Eden Restored

22 Then the angel showed me the river^(A) of the water of life,^(B) as clear as crystal,^(C) flowing^(D) from the throne of God and of the Lamb ² down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life,^(E) bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.^{(F) 3} No longer will there be any curse.^(G) The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.^(H)

The River From the Temple

47 The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water^(A) coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar.^{(B) 2} He then brought me out through the north gate^(C) and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was trickling from the south side.

³ As the man went eastward with a measuring line^(D) in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits^[a] and then led me through water that was ankle-deep. ⁴ He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist. ⁵ He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river^(E) that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in—a river that no one could cross.^{(F) 6} He asked me, “Son of man, do you see this?”

Then he led me back to the bank of the river. ⁷ When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river.^{(G) 8} He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah,^[b](H) where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh.^{(I) 9} Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live.^{(J) 10} Fishermen^(K) will stand along the shore; from En Gedi^(L) to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets.^(M) The fish will be of many kinds^(N)—like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea.^{(O) 11} But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt.^{(P) 12} Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river.^(Q) Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit^(R) fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary^(S) flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.^(T)”

² I saw the Holy City,^(A) the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,^(B) prepared as a bride^(C) 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.^(D) They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.^(E)