² I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy because I have promised you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.^(A)

²⁴ But as the church is subject to Christ, so also wives should be subject to their husbands in everything [respecting both their position as protector and their responsibility to God as head of the house].

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives [seek the highest good for her and surround her with a caring, unselfish love], just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, ²⁶ so that He might sanctify the church, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word [of God], ²⁷ so that [in turn] He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy [set apart for God] and blameless.

⁷ Let us rejoice and shout for joy! Let us give Him glory and honor, for the marriage of the Lamb has come [at last] and His bride (the redeemed) has prepared herself.”^{(A) 8} She has been permitted to dress in fine linen, dazzling white and clean—for the fine linen signifies the righteous acts of the saints [the ethical conduct, personal integrity, moral courage, and godly character of believers].

⁹ Then the angel said to me, “Write, ‘^[a]Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the ^[b]Lamb.’” And he said to me [further], “These are the true and exact words of God.”^(B)

The New Heaven and Earth

21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away (vanished), and there is no longer any ^[a]sea.^{(A) 2} And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, arrayed like a bride adorned for her husband;^(B)