Revelation of John 21:26 · Bible study
Revelation 21:26 Commentary: Glory and Honor of the Nations
Greek · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Exegetical study of Revelation 21:26: What are the 'glory and honor of the nations' brought into the New Jerusalem? Views from historic commentaries.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Redeemed nations present their best, whether themselves or their finest works, into the New Jerusalem.
- Key words: doxa (glory/splendor), timē (honor/value), ethnōn (nations/Gentiles), oisousin (future active indicative: “they will bring”).
- Main debate: Are the “glory and honor” the redeemed people themselves (Gill) or a select portion of human culture (Wesley, JFB)?
- Theological theme: The inclusion of all redeemed peoples and their cultural heritage in the eschatological city.
- Best use: Preaching on the value of ethnic diversity in the church, or teaching on the nature of the new creation.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
And into the city will be brought the glory and honor of the nations.
WEB World English Bible 2000
and they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it so that they may enter.
KJV King James Version 1769
And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
and they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it:
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and they shall bring the glory and the honour of the nations into it;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And they shall bring the glory and the honour of the nations to it.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y llevarán la gloria y la honra de las naciones á ella.
E a ela serão trazidas a glória e a honra das nações.
On y apportera la gloire et l’ honneur des nations.
Und man wird die Herrlichkeit und die Ehre der Heiden in sie bringen.
En zij zullen de heerlijkheid en de eer der volken daarin brengen.
e in lei si porterà la gloria e l’onore delle nazioni.
I wniosą do niego chwałę i cześć narodów.
И принесут в него славу и честь народов.
人必將列國 的榮耀、 尊貴 歸 與 那城。
And the glory and honour of the nations will come into it:
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Revelation of John 21:26
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators share a broad agreement: the verse describes something valuable from the redeemed nations entering the New Jerusalem. But their focus differs. Gill identifies the “glory and honour” as the redeemed people themselves, “the excellent in the earth.” Wesley speaks of “a select part of each nation”, everything that can make the city honourable. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown sees “all that was truly glorious and excellent in the earth and its converted nations” gathered in, with various orders among the redeemed. Clarke connects the verse to prophetic promises that Gentiles would contribute to the temple’s riches. The common thread is that the New Jerusalem receives what is best from the peoples of the world, whether understood as the people themselves or their finest offerings. The verb oisousin (future indicative active, “they will bring”) points to an active, willing presentation by the nations and their kings, echoing the homage described in Revelation 21:24.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Redeemed people as glory/honor: Gill argues 'the glory of the nations are the people of God', citing their value to God.
- Select portion of each nation: Wesley says 'a select part of each nation' brought in, all that contributes to the city's honor.
- All excellent from the earth: Jamieson-Fausset-Brown and Barnes say 'all that was truly glorious and excellent in the earth' is gathered.
- Gentile tribute offerings: Clarke links to Old Testament prophecies of Gentiles bringing gifts to the temple.
What is clear: The verse affirms that something good and valuable from the redeemed nations enters the New Jerusalem, and that entry is restricted to the righteous (v.27), not to all humanity indiscriminately.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| What the 'glory and honor' refers to | All commentators see it as something valuable from the redeemed nations that enters the New Jerusalem. | Gill identifies it as the redeemed people themselves. Wesley, JFB, and Barnes see it as the best of what the nations produced, their excellent qualities, culture, or contributions. Clarke connects it to prophetic temple gifts. |
| The identity of 'the kings of the earth' in v.24 | The kings are among the redeemed who bring tribute into the city. | Some (Clarke) see them as literal former rulers; others (Gill) interpret them as ecclesiastical or political governors who present their people. |
| Relationship between v.24 and v.26 | Both verses describe the same event: tribute brought to the New Jerusalem. | Some see v.26 as a summary repetition of v.24. Others treat v.26 as emphasizing the certainty and completeness of the offering. |
| Inclusion of culture in eternity | Something of the nations endures in the new creation. | Does this mean specific cultural artifacts (art, music, architecture) are redeemed, or only the redeemed people themselves, transformed? |
Historical & Cultural Context
The immediate literary context of Revelation 21:26 is John’s vision of the New Jerusalem, the bride of the Lamb. The city descends from heaven, radiant with God’s own glory (v.11). There is no temple, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple (v.22). No sun or moon are needed, for God’s glory provides light (v.23). Into this resplendent city the nations walk freely, and the kings of the earth bring their tribute (v.24). The gates never close, because there is no night (v.25). Verse 26 repeats and seals this image: the nations and their kings bring “the glory and the honour of the nations into it.”
This language echoes Old Testament prophetic expectations. Isaiah 60:3-11 describes nations streaming to Zion’s light, kings bringing wealth, and gates standing open continually to receive the abundance of the seas. Ezekiel’s restored temple receives gifts from surrounding peoples. The vision of the New Jerusalem transforms those prophecies: now the whole city is a sanctuary, and the tribute is not gold or silver but the very “glory and honor” of the nations, a phrase that in Greek (doxa and timē) encompasses splendor, reputation, and worth. The future tense of the verb (oisousin) assures John’s readers of a guaranteed outcome. First-century Christians, many facing persecution, needed this promise: every people-group’s best would find a home in God’s eternal city.
Textual Notes
Among the consulted sources, no significant textual variants are noted for Revelation 21:26. The Greek text is stable across the major manuscripts, and the verse appears uniformly in the standard editions. The only minor variation involves the inclusion of the article before “honor” in some witnesses, but this does not affect the meaning.
Reception History
Revelation 21:26 has been read as a promise of the inclusion of the Gentiles. Early church fathers saw it as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies about the nations streaming to Zion. Medieval interpreters often allegorized the “glory and honor” as the virtues or merits of the saints. In the Reformation, Protestant commentators focused on the redeemed people themselves: Gill (Baptist) identified the glory as the elect from all nations, while Wesley (Methodist) spoke of a selected portion. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (Scottish Presbyterian) saw diverse orders among the redeemed. The verse has also been used in hymns about the heavenly city, celebrating the gathering of every tribe and tongue.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Gathered Nations, The redeemed from every ethnic group walk in the city’s light (21:24). No nation is left out.
- The Tribute of Glory, The “glory and honor” the kings bring is not material wealth but the best of what each people offered in worship and service.
- The Open Gates, Because the gates never close, access is continuous. Nothing unclean enters, but everything redeemed enters freely.
Five-point outline
- Context: The City with No Temple, God and the Lamb fill every space; the nations need no intermediary.
- Light Without Sun, God’s glory replaces created light, showing the source of all goodness.
- Kings as Carriers, Earthly rulers of the redeemed bring their people’s offerings.
- Glory and Honor Defined, These are the people themselves (Gill) or their finest qualities (Wesley, JFB).
- Eternal Security, Only those written in the Lamb’s book of life enter (v.27); the “glory and honor” are safely inside.
Illustration hooks
- A community potluck: Each family brings something different. The meal isn’t complete until everyone’s dish is on the table. The New Jerusalem’s “feast” includes the unique contributions of every nation.
- A restored cathedral: After a fire, local artisans donate their finest work. The building is more beautiful because of the gifts from skilled hands across the city.
- A grandparent’s legacy: The stories, values, and handmade objects passed down to children shape the family’s future. The glory of a people isn’t only money; it’s identity and love.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “If heaven is perfect, why would anything from earth be needed?”
- “Does this mean my culture has value in eternity beyond just individual salvation?”
- “What about people who never heard of Jesus, can they be part of the ‘nations’ that enter?”
Leading a Discussion
This verse sits in John’s grand vision of a city where God dwells with humanity. The nations bring their glory and honour inside. As you discuss, let the question drive: What exactly are they bringing, and why does it matter?
Discussion questions
- Read Revelation 21:22-27 aloud. What do you notice about the city that surprises you?
- Verse 24 says the kings of the earth bring glory and honor into the city. Verse 26 repeats this. Why do you think John emphasizes this twice?
- Commentators give different answers: “the redeemed people themselves” or “the best of human culture.” Which view fits the context better, and why?
- The Greek words for “glory” (doxa) and “honor” (timē) can mean splendor, reputation, or value. How does that range affect your reading?
- If the nations bring their glory in, what does that suggest about how God values ethnic and cultural identities?
- Verse 27 immediately restricts entry to those written in the Lamb’s book of life. How does this guard against a vague universalism?
- How does this promise encourage you when you see division or conflict between peoples today?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Revelation of John 21:24 | The nations will walk in its light. The kings of the earth bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke sees this as a direct continuation of Old Testament prophecy, where the nations bring their wealth and honor into God's dwelling place. For him, the point is that the New Jerusalem receives the tribute of the Gentiles, fulfilling what the prophets said about the temple being enriched by the gifts of the nations.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes draws a sharp distinction between earthly glory and the kingdom to come: only what is genuinely valuable and pure will survive into that blessed world. Everything false, corrupt, or trivial stays behind.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
And the people which are saued, shall walke in the light of it: and the Kings of the earth shall bring their glorie and honour vnto it.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill identifies the glory and honour of the nations as God's people themselves, whom the world despises but who are truly excellent. He pictures earthly rulers, whether church leaders or political governors, presenting these believers to the city's King in a scene of great majesty.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB observes that the New Jerusalem gathers every glorious and excellent element from converted nations, forming a single Bride. Yet within that unity, distinct orders among the redeemed remain, reflecting the diversity of earthly nations and the ranks of angels.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange treats the vision of the New Jerusalem as a symbolic picture, not a literal blueprint. He stresses that the city's cube shape, twelve gates and precious stones represent the perfect order and spiritual fullness of the glorified church, while the same angel who showed the harlot now shows the bride, revealing God's wrath as both righteous lightning and loving light.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley sees "the glory of the nations" as a select portion, not every person. Only what makes a city honorable and glorious will be gathered there, as if all the world's riches and precious things were brought into one place.