Revelation 21:5 Meaning: God Makes All Things New Now and Forever
He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” He said, “Write, for these words of God are faithful and true.”
And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
And he that sitteth on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he saith, Write: for these words are faithful and true.
And He who is sitting upon the throne said, `Lo, new I make all things; and He saith to me, `Write, because these words are true and stedfast;'
And he that sat on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he says [to me], Write, for these words are true and faithful.
Meaning in one sentence
God promises to make all things new, a future new creation that begins in the present through Christ. Discover the meaning of Revelation 21:5.
Context
John’s vision reaches its climax. He has seen the new heaven and new earth, the holy city descending like a bride. A great voice announces that God now dwells with his people, wiping every tear away. Death, mourning, crying, and pain are gone. Then the one seated on the throne speaks directly for the first time in this scene. He declares that he is making all things new and tells John to write it down. This command to write underscores the certainty of what has been revealed. The old order has passed away. Something fresh and unprecedented is being brought into being.
Key Words
The Greek word for new is kainos. It does not mean merely recent or young. It means fresh in quality, unprecedented, of a different kind. This is not a renovation of the old world; it is a new creation altogether. The same word appears in 2 Corinthians 5:17, anyone in Christ is a kainos creation. The future promise has already begun.
Two adjectives describe the words spoken: pistoi (faithful) and alēthinoi (true). Pistoi means trustworthy, reliable, someone who keeps their promise. Alēthinoi goes deeper than factual correctness; it means genuine, real, the very thing it claims to be. These are not empty words. They carry the weight of the One who cannot lie and who has the power to bring about what he says.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians have long wondered who exactly speaks in this verse. Some, like Matthew Henry and Adam Clarke, see the Father on the throne making the declaration. Others, including Albert Barnes and John Gill, identify the speaker as Christ, pointing to his titles Alpha and Omega in the next verse. Still others, like John Wesley, suggest an angel delivers the command to write. But all traditions agree on the substance: the promise is certain, the speaker is God, and the new creation is his work alone. The command to write shows that these words are meant to be remembered and trusted across every generation.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers take “I make all things new” as a promise only for the distant future. In fact, the Greek verb is present tense, “I am making”, indicating an ongoing action that has already started. Paul echoes this when he writes:
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:17 (WEB)
The future consummation will complete what God is already doing right now in every believer’s life.
Living This Out
This week, take one situation that feels worn out, a relationship, a daily habit, a worry you have carried for months. Place it before the One on the throne and say quietly, “You promise to make all things new.” Then watch for small signs of that newness: a moment of patience you did not expect, a shift in perspective, a word of hope from someone else. You are not waiting for a distant event. You are living inside a promise that is already being kept.
Main takeaway: God is actively making everything new, and his promise, faithful and true, begins now and will be completed in the new creation.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
God is making everything new! That means He will fix all the sad and broken things. We can trust His promise because He never lies.
For ages 9, 12
God promised that one day He will make a new heaven and earth where there is no more pain or death. But He also starts making things new in our hearts right now. When you ask Jesus to forgive you and help you change, that is part of the new creation. Look for ways God is making your life new this week, even in small ways.
Questions People Ask
Who is speaking in Revelation 21:5?
The verse says 'He who sits on the throne.' Christians have understood this as either God the Father or Jesus Christ. The next verse has the speaker call himself the Alpha and Omega, which Jesus uses earlier in Revelation. But the voice comes from the central throne, which in chapter 4 is associated with the Father. Both interpretations affirm that it is God himself making the promise.
What does 'Behold, I make all things new' mean?
It means God is creating a completely new order of existence. The Greek word for new, kainos, means fresh and unprecedented in quality, not just recent. This new creation includes the new heaven and new earth, the holy city, and the removal of sin and death. Importantly, the verb is present tense, so God is already beginning this work in those who belong to Christ.
How is this promise already fulfilled in the present?
Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that anyone in Christ is a new creation; the old has passed away. God’s renewal begins the moment a person turns to Christ. The Holy Spirit transforms hearts, relationships, and communities. The full fulfillment will come when Christ returns, but the new creation has already started.
Why does God tell John to write?
The command to write appears throughout Revelation (1:11, 1:19, 14:13, 19:9, 21:5). It emphasizes that these words are reliable and meant to be preserved for the whole church. Writing makes the revelation permanent and testable. John’s readers could hold onto these written promises through persecution and waiting.
How does Revelation 21:5 relate to 2 Corinthians 5:17?
Both use the same Greek word kainos for 'new.' Paul applies the promise to individual believers: conversion makes a person a new creation. John applies it to the whole cosmos: one day all of creation will be renewed. Together they show that God’s new creation has a now-and-not-yet dimension, already present in our lives but not yet complete until the end.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study