He will wipe away every tear from their eyes: as in 7.17 translators should attempt to keep this vivid picture.

Death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more: here bodily death is meant: “death will no longer exist” or “people will never die,” “no one will ever die.” For mourning see 18.7, 8, where it has the sense of “bereavement” or “sorrow.” Crying here has the specific sense of “weeping,” as it does in Heb 5.7; in other passages in the New Testament where the Greek word occurs, it has the meaning of “outcry,” “clamor.” And for pain see 16.10, 11, where it is translated “anguish” and “pain” in those two verses. Instead of noun phrases, verbal phrases may be used: “No one will ever die, no one will ever again grieve or weep or suffer.”

For the former things have passed away: this means that the old mode of existence, in which death, mourning, weeping, and pain were an inescapable part of the human situation, will be replaced by a new manner of life that does not include them. “The old world (or, universe) will no longer exist” (see 2 Cor 5.17). God’s promise in verse 5 is realized.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. No one will ever die. No one will ever feel sorrowful or weep or experience pain anymore, for the old world (or, universe) no longer exists.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Revelation to John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .