The New Jerusalem

21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth [Is. 65:17; 66:22; 2 Pet. 3:13]. [^LFor] The first heaven and the first earth had ·disappeared [passed away], and there was no sea anymore [^Cthe sea represents chaos and evil, so its absence indicates peace and security]. ² And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem [^Cthe believers’ eternal dwelling place; 3:12], coming down out of heaven from God. It was prepared like a bride ·dressed [adorned] for her husband [19:7, 9]. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “[^LLook; ^TBehold] Now God’s ·presence [dwelling; tabernacle] is with people, and he will ·live [dwell; tabernacle; John 1:14] with them, and they will be his people [Ex. 29:45; Jer. 31:33; Ezek. 37:27]. God himself will be with them and will be their God.^{[a] 4} He will wipe away every tear from their eyes [7:17; Is. 25:8], and there will be no more death [Is. 25:8; 1 Cor. 15:54], ·sadness [mourning], crying, or pain, because ·all the old ways [the old order; ^Lthe first things] are gone.”

⁵ The One who was sitting on the throne [^CJesus] said, “Look! I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this, because these words are ·true and can be trusted [^Lfaithful/reliable and true].”

⁶ The One on the throne said to me, “It is ·finished [done; accomplished]. I am the Alpha and the Omega [^Cthe first and last letters of the Greek alphabet; 1:8], the Beginning and the End. I will give ·free water [^Lfreely] from the spring of the water of life to anyone who is thirsty [Is. 55:1; John 7:37]. ⁷ Those who ·win the victory [conquer] will ·receive [inherit] ·this [^Lthese things; ^CGod’s promise], and I will be their God, and they will be my children [21:3; 2 Sam. 7:14]. ⁸ But cowards, those ·who refuse to believe [without faith], who do ·evil [vile; detestable] things, who kill, who sin sexually, who do ·evil magic [sorcery], who worship idols, and who tell lies—all these will have ·a place [^Ltheir part] in the lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death [20:6].”