Revelation 21:4
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
This isn't just about the absence of bad things; it's about the complete removal of all the "former things" – the entire framework of suffering that defined our old existence. The original language emphasizes "every tear," highlighting the tender, personal attention God will give to every single sorrow, making the absence of all pain and grief a restoration of original wholeness.
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.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
John is witnessing the unfolding of God's ultimate plan for His people, moving from the destruction of the old to the creation of a perfect, eternal dwelling place for them. This verse describes the joyful reality of heaven, a stark contrast to the suffering, death, and sin that have plagued humanity throughout history. It’s the culmination of all God’s promises, where every former sorrow is finally and completely erased.
Imagine a place where tears are not just dried, but disappear entirely. Revelation 21:4 paints a picture of complete comfort.
This verse speaks to the ultimate restoration God promises. "Every tear" signifies that no sorrow, big or small, will be left untouched.
Beyond Earthly Comfort
On Earth, we often try to comfort each other, but our ability is limited. We can offer tissues, kind words, or a hug, but the pain often remains. God's promise here is different. It's not just about soothing temporary sadness, but about eliminating the very causes of grief.
The Divine Healer
When God "wipes away every tear," it implies an active, divine intervention. It’s a promise that in His presence, the deep wounds that bring us to tears – loss, pain, injustice – will be healed and remembered no more.
This verse lists things we accept as normal parts of life: death, sorrow, crying, and pain. What does it mean for them to be 'no more'?
Revelation 21:4 is a powerful declaration of God's ultimate victory over the brokenness of our current world. It dismantles the very foundations of suffering.
The Finality of 'No More'
Ask a follow-up
The 'Former Things' Pass Away
The phrase "for the former things have passed away" is key. It means the old order, the world marked by sin and its consequences, is replaced. This isn't just a temporary reprieve; it's a complete transformation where the very possibility of these things ceases to exist.
Understand the original words
thanatos · Greek Noun
The ultimate cessation of physical life as a result of sin. In the new creation, its removal signifies the absolute end of the curse and the triumph of the resurrection life provided by Christ.
penthos · Greek Noun
An expression of deep sorrow or grief resulting from loss, sin, or separation from God. Its eradication signifies the complete comfort and restoration of the human experience in God's presence.
ponos · Greek Noun
The visceral sensation of physical, emotional, or spiritual distress or suffering caused by the presence of sin in a fallen world. Its removal is a sign of the restoration of creation to a state of wholeness.
This passage directly foreshadows Revelation 21:4, speaking of the Lord God swallowing up death forever and wiping away tears from all faces.
Isaiah 65:19This prophecy echoes the promise of no more crying or outcry, and that sorrow and pain will be no more, highlighting the transformative nature of God's future redemption.
John 11:35Jesus' weeping at the tomb of Lazarus shows His empathy with human grief, a poignant prelude to His ultimate power to wipe away all tears and abolish death.
1 Corinthians 15:54-57This New Testament passage directly addresses the abolition of death and the victory over it through Christ, aligning perfectly with the complete eradication of death and sorrow promised in Revelation.
Revelation 7:17This earlier vision in Revelation describes the Lamb feeding and leading his people to springs of living water, and God wiping every tear from their eyes, linking the present comfort to the future fulfillment.
pooleRevelation 21:4: "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."
Scarce any of the passages in this verse, taken in the plain, literal sense, are applicable to any state of the church in this life: for though in the thousand years, mentioned Revelation 20:1-3 , the state of the church (as it is presumed) will be very happy comparatively to what it ever…
ellicottRevelation 21:4: "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."
(4) And God shall wipe away all tears . . . —Instead of “all tears” we should translate “every tear,” and so possess the promise in its true and tender form. The first, or former, things are passed away: death shall not be any longer; neither shall mourning, nor crying, nor pain, be any lo…
This isn't just about the absence of bad things; it's about the complete removal of all the "former things" – the entire framework of suffering that defined our old existence. The original language emphasizes "every tear," highlighting the tender, personal attention God will give to every single sorrow, making the absence of all pain and grief a restoration of original wholeness.
John is witnessing the unfolding of God's ultimate plan for His people, moving from the destruction of the old to the creation of a perfect, eternal dwelling place for them. This verse describes the joyful reality of heaven, a stark contrast to the suffering, death, and sin that have plagued humanity throughout history. It’s the culmination of all God’s promises, where every former sorrow is finally and completely erased.
John is witnessing the unfolding of God's ultimate plan for His people, moving from the destruction of the old to the creation of a perfect, eternal dwelling place for them. This verse describes the joyful reality of heaven, a stark contrast to the suffering, death, and sin that have plagued humanity throughout history. It’s the culmination of all God’s promises, where every former sorrow is finally and completely erased.
"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.”" — This isn't just about the absence of bad things; it's about the complete removal of all the "former things" – the entire framework of suffering that defined our old existence. The original langua…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
