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^(A) came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride,^(B) the wife of the Lamb.” ¹⁰ And he carried me away^(C) in the Spirit^(D) to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.^{(E) 11} It shone with the glory of God,^(F) and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper,^(G) clear as crystal.^{(H) 12} It had a great, high wall with twelve gates,^(I) and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.^{(J) 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,^(K) and on them were the names of the twelve apostles^(L) of the Lamb.

¹⁵ The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod^(M) of gold to measure the city, its gates^(N) 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^[a] in length, and as wide and high as it is long. ¹⁷ The angel measured the wall using human^(O) measurement, and it was 144 cubits^[b] thick.^{[c] 18} The wall was made of jasper,^(P) and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.^{(Q) 19} The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone.^(R) The first foundation was jasper,^(S) the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, ²⁰ the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby,^(T) the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.^{[d] 21} The twelve gates^(U) were twelve pearls,^(V) each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.^(W)

²² I did not see a temple^(X) in the city, because the Lord God Almighty^(Y) and the Lamb^(Z) are its temple. ²³ The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God^(AA) gives it light,^(AB) and the Lamb^(AC) is its lamp. ²⁴ The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.^{(AD) 25} On no day will its gates^(AE) ever be shut,^(AF) for there will be no night there.^{(AG) 26} The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.^{(AH) 27} Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful,^(AI) but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.^(AJ)

²⁹ As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. ³⁰ Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. ³¹ They spoke about his departure,^[a](A) which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. ³² Peter and his companions were very sleepy,^(B) but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.

The Demand for a Sign^(A)

16 The Pharisees and Sadducees^(B) came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven.^(C)

² He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ ³ and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.^{[a](D) 4} A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.”^(E) Jesus then left them and went away.

The Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees

⁵ When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread. ⁶ “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”^(F)

⁷ They discussed this among themselves and said, “It is because we didn’t bring any bread.”

⁸ Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith,^(G) why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? ⁹ Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?^{(H) 10} Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?^{(I) 11} How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” ¹² Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.^(J)

Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah^(K)

¹³ When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

¹⁴ They replied, “Some say John the Baptist;^(L) others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”^(M)

¹⁵ “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”^(N)

¹⁷ Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood,^(O) but by my Father in heaven.^{(P) 18} And I tell you that you are Peter,^[b](Q) and on this rock I will build my church,^(R) and the gates of Hades^[c] will not overcome it. ¹⁹ I will give you the keys^(S) of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be^[d] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be^[e] loosed in heaven.”^{(T) 20} Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone^(U) that he was the Messiah.

Jesus Predicts His Death^(V)

²¹ From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem^(W) and suffer many things^(X) at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law,^(Y) and that he must be killed^(Z) and on the third day^(AA) be raised to life.^(AB)

²² Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

²³ Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan!^(AC) You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

²⁴ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.^{(AD) 25} For whoever wants to save their life^[f] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.^{(AE) 26} What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? ²⁷ For the Son of Man^(AF) is going to come^(AG) in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.^(AH)

²⁸ “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

The New Stone Tablets

34 The Lord said to Moses, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones,^(A) and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets,^(B) which you broke.^{(C) 2} Be ready in the morning, and then come up on Mount Sinai.^(D) Present yourself to me there on top of the mountain. ³ No one is to come with you or be seen anywhere on the mountain;^(E) not even the flocks and herds may graze in front of the mountain.”

⁴ So Moses chiseled^(F) out two stone tablets like the first ones and went up Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the Lord had commanded him; and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands.^{(G) 5} Then the Lord came down in the cloud^(H) and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord.^{(I) 6} And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate^(J) and gracious God, slow to anger,^(K) abounding in love^(L) and faithfulness,^{(M) 7} maintaining love to thousands,^(N) and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.^(O) Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished;^(P) he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”^(Q)

⁸ Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped. ⁹ “Lord,” he said, “if I have found favor^(R) in your eyes, then let the Lord go with us.^(S) Although this is a stiff-necked^(T) people, forgive our wickedness and our sin,^(U) and take us as your inheritance.”^(V)

¹⁰ Then the Lord said: “I am making a covenant^(W) with you. Before all your people I will do wonders^(X) never before done in any nation in all the world.^(Y) The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the Lord, will do for you. ¹¹ Obey what I command^(Z) you today. I will drive out before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.^{(AA) 12} Be careful not to make a treaty^(AB) with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare^(AC) among you. ¹³ Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and cut down their Asherah poles.^{[a](AD) 14} Do not worship any other god,^(AE) for the Lord, whose name^(AF) is Jealous, is a jealous God.^(AG)

¹⁵ “Be careful not to make a treaty^(AH) with those who live in the land; for when they prostitute^(AI) themselves to their gods and sacrifice to them, they will invite you and you will eat their sacrifices.^{(AJ) 16} And when you choose some of their daughters as wives^(AK) for your sons and those daughters prostitute themselves to their gods,^(AL) they will lead your sons to do the same.

¹⁷ “Do not make any idols.^(AM)

¹⁸ “Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread.^(AN) For seven days eat bread made without yeast,^(AO) as I commanded you. Do this at the appointed time in the month of Aviv,^(AP) for in that month you came out of Egypt.

¹⁹ “The first offspring^(AQ) of every womb belongs to me, including all the firstborn males of your livestock, whether from herd or flock. ²⁰ Redeem the firstborn donkey with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, break its neck.^(AR) Redeem all your firstborn sons.^(AS)

“No one is to appear before me empty-handed.^(AT)

²¹ “Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest;^(AU) even during the plowing season and harvest^(AV) you must rest.

²² “Celebrate the Festival of Weeks with the firstfruits^(AW) of the wheat harvest, and the Festival of Ingathering^(AX) at the turn of the year.^{[b] 23} Three times^(AY) a year all your men are to appear before the Sovereign Lord, the God of Israel. ²⁴ I will drive out nations^(AZ) before you and enlarge your territory,^(BA) and no one will covet your land when you go up three times each year to appear before the Lord your God.

²⁵ “Do not offer the blood of a sacrifice to me along with anything containing yeast,^(BB) and do not let any of the sacrifice from the Passover Festival remain until morning.^(BC)

²⁶ “Bring the best of the firstfruits^(BD) of your soil to the house of the Lord your God.

“Do not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.”^(BE)

²⁷ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write^(BF) down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant^(BG) with you and with Israel.” ²⁸ Moses was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights^(BH) without eating bread or drinking water.^(BI) And he wrote on the tablets^(BJ) the words of the covenant—the Ten Commandments.^(BK)

The Radiant Face of Moses

²⁹ When Moses came down from Mount Sinai^(BL) with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands,^(BM) he was not aware that his face was radiant^(BN) because he had spoken with the Lord. ³⁰ When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. ³¹ But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the community^(BO) came back to him, and he spoke to them. ³² Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands^(BP) the Lord had given him on Mount Sinai.

³³ When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil^(BQ) over his face. ³⁴ But whenever he entered the Lord’s presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, ³⁵ they saw that his face was radiant.^(BR) Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the Lord.