Translation
and they [the city’s gates] will bring
Go to footnote numberinto it the glory and honor
Go to footnote numberof all ethnic groups,
Go to footnote numberParaphrase
The access points to the people of God will grant entrance to the best there is from among all ethnic groups,
Footnotes
1
Here “bring” is being used almost like symbolism; the gates don’t do the bringing but they allow it to happen, and the end result is the same.
What does “they” refer to? It is either the “leaders” (or kings) of verse 24, or the gates of verse 25.
Most people think it refers the leaders. If “they” refers to human leaders, John’s original readers would have thought of war captives or immigration, although the context does not lend itself to war.
However, after much deliberation, I concluded that it probably refers to the gates, for the gates allow in the best people from every ethnic group (v 26) but keep out the bad people (v. 27). The gates allow in the best of people (those cleansed by the blood of the Lamb) who in turn offer the best they have to the Lamb as an offering of praise. The gates represent God’s actions of accepting those that seek Him and rejecting those who reject Him.
2
By paraphrasing it “the best there is” I leave open what the glory and honor of the nations refers to. It could be people, it could be their words of praise to the Lamb, or something else, but I doubt it refers to the things that give men glory and honor here on earth. This is true honor based on spiritual principles, not earthly honor based on selfish desires.
3
Think about the numerous times that Revelation has said that people from every ethnic group, tribe and language and cultural group will be represented among God’s people. Here that emphasis is fulfilled once again.