Revelation 21 4

Revelation 21:4 kjv

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Revelation 21:4 nkjv

And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."

Revelation 21:4 niv

'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death' or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

Revelation 21:4 esv

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."

Revelation 21:4 nlt

He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever."

Revelation 21 verses

Revelation 21 4 Meaning

Revelation 21:4 unveils a profound and comforting promise regarding the ultimate state of humanity dwelling with God in the New Jerusalem. It declares that God Himself will personally eliminate every source and manifestation of suffering: tears, death, sorrow, crying, and pain. This complete removal signifies an era where the brokenness and curse of the fallen world are entirely undone, replaced by an existence of perfect peace, joy, and unbroken fellowship, because the previous order of things, marred by sin and its consequences, has forever ceased to be.

Revelation 21 4 Context

Revelation 21:4 stands as a climactic promise within the vision of the New Jerusalem following the final judgment of evil and the present cosmos. Chapter 21 opens with the declaration of a "new heaven and a new earth," signaling a radical transformation beyond mere renovation. The new creation is immediately followed by the New Jerusalem descending from God, symbolizing perfect communion where God dwells intimately with His people (Rev 21:3). Within this context of divine indwelling, verse 4 presents the glorious outcome for those who reside in this perfect environment. It depicts the ultimate undoing of the curse introduced in Genesis 3, signifying God's complete victory over sin and its debilitating consequences. For the original audience facing severe persecution, suffering, and death, this promise provided immense comfort, unwavering hope, and a powerful polemic against the temporal reign of their tormentors and the pagan world's fatalistic acceptance of suffering and inevitable decline. It explicitly refutes any idea of a continuation of the flawed, fallen state in the eternal future.

Revelation 21 4 Word analysis

• And (καὶ, kai): A conjunction that smoothly connects this promise to the previous statements about God's dwelling place with humanity (Rev 21:3), emphasizing that the removal of suffering is a direct consequence of His intimate presence.
• God (ὁ Θεός, ho Theos): Emphasizes the divine agent. It is not an angel or a lesser power, but God Himself, in His supreme authority and compassionate character, who personally carries out this work of comfort and restoration.
• shall wipe away (ἐξαλείψει, exaleipsei): From exaleiphō, meaning to wipe off, to wipe clean, to obliterate, to erase completely. This strong verb denotes a total and permanent removal, not just a covering or a temporary relief. It suggests a thorough blotting out, like erasing a text or smudging away ink. This is a deliberate, tender, and personal action.
• all (πᾶν, pan): An all-encompassing Greek adjective meaning "every," "the whole," or "all-inclusive." It indicates that absolutely no tears, regardless of their source or intensity, will remain.
• tears (δάκρυον, dakryon): Signifies outward expressions of grief, sorrow, or pain. The promise addresses the very manifestation of distress.
• from their eyes (ἀπὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτῶν, apo tōn ophthalmōn autōn): This phrase emphasizes the direct, personal, and tender action of God. It is an intimate gesture, reflecting deep empathy and direct comfort to each individual.
• and there shall be no more (καὶ ὁ θάνατος οὐκ ἔσται ἔτι, kai ho thanatos ouk estai eti): "Ouk estai eti" literally means "not will be yet/still," signifying a cessation, an absolute end to something that once existed.
• death (θάνατος, thanatos): The ultimate enemy, the result of sin (Rom 6:23). Its absence signals complete victory over the Fall's primary consequence and marks the advent of true eternal life, free from physical dissolution and spiritual separation. This stands in stark contrast to prevailing death-centric pagan religions.
• nor sorrow (οὔτε πένθος, oute penthos): "Neither mourning" or "nor grief." This term refers to the internal anguish and deep lamentation associated with loss, bereavement, and the burdens of a broken world.
• nor crying (οὔτε κραυγὴ, oute kraugē): "Neither clamor" or "nor wailing." This indicates loud cries of distress, anguish, and extreme pain, a public expression of profound suffering.
• nor pain (οὔτε πόνος, oute ponos): "Neither toil" or "nor suffering." This refers to physical affliction, distress, hardship, and the wearying effects of labor and struggle. Its removal promises an existence free from all bodily and mental discomfort that weighs down earthly life.
• for the former things (ὅτι τὰ πρῶτα, hoti ta prōta): "Because the first/previous things." This phrase directly points to the entire former order of creation, which includes the fallen state of humanity, the effects of the curse, and all associated suffering and decay.
• have passed away (ἀπῆλθον, apēlthon): From aperchomai, meaning "to go away," "to depart," "to vanish," "to come to an end." It conveys finality and permanence. The old order is not just improved upon; it is definitively gone, replaced by an entirely new and perfect reality.

Words-group analysis:

• "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes": This phrase paints a picture of personal divine comfort. The "wiping away" is not just cessation of tears but a complete and tender act of loving consolation directly from God, indicating an intimate, one-on-one relationship where all causes of sorrow are personally addressed and removed. It signifies emotional and spiritual restoration.
• "and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain": This sequence presents a fourfold negation, listing the primary forms of suffering that characterize human existence in a fallen world. This list covers physical demise (death), deep internal emotional grief (sorrow/mourning), loud outward expression of anguish (crying/wailing), and both physical and mental affliction/toil (pain). The repeated "no more" (οὐκ ἔσται ἔτι, οὔτε) emphatically guarantees the absolute and permanent absence of these sufferings in the New Creation. This promises total well-being in all aspects—physical, emotional, and relational. This contrasts sharply with beliefs in any cyclical suffering or unavoidable demise common in ancient thought.
• "for the former things have passed away": This provides the foundational reason for the preceding promises. It’s not just a future cessation of suffering, but suffering is eliminated because the entire previous, broken reality (the "former things" tainted by sin and its curse) has definitively ceased to exist. This underscores a complete break from the old order and the establishment of an utterly new, perfect reality (Isa 65:17). It's a statement of radical transformation and divine fulfillment.

Revelation 21 4 Bonus section

The promise of Rev 21:4 highlights God's active involvement not just in spiritual salvation but also in the renewal of physical existence. The terms "tears," "death," "sorrow," "crying," and "pain" refer to tangible, embodied experiences of suffering. This underscores that God's plan for humanity's redemption is holistic, encompassing not only the soul but also the resurrected body and the environment in which we exist. This stands in theological contrast to Gnostic or Platonic philosophies which often view the material world and bodily existence as inherently flawed or something to escape. Revelation 21:4 promises a redeemed physicality, free from the curse, where tears will be actively wiped away and pain will simply cease. It demonstrates that the new creation is a glorious, real place, a dwelling perfected by God for His people.

Revelation 21 4 Commentary

Revelation 21:4 serves as the profound summation of God's redemptive work, signifying the complete reversal of the Fall and its consequences. It is a promise rooted in God's intimate presence with His people in the New Creation, where His dwelling (Rev 21:3) naturally results in the eradication of all that causes pain and suffering. The removal of tears is a tender, personal act by God Himself, assuring the comforted that their deepest griefs are acknowledged and divinely healed. The abolition of death, sorrow, crying, and pain constitutes a comprehensive victory over every aspect of the curse introduced in Eden, ensuring a state of total wholeness and peace. This "no more" litany finds its basis in the definitive departure of "the former things"—the entire old order, characterized by sin, decay, and human imperfection—which have irrevocably "passed away." This verse offers boundless hope, emphasizing that the suffering endured in the present age is temporal and utterly eclipsed by the eternal glory of a perfected existence in union with God. It speaks to both individual restoration and cosmic renewal, a life eternally free from the burdens that now afflict creation and humanity.