Psalm 91

Adam and Eve

⁴ This is the account^(G) of the heavens and the earth when they were created,^(H) when the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.

⁵ Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth^[a] and no plant had yet sprung up,^(I) for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth^(J) and there was no one to work the ground, ⁶ but streams^[b] came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. ⁷ Then the Lord God formed^(K) a man^[c](L) from the dust^(M) of the ground^(N) and breathed into his nostrils the breath^(O) of life,^(P) and the man became a living being.^(Q)

⁸ Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden;^(R) and there he put the man he had formed. ⁹ The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees^(S) that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life^(T) and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.^(U)

¹⁰ A river^(V) watering the garden flowed from Eden;^(W) from there it was separated into four headwaters. ¹¹ The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah,^(X) where there is gold. ¹² (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin^[d](Y) and onyx are also there.) ¹³ The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush.^{[e] 14} The name of the third river is the Tigris;^(Z) it runs along the east side of Ashur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.^(AA)

¹⁵ The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden^(AB) to work it and take care of it. ¹⁶ And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden;^{(AC) 17} but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,^(AD) for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”^(AE)

¹⁸ The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”^(AF)

¹⁹ Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals^(AG) and all the birds in the sky.^(AH) He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called^(AI) each living creature,^(AJ) that was its name. ²⁰ So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals.

But for Adam^[f] no suitable helper^(AK) was found. ²¹ So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep;^(AL) and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs^[g] and then closed up the place with flesh. ²² Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib^[h](AM) he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

²³ The man said,

²⁴ That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united^(AQ) to his wife, and they become one flesh.^(AR)

²⁵ Adam and his wife were both naked,^(AS) and they felt no shame.

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)