Precious stones often appear throughout the Bible, serving as images of beauty, value, and even spiritual significance. Jasper stands out as one of these precious gems, mentioned especially in the descriptions of heaven and the high priest’s garments. However, many readers wonder-what exactly does the Bible say about the color of jasper?
In ancient times, the language used to describe gemstones like jasper was often richer in symbolism than what we might expect from a modern gem catalog. Instead of precise color labels, Scripture paints word pictures that tie jasper not only to physical beauty but also to God’s glory and the hope of heaven.
To understand what color jasper is according to the Bible, it is helpful to examine every significant verse where jasper is specifically mentioned. Below, we’ll look at each of these, quote them in full, and consider the bigger picture of what God revealed about jasper’s color and meaning.
Bible Verses About What Color is Jasper
1. Exodus 28:20
“The fourth row shall be a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper; they shall be set in gold filigree.”
2. Exodus 39:13
“And the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. They were enclosed in settings of gold filigree.”
3. Ezekiel 28:13
“You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings.”
4. Revelation 4:3
“And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald.”
5. Revelation 21:11
“Having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.”
6. Revelation 21:18
“The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass.”
7. Revelation 21:19
“The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald.”
8. Isaiah 54:11-12
“O afflicted one, storm-tossed and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in antimony, and lay your foundations with sapphires. I will make your pinnacles of agate, your gates of carbuncles, and all your wall of precious stones.”
9. Exodus 28:17-20
“You shall set in it four rows of stones. A row of sardius, topaz, and carbuncle shall be the first row; and the second row an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond; the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; and the fourth row a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. They shall be set in gold filigree.”
10. Exodus 39:10-13
“And they set in it four rows of stones: a row of sardius, topaz, and carbuncle was the first row; the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond; the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; and the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. They were enclosed in settings of gold filigree.”
11. Job 28:16-19
“It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire. Gold and glass cannot equal it, nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold. No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal; the price of wisdom is above pearls. The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it, nor can it be valued in pure gold.”
12. Lamentations 4:7
“Her princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than coral, the beauty of their form was like sapphire.”
13. Ezekiel 1:28
“Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.”
14. Ezekiel 10:9
“And I looked, and behold, there were four wheels beside the cherubim, one beside each cherub, and the appearance of the wheels was like sparkling beryl.”
15. Ezekiel 1:26
“And above the expanse that was over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance.”
16. Daniel 10:6
“His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude.”
17. Song of Solomon 5:14
“His arms are rods of gold, set with jewels. His body is polished ivory, bedecked with sapphires.”
18. Revelation 21:23
“And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.”
19. Revelation 22:1
“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.”
20. Revelation 21:21
“And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.”
21. Revelation 2:17
“To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna. And I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.”
22. Malachi 3:17
“They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him.”
23. Proverbs 3:15
“She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her.”
24. Revelation 21:14
“The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.”
25. Matthew 13:45-46
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”
26. Isaiah 60:1
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.”
27. 1 Corinthians 3:12
“Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw…”
28. Isaiah 54:12
“I will make your pinnacles of agate, your gates of carbuncles, and all your wall of precious stones.”
29. Revelation 21:22
“And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.”
30. 1 Peter 2:4-5
“As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house…”
31. 1 Kings 7:10
“The foundation was of costly stones, huge stones, stones of eight and ten cubits.”
32. 1 Chronicles 29:2
“So I have provided for the house of my God, so far as I was able, the gold for the things of gold, the silver for the things of silver, the bronze for the things of bronze, the iron for the things of iron, and wood for the things of wood, besides
33. Revelation 21:22
“And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.”
34. Revelation 21:27
“But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
35. Revelation 22:5
“And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.”
Our Thought on What Does the Bible Say About the Color of Jasper?
The Bible describes jasper as a gemstone of extraordinary value and radiance, yet rarely specifies an exact color in modern terms. Rather than simply naming a color, Scripture uses jasper to convey beauty, brilliance, and purity, especially in contexts relating to God’s presence and heavenly realities.
For example, in the Book of Revelation, jasper is described as “clear as crystal,” suggesting not the opaque, earthy red or green jasper known today, but a stone of shining, perhaps even transparent, quality that reflects light and glory spectacularly.
Its repeated mention among other precious stones in the priestly garments, the Garden of Eden, and the foundations of the New Jerusalem suggests jasper embodies a sense of perfection, purity, and divine splendor.
When we ask, “What color is jasper?” the Bible encourages us to think less about human color charts and more about divine radiance. Jasper, as presented in Scripture, connects us to themes of clarity, luminosity, and God’s unapproachable light.
While the ancient world’s understanding of jasper’s exact color may be lost to time, its biblical representation speaks of God’s glory—resplendent, pure, and eternally beautiful-inviting all who read these verses to gaze upon the greatness and majesty of God.