Does heaven have pearly gates?

TL;DR:

The Bible describes the New Jerusalem with twelve pearly gates, but these gates are not an entrance to heaven, as commonly depicted. Heaven is a place of eternal peace and joy, and to enter, one must be forgiven through faith in Jesus Christ.

what does the bible say?

Revelation 21:21 describes the New Jerusalem, which has twelve gates made of pearls. They are not pearly gates to the entrance of heaven, as the media often portrays. These gates are part of the new earth of the future, not an entrance to heaven when people die, and only the redeemed will enter through these gates. Heaven will be a place of immense beauty as well as eternal joy and peace with God, free from sorrow, pain, and death. To gain admittance, one must be forgiven by Jesus Christ and covered by His sacrifice, which is possible by trusting in His death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins.

from the old testament

The description of heaven as having pearly gates is not found in the Old Testament.

from the new testament

The apostle John was given a view of the New Jerusalem and wrote this: "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" (Revelation 21:21).
The New Jerusalem, where these gates are, will descend from heaven (Revelation 21:2); it is part of the new earth (Revelation 21:1). The gates are around the city, not an entrance to heaven. Also, John describes a dozen gates, not just one, and each gate is made out of one pearl.
Additionally, the gates to this city are constantly open (Revelation 21:22–25), yet only the redeemed will cross through these gates into the city. "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" (Revelation 21:27).

implications for today

Heaven will be beyond imagination, and certainly the pearly gates will be dazzling. But the mere appearance of heaven pales in comparison to what it will be like. In heaven, there will be no sorrow, no pain, and no death—only everlasting joy and peace in the presence of God. This perfect reality invites us to live with hope, knowing that our struggles today are temporary and that we are destined for an eternity of unimaginable beauty and fulfillment with our Creator. No detestations or false people will be allowed to enter. All of us have done bad things; on our own, we're all banned from this place of perfection and beauty. So, how does a person gain admittance? To be written into the Lamb's book of life, a person must be forgiven by Jesus Christ and covered by His sacrificial blood. "Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit" (Psalm 32:1–2). By trusting in the sacrifice of Jesus, we become clean. By God's grace, through faith in Jesus Christ, we can be saved (Ephesians 2:8–9; Acts 4:12; Romans 10:9). John 1:12 tells us that those who are in Christ are children of God, and 1 Peter 1:4 says they will receive an eternal inheritance with eternity in God’s presence, in a place of immense light and beauty.

understand

Revelation 21:21 describes twelve pearly gates in the New Jerusalem, not heaven's entrance.
Heaven is a place of eternal peace, free from sorrow, pain, and death, for the redeemed.
Entrance to heaven requires forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice.

reflect

How does the description of the pearly gates in the New Jerusalem challenge or reshape your understanding of heaven?
How can the promise of eternal peace and joy in heaven encourage you to endure the struggles of today?
How does the need for forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ impact your daily life and relationships?

engage

In cartoons and other depictions of the entrance of heaven, one pearly gate is often shown, where people are either given or denied access to heaven. This is not the biblical depiction of pearly gates. How do cultural portrayals of heaven compare to what the Bible says about it?
What does the constant openness of the gates in the New Jerusalem suggest about the nature of heaven?
How does understanding that only the redeemed will enter the New Jerusalem influence your perspective on salvation and evangelism?