Bible Strands
Revelation 21:22
But I saw no temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — John records a vision of the new Jerusalem, describing its final state to the early church.
The words — ναὸν (naon) means temple and οὐκ (ouk) means not, forming the direct claim that no physical sanctuary structure exists within the city.
The thread — The text states God replaces the building, which runs parallel to 1 Kings 8:27 and 2 Chronicles 2:6 regarding divine containment, and aligns with John 4:23 regarding worship location.
Why it lands — It requires the reader to accept that direct divine presence eliminates architectural mediation, making access to God immediate rather than structured.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
Cross-references
- John 4:23 But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him.
- 1 Kings 8:27 But will God indeed dwell upon the earth? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain You, much less this temple I have built.
- 2 Chronicles 2:6 But who is able to build a house for Him, since the heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain Him? Who then am I, that I should build a house for Him, except as a place to burn sacrifices before Him?
- Isaiah 66:1 This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me? Or where will My place of repose be?
- John 4:21 “Believe Me, woman,” Jesus replied, “a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.
- 2 Chronicles 6:18 But will God indeed dwell with man upon the earth? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain You, much less this temple I have built.
- Revelation 1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and was and is to come—the Almighty.
- John 2:19 Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again.”
- Colossians 2:9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form.
- Revelation 5:6 Then I saw a Lamb who appeared to have been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.