²⁰ But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead,^(A) the firstfruits^(B) of those who have fallen asleep.^{(C) 21} For since death came through a man,^(D) the resurrection of the dead^(E) comes also through a man. ²² For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.^{(F) 23} But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits;^(G) then, when he comes,^(H) those who belong to him.^{(I) 24} Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom^(J) to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.^{(K) 25} For he must reign^(L) until he has put all his enemies under his feet.^{(M) 26} The last enemy to be destroyed is death.^{(N) 27} For he “has put everything under his feet.”^[a](O) Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ.^{(P) 28} When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him,^(Q) so that God may be all in all.^(R)

⁵¹ Listen, I tell you a mystery:^(A) We will not all sleep,^(B) but we will all be changed^(C)— ⁵² in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound,^(D) the dead^(E) will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. ⁵³ For the perishable^(F) must clothe itself with the imperishable,^(G) and the mortal with immortality. ⁵⁴ When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”^[a](H)

⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin,^(J) and the power of sin is the law.^{(K) 57} But thanks be to God!^(L) He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.^(M)

⁵⁸ Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord,^(N) because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.^(O)

Believers Who Have Died

¹³ Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed^(A) about those who sleep in death,^(B) so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.^{(C) 14} For we believe that Jesus died and rose again,^(D) and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.^{(E) 15} According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord,^(F) will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.^{(G) 16} For the Lord himself will come down from heaven,^(H) with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel^(I) and with the trumpet call of God,^(J) and the dead in Christ will rise first.^{(K) 17} After that, we who are still alive and are left^(L) will be caught up together with them in the clouds^(M) to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord^(N) forever. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another^(O) with these words.

⁶ being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion^(A) until the day of Christ Jesus.^(B)

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. ² 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. ³ 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) 4} ‘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)

⁵ 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)

⁶ 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) 7} Those who are victorious^(S) will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.^{(T) 8} 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

⁹ 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)