The Greek in Revelation 21:24 that is translated as “will bring their glory into it” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) as werden all ihren Glanz nur aus ihr beziehen or “will draw all their glory only from her.”
They explain in a footnote: “Literally: ‘bring their glory back to them,’ i.e. they only have their own glory as a reflection of the city. The usual translation ‘bring their glory into the city’ interrupts the context of verses 23-26 in a way that is contrary to the meaning.”
Following are a number of back-translations of Revelation 21:24:
Uma: “All the people in the world walked in the its/his light, and the kings of the earth carried their wealth into that village.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “The brightness in that city gives light to all people walking on earth and all the kings of the earth will bring their riches into that city.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “All the people on the face of the earth are illuminated by the light of that city, and the kings of the kingdoms on the earth bring their wealth into the city.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “The people on the earth, they will be illuminated by its brightness, and all rulers, they will take their wealth to enter-with-it there.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “All the people here in the world will be illuminated by this light coming from the city. All the kings here under the heavens will bring what-brings- them -glory to this city, for it will then bring glory to God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “Among the nations, all the people who live in them are lightened by the light which comes from the city. Rulers all over the world, concerning all that they have, they go to the city to deliver it over to God. This is how they show that they revere God.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as “king” in English. Here are some (back-) translations:
Ninia Yali: “big brother with the uplifted name” (source: Daud Soesilio in Noss 2007, p. 175)
Nyamwezi: mutemi: generic word for ruler, by specifying the city or nation it becomes clear what kind of ruler (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
Ghomála’: Fo (“The word Fo refers to the paramount ruler in the kingdoms of West Cameroon. He holds administrative, political, and religious power over his own people, who are divided into two categories: princes (descendants of royalty) and servants (everyone else).” (Source: Michel Kenmogne in Theologizing in Context: An Example from the Study of a Ghomala’ Christian Hymn))
Faye Edgerton retells how the term in Navajo (Dinė) was determined:
“[This term was] easily expressed in the language of Biblical culture, which had kings and noblemen with their brilliant trappings and their position of honor and praise. But leadership among the Navajos is not accompanied by any such titles or distinctions of dress. Those most respected, especially in earlier days, were their headmen, who were the leaders in raids, and the shaman, who was able to serve the people by appealing for them to the gods, or by exorcising evil spirits. Neither of these made any outward show. Neither held his position by political intrigue or heredity. If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior. If the shaman failed many times in his healing ceremonies, it was considered that he was making mistakes in the chants, or had lost favor with the gods, and another was sought. The term Navajos use for headman is derived from a verb meaning ‘to move the head from side to side as in making an oration.’ The headman must be a good orator, able to move the people to go to war, or to follow him in any important decision. This word is naat’áanii which now means ‘one who rules or bosses.’ It is employed now for a foreman or boss of any kind of labor, as well as for the chairman of the tribal council. So in order to show that the king is not just a common boss but the highest ruler, the word ‘aláahgo, which expresses the superlative degree, was put before naat’áanii, and so ‘aláahgo naat’áanii ‘anyone-more-than-being around-he-moves-his-head-the-one-who’ means ‘the highest ruler.’ Naat’áanii was used for governor as the context usually shows that the person was a ruler of a country or associated with kings.”
By its light shall the nations walk: here, as elsewhere in the Bible, “to walk” means “to live,” “to carry on one’s activities.” The meaning here is “All the peoples of the world will live in the light that shines forth from the city.” See Isa 60.3.
The kings of the earth shall bring their glory into it: here glory stands for that which brings fame or honor to someone, namely riches, valuable possessions. So Good News Translation and others have “their wealth,” “their riches.” See Psa 72.10.
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 .
By its light the nations will walk:
This clause indicates that all the peoples of the world will live in the light that comes from the city. Other ways to translate this clause are:
By its light the people of the world will walk (New Century Version) -or-
Nations will walk by the light of that city (Contemporary English Version)
walk: This word refers figuratively to how people live. The nations will follow the ways of the people of the city.
21:24b
into it the kings of the earth will bring their glory:
There are two ways to interpret the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible literally translates as glory :
(1) It means glory, splendor, or majesty. For example:
the kings of the earth will bring their grandeur into it (NET Bible)
(2) It means wealth. For example:
kings will bring their riches there (Contemporary English Version)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1).
Here the word glory refers to the kings honoring the city by bringing to it their own splendor or majesty. Another way to translate this clause is:
to it the kings of the earth shall bring their splendour (Revised English Bible)
the kings of the earth: This phrase refers to the leaders of the nations (21:24a).
glory: See how you translated the word “glory” in 21:11a.
Living Water is produced for the Bible translation movement in association with Lutheran Bible Translators. Lyrics derived from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®).
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