Our Heavenly Dwelling

For we know that if (A)the tent that is (B)our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, (C)a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent (D)we groan, longing to (E)put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on[a] we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal (F)may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, (G)who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

So we are always of good courage. We know that (H)while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for (I)we walk by faith, not (J)by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we (K)would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to (L)please him. 10 For (M)we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, (N)so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 5:3 Some manuscripts putting it off

Awaiting the New Body

For we know that if the earthly(A) tent(B) we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan,(C) longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling,(D) because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan(E) and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling,(F) so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.(G)

Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight.(H) We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.(I) So we make it our goal to please him,(J) whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us(K) for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

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For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:

If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.

For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.

Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:

(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

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21 For to me (A)to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 (B)I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is (C)to depart and (D)be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.

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21 For to me, to live is Christ(A) and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart(B) and be with Christ,(C) which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.

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21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.

23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

24 Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.

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Beloved, we are (A)God's children (B)now, and what we will be (C)has not yet appeared; but we know that (D)when he appears[a] (E)we shall be like him, because (F)we shall see him as he is.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 John 3:2 Or when it appears

Dear friends,(A) now we are children of God,(B) and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears,[a](C) we shall be like him,(D) for we shall see him as he is.(E)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 John 3:2 Or when it is made known

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

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The New Heaven and the New Earth

21 Then I saw (A)a new heaven and a new earth, for (B)the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw (C)the holy city, (D)new Jerusalem, (E)coming down out of heaven from God, (F)prepared (G)as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, (H)the dwelling place[a] of God is with man. He will (I)dwell with them, and they will be his people,[b] and God himself will be with them as their God.[c] (J)He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and (K)death shall be no more, (L)neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

And (M)he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I (N)am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for (O)these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, (P)“It is done! (Q)I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. (R)To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. (S)The one who conquers will have this heritage, and (T)I will be his God and (U)he will be my son. (V)But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, (W)their portion will be in (X)the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is (Y)the second death.”

The New Jerusalem

Then came (Z)one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of (AA)the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you (AB)the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And (AC)he carried me away in the Spirit to (AD)a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, 11 (AE)having the glory of God, (AF)its radiance (AG)like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a great, high wall, (AH)with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed— 13 on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. 14 And the wall of the city had twelve (AI)foundations, and (AJ)on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

15 And the one who spoke with me (AK)had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. 16 The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia.[d] Its length and width and height are equal. 17 He also measured its wall, 144 cubits[e] by (AL)human measurement, which is also (AM)an angel's measurement. 18 The wall was built of (AN)jasper, while the city was pure gold, like (AO)clear glass. 19 (AP)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, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and (AQ)the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

22 And (AR)I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23 And the city (AS)has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for (AT)the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 By its light (AU)will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth (AV)will bring their glory into it, 25 and (AW)its gates will never be shut by day—and (AX)there will be no night there. 26 They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27 But (AY)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 (AZ)book of life.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 21:3 Or tabernacle
  2. Revelation 21:3 Some manuscripts peoples
  3. Revelation 21:3 Some manuscripts omit as their God
  4. Revelation 21:16 About 1,380 miles; a stadion was about 607 feet or 185 meters
  5. Revelation 21:17 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters

A New Heaven and a New Earth

21 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”[a](A) for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away,(B) and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City,(C) the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,(D) prepared as a bride(E) beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them.(F) They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.(G) ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes.(H) There will be no more death’[b](I) or mourning or crying or pain,(J) for the old order of things has passed away.”(K)

He who was seated on the throne(L) said, “I am making everything new!”(M) Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”(N)

He said to me: “It is done.(O) I am the Alpha and the Omega,(P) the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost(Q) from the spring of the water of life.(R) Those who are victorious(S) will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.(T) But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars(U)—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur.(V) This is the second death.”(W)

The New Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lamb

One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues(X) came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride,(Y) the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away(Z) in the Spirit(AA) to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.(AB) 11 It shone with the glory of God,(AC) and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper,(AD) clear as crystal.(AE) 12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates,(AF) and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.(AG) 13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. 14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations,(AH) and on them were the names of the twelve apostles(AI) of the Lamb.

15 The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod(AJ) of gold to measure the city, its gates(AK) and its walls. 16 The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia[c] in length, and as wide and high as it is long. 17 The angel measured the wall using human(AL) measurement, and it was 144 cubits[d] thick.[e] 18 The wall was made of jasper,(AM) and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.(AN) 19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone.(AO) The first foundation was jasper,(AP) the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby,(AQ) the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.[f] 21 The twelve gates(AR) were twelve pearls,(AS) each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.(AT)

22 I did not see a temple(AU) in the city, because the Lord God Almighty(AV) and the Lamb(AW) are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God(AX) gives it light,(AY) and the Lamb(AZ) is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.(BA) 25 On no day will its gates(BB) ever be shut,(BC) for there will be no night there.(BD) 26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.(BE) 27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful,(BF) but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.(BG)

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 21:1 Isaiah 65:17
  2. Revelation 21:4 Isaiah 25:8
  3. Revelation 21:16 That is, about 1,400 miles or about 2,200 kilometers
  4. Revelation 21:17 That is, about 200 feet or about 65 meters
  5. Revelation 21:17 Or high
  6. Revelation 21:20 The precise identification of some of these precious stones is uncertain.

21 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.

10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:

13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.

14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.

16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.

17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.

18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.

19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;

20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.

21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.

23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.

25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.

26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.

27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.