν - ēn): Denotes existence or presence.
• the twelve (δώδεκα - dōdeka): Reinforces the number of apostles, maintaining the divine numerical order.
• names (ὀνόματα - onomata): Signifies personal identity, honor, and enduring remembrance. To have one's name on a foundation suggests lasting legacy and divinely acknowledged authority. It points to their unique calling and commissioning.
• of the twelve (τῶν δώδεκα - tōn dōdeka): Repeats the specific count.
• apostles (ἀποστόλων - apostolōn): From the Greek "apostolos," meaning "one who is sent." These were specially commissioned messengers of Jesus Christ, chosen directly by Him, and empowered to bear witness to His resurrection and establish His church through their authoritative teaching. They are distinct in their direct foundational commissioning by Christ.
• of the Lamb (τοῦ Ἀρνίου - tou Arniou): "The Lamb" is the predominant title for Jesus Christ in Revelation, emphasizing His redemptive sacrifice and victorious power (Revelation 5). This phrase unequivocally ties the authority and significance of the apostles directly to Christ Himself, meaning their foundational role stems entirely from their relationship and commission by Him.

• "The wall of the city had twelve foundations": This phrase emphasizes the immense stability and divine architecture of the New Jerusalem. The concept of "foundations" goes beyond mere physical support; it represents the essential truths and authoritative structures upon which the eternal community is built. The twelve layers speak to perfect, divinely established order.
• "and on them were the twelve names": The inscription of names signifies perpetual honor, recognition, and eternal remembrance. It’s not just a generic foundation but one with specific identity linked to persons, testifying to their crucial role in God's redemptive history. This permanence is a striking contrast to human structures and accolades.
• "of the twelve apostles of the Lamb": This identifies the specific individuals honored on the foundations and links their authority directly to Christ. It underlines that their foundational role derives solely from their direct commission by the "Lamb," signifying their divinely appointed unique and unrepeatable task as eyewitnesses and foundational teachers of the Church. It unites Christ's redemptive work with those He sent to proclaim it, establishing the doctrine on which His eternal city rests.

Revelation 21 14 Bonus section

The number "twelve" throughout Revelation consistently symbolizes completeness and divine governance, appearing in the 12 gates (representing the 12 tribes of Israel), the 12 foundations (representing the 12 apostles), 12 fruits of the tree of life, and the dimensions of the city which are multiples of 12. This pervasive use reinforces the idea of God's perfect and complete plan encompassing His chosen people from all ages. The pairing of the 12 tribes on the gates and the 12 apostles on the foundations is not coincidental; it beautifully illustrates the unity of the Old and New Testaments and the single redemptive story unfolding through all of history, culminating in the New Jerusalem. The eternal security of God's people is guaranteed, rooted in the unbreakable foundations of apostolic witness to the Lamb.

Revelation 21 14 Commentary

Revelation 21:14 presents a profound theological statement about the enduring and foundational role of the apostles in God's eternal plan. The New Jerusalem's wall, strong and unshakeable, is built upon twelve distinct foundations, each bearing the name of one of the apostles of the Lamb. This signifies that the eternal dwelling of God with His people is inextricably linked to the truth and witness conveyed by these specially chosen men. Their teachings and direct testimony to Jesus Christ form the unchangeable bedrock upon which the church, and by extension the eschatological community of God, is built.

This verse emphasizes that the church's continuity and very identity flow directly from Christ through His apostolic witnesses. The "Lamb" identifies Jesus as the core of this entire structure, highlighting that the apostles' authority and significance derive wholly from their unique relationship with Him and their faithful proclamation of His redemptive work. In conjunction with the twelve tribes inscribed on the gates (Rev 21:12), this passage seamlessly integrates the entire history of salvation: God's work through Israel (Old Covenant) and through the apostles (New Covenant) culminates in one glorious, unified, and eternal city. The foundations speak of stability, the names of honor, and the direct link to the Lamb speaks of divine origin and unbreakable truth.