ἴασπις

From the study of Revelation 21:11

Range of meaning

An ancient name for a highly valued gemstone, borrowed from a Semitic word (Hebrew yashpeh, Akkadian yashpu). Pliny the Elder (Natural History 37.115–118) describes iaspis in many colours, often green, and some kinds as translucent. Ancient gem names do not line up with modern mineral names.

Against the English

Every major English version says 'jasper'. Today jasper is an opaque, usually reddish-brown or mottled form of chalcedony, a fairly cheap stone. John's stone is 'most precious' and 'clear as crystal', which fits the modern stone badly.

How it drifted

The English word comes straight from the Greek through Latin, but modern mineralogy has attached the name to a different and less valuable stone than the one ancient readers knew.

Used elsewhere in the period

LXX Exod 28:18 and 39:11 (a stone on the high priest's breastpiece); LXX Ezek 28:13 (the stones of Eden covering the king of Tyre); Rev 4:3 (God on the throne 'like jasper and carnelian'); Rev 21:18 (the wall built of jasper) and 21:19 (the first foundation stone).

From the study of Revelation 4:3

Range of meaning

An ancient trade name for a group of precious and semi-precious stones. It was not the same mineral modern geologists call jasper. Pliny the Elder (Natural History 37.115–118) says iaspis 'is green and often translucent' and lists many varieties: green, sky-blue, purple, rose and others. The word comes from Semitic (Hebrew yashpeh).

Against the English

Every major English version says 'jasper'. To a modern reader that is an opaque, usually reddish-brown or mottled form of quartz, a fairly ordinary stone. That is very far from what John describes elsewhere: 'her radiance like a most precious stone, like jasper, clear as crystal' (Rev 21:11).

How it drifted

The English word 'jasper' was later narrowed by mineralogists to one opaque type of stone. The ancient name had covered translucent and even clear gems. Because of this, some interpreters have suggested John's 'jasper' was something like a diamond, a clear rock crystal, or an opal-like stone. That cannot be proved, but it shows the modern word is too dull.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the Greek Old Testament, iaspis is on the high priest's breastpiece (Exod 28:18; 36:18 LXX) and among the Eden stones of the king of Tyre (Ezek 28:13 LXX). In Revelation 21 it is the material of the New Jerusalem's wall (21:18) and its first foundation stone (21:19), and it describes God's glory filling the city (21:11). Pliny, Natural History 37.115.

From the study of Revelation 21:18

Range of meaning

A name ancient writers used for several prized stones. Pliny the Elder says iaspis is green and often translucent (Natural History 37.115). He also lists many colour varieties, and it is not certain that the ancient name lines up with the stone we now call jasper. Revelation itself pins down what it means: 'like a most precious stone, like jasper, clear as crystal' (21:11).

Against the English

Every major English version says 'jasper'. The word comes straight from the Greek, but modern jasper is an opaque, usually reddish-brown or mottled stone. That does not fit a stone described as clear as crystal and used as a picture of God's radiance.

How it drifted

The English name was handed down unchanged while the stone it refers to narrowed. Modern mineralogy kept 'jasper' for a cheap, opaque kind of quartz, which is not what John meant.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the Greek Old Testament it appears in the high priest's breastpiece (Exod 28:20; 39:13) and in the stones of the king of Tyre's 'Eden' (Ezek 28:13). Revelation uses it of God on the throne (4:3) and of the radiance of the city (21:11). It is also the first of the twelve foundation stones (21:19).