The New Creation

21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth;(A) for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away,(B) and the sea was no more.(C) I also saw the holy city,(D) the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,(E) prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.(F)

Then I heard a loud voice(G) from the throne:[a](H) Look, God’s dwelling[b] is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples,[c](I) and God himself will be with them and will be their God.[d] He will wipe away every tear from their eyes.(J) Death will be no more;(K) grief, crying, and pain will be no more,(L) because the previous things[e] have passed away.(M)

Then the one seated on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new.” He also said, “Write, because these words[f] are faithful and true.”(N) Then he said to me, “It is done!(O) I am the Alpha and the Omega,(P) the beginning and the end.(Q) I will freely give to the thirsty(R) from the spring of the water of life.(S) The one who conquers(T) will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be my son.(U) But the cowards, faithless,[g] detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars(V)—their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur,(W) which is the second death.”(X)

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Footnotes

  1. 21:3 Other mss read from heaven
  2. 21:3 Or tent, or tabernacle
  3. 21:3 Other mss read people
  4. 21:3 Other mss omit and will be their God
  5. 21:4 Or the first things
  6. 21:5 Other mss add of God
  7. 21:8 Other mss add the sinful,

The New Jerusalem

21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them.[a] He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.

“But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

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Footnotes

  1. 21:3 Some manuscripts read God himself will be with them, their God.