⁶ Then I heard something like the voice of a vast multitude, like the sound of cascading waters,^(A) and like the rumbling of loud thunder, saying,

For the fine linen represents the righteous acts of the saints.^(F)

⁹ Then he^[a] said to me,^(G) “Write: Blessed are those invited to the marriage feast^(H) of the Lamb!” He also said to me, “These words of God are true.”^{(I) 10} Then I fell at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “Don’t do that!^(J) I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers and sisters who hold firmly to the testimony of Jesus.^(K) Worship God, because the testimony of Jesus is the spirit^[b] of prophecy.”

The Rider on a White Horse

¹¹ Then I saw heaven opened,^(L) and there was a white horse. Its rider is called Faithful and True,^(M) and with justice he judges and makes war.^{(N) 12} His eyes were like a fiery flame,^(O) and many crowns^[c] were on his head.^(P) He had a name written that no one knows except himself.^{(Q) 13} He wore a robe dipped in blood,^(R) and his name is called the Word of God.^{(S) 14} The armies that were in heaven followed him on white horses, wearing pure white linen. ¹⁵ A sharp^[d] sword^(T) came from his mouth, so that he might strike the nations with it.^(U) He will rule^[e] them with an iron rod.^(V) He will also trample the winepress of the fierce anger of God,^(W) the Almighty. ¹⁶ And he has a name written on his robe and on his thigh: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.^(X)

The Beast and Its Armies Defeated

¹⁷ Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he called out in a loud voice, saying to all the birds flying high overhead, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, ¹⁸ so that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of military commanders, the flesh of the mighty, the flesh of horses and of their riders, and the flesh of everyone, both free and slave, small and great.”^(Y)

¹⁹ Then I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies^(Z) gathered together to wage war^(AA) against the rider on the horse and against his army. ²⁰ But the beast was taken prisoner, and along with it the false prophet, who had performed the signs in its presence. He deceived those who accepted the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image with these signs.^(AB) Both of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.^{(AC) 21} The rest were killed with the sword that came from the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds ate their fill of their flesh.

Satan Bound

20 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven holding the key to the abyss^(AD) and a great chain^(AE) in his hand. ² He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan,^[f](AF) and bound^(AG) him for a thousand years. ³ He threw him into the abyss, closed it, and put a seal on it^(AH) so that he would no longer deceive the nations^(AI) until the thousand years were completed. After that, he must be released for a short time.

The Saints Reign with Christ

⁴ Then I saw thrones, and people seated on them who were given authority to judge.^(AJ) I also saw the souls of those^(AK) who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus^(AL) and because of the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and who had not accepted the mark on their foreheads or their hands.^(AM) They came to life^(AN) and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.^{(AO) 5} The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed.

This is the first resurrection. ⁶ Blessed^(AP) and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! The second death^(AQ) has no power^[g] over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.^(AR)

Satanic Rebellion Crushed

⁷ When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison ⁸ and will go out to deceive the nations^(AS) at the four corners of the earth,^(AT) Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle.^(AU) Their number is like the sand of the sea.^{(AV) 9} They came up across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the encampment of the saints, the beloved city.^(AW) Then fire came down from heaven^[h] and consumed them.^{(AX) 10} The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet are,^(AY) and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.^(AZ)

The Great White Throne Judgment

¹¹ Then I saw a great white throne and one seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for them.^{(BA) 12} I also saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened.^(BB) Another book was opened, which is the book of life,^(BC) and the dead were judged according to their works^(BD) by what was written in the books. ¹³ Then the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades^(BE) gave up the dead that were in them; each one was judged according to their works. ¹⁴ Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire.^(BF) This is the second death, the lake of fire. ¹⁵ And anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

The New Creation

21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth;^(BG) for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away,^(BH) and the sea was no more.^{(BI) 2} I also saw the holy city,^(BJ) the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,^(BK) prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.^(BL)

³ Then I heard a loud voice^(BM) from the throne:^[i](BN) Look, God’s dwelling^[j] is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples,^[k](BO) and God himself will be with them and will be their God.^{[l] 4} He will wipe away every tear from their eyes.^(BP) Death will be no more;^(BQ) grief, crying, and pain will be no more,^(BR) because the previous things^[m] have passed away.^(BS)

⁵ Then the one seated on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new.” He also said, “Write, because these words^[n] are faithful and true.”^{(BT) 6} Then he said to me, “It is done!^(BU) I am the Alpha and the Omega,^(BV) the beginning and the end.^(BW) I will freely give to the thirsty^(BX) from the spring of the water of life.^{(BY) 7} The one who conquers^(BZ) will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be my son.^{(CA) 8} But the cowards, faithless,^[o] detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars^(CB)—their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur,^(CC) which is the second death.”^(CD)

The New Jerusalem

⁹ Then one of the seven angels, who had held the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues,^(CE) came and spoke with me: “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” ¹⁰ He then carried me away in the Spirit^[p](CF) to a great, high mountain^(CG) and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, ¹¹ arrayed with God’s glory.^(CH) Her radiance was like a precious jewel, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. ¹² The city had a massive high wall, with twelve gates. Twelve angels were at the gates; the names of the twelve tribes of Israel’s sons were inscribed on the gates. ¹³ There were three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west.^{(CI) 14} The city wall had twelve foundations, and the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb were on the foundations.

¹⁵ The one who spoke with me had a golden measuring rod^(CJ) to measure the city, its gates, and its wall.^{(CK) 16} The city is laid out in a square; its length and width are the same. He measured the city with the rod at 12,000 stadia.^[q] Its length, width, and height are equal. ¹⁷ Then he measured its wall, 144 cubits according to human measurement, which the angel used. ¹⁸ The building material of its wall was jasper, and the city was pure gold clear as glass. ¹⁹ The foundations of the city wall were adorned with every kind of jewel:^(CL) the first foundation is jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, ²⁰ the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. ²¹ The twelve gates are twelve pearls; each individual gate was made of a single pearl. The main street^[r] of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass.

²² I did not see a temple in it, because the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. ²³ The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates it, and its lamp is the Lamb.^{(CM) 24} The nations will walk by its light,^(CN) and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.^{[s](CO) 25} Its gates will never close by day because it will never be night there.^{(CP) 26} They will bring the glory and honor of the nations into it.^{[t](CQ) 27} Nothing unclean will ever enter it,^(CR) nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those written in the Lamb’s book of life.^(CS)

The Source of Life

22 Then he showed me the river^[u] of the water of life,^(CT) clear as crystal,^(CU) flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb^{(CV) 2} down the middle of the city’s main street. The tree of life was on each side of the river, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit every month.^(CW) The leaves of the tree are for healing the nations,^{(CX) 3} and there will no longer be any curse.^(CY) The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will worship him. ⁴ They will see his face,^(CZ) and his name will be on their foreheads.^{(DA) 5} Night will be no more;^(DB) people will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord God will give them light,^(DC) and they will reign forever and ever.

The Priests’ Chambers

42 Then the man led me out by way of the north gate into the outer court.^(A) He brought me to the group of chambers opposite the temple yard and opposite the building^(B) to the north. ² Along the length of the chambers, which was 175 feet,^[a](C) there was an entrance on the north; the width was 87½ feet.^{[b] 3} Opposite the 35 foot space^[c] belonging to the inner court and opposite the paved surface^(D) belonging to the outer court, the structure rose gallery by gallery^(E) in three tiers. ⁴ In front of the chambers was a walkway toward the inside,^(F) 17½ feet^[d] wide and 175 feet long,^[e] and their entrances were on the north. ⁵ The upper chambers were narrower because the galleries took away more space from them than from the lower and middle stories of the building. ⁶ For they were arranged in three stories and had no pillars like the pillars of the courts;^(G) therefore the upper chambers were set back from the ground more than the lower and middle stories. ⁷ A wall on the outside ran in front of the chambers, parallel to them, toward the outer court; it was 87½ feet long. ⁸ For the chambers on the outer court were 87½ feet long, while those facing the great hall were 175 feet long.^{(H) 9} At the base of these chambers there was an entryway on the east side as one enters them from the outer court.^(I)

¹⁰ In the thickness of the wall of the court toward the south,^[f] there were chambers facing the temple yard^(J) and the western building, ¹¹ with a passageway in front of them, just like the chambers that faced north.^(K) Their length and width, as well as all their exits, measurements, and entrances, were identical. ¹² The entrance at the beginning of the passageway, the way in front of the corresponding^[g] wall as one enters on the east side, was similar to the entrances of the chambers that were on the south side.

¹³ Then the man said to me, “The northern and southern chambers that face the courtyard are the holy chambers where the priests who approach the Lord will eat^(L) the most holy offerings.^(M) There they will deposit the most holy offerings—the grain offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings—for the place is holy.^{(N) 14} Once the priests have entered, they are not to go out from the holy area to the outer court until they have removed the clothes they minister in, for these are holy.^(O) They are to put on other clothes before they approach the public area.”^(P)

Outside Dimensions of the Temple Complex

¹⁵ When he finished measuring inside the temple complex, he led me out by way of the gate that faced east and measured all around the complex.^(Q)

²⁰ He measured the temple complex on all four sides. It had a wall all around it,^(R) 875 feet long and 875 feet^(S) wide, to separate the holy from the common.^(T)

Psalm 54

Prayer for Deliverance

For the choir director: with stringed instruments. A Maskil of David. When the Ziphites went and said to Saul, “Is David not hiding among us?” ^(A)