Bible in 90 Days

Lament Over Fallen Babylon

18 After this I saw another angel^(A) coming down from heaven.^(B) He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor.^{(C) 2} With a mighty voice he shouted:

Warning to Escape Babylon’s Judgment

⁴ Then I heard another voice from heaven say:

Threefold Woe Over Babylon’s Fall

⁹ “When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her^(V) and shared her luxury^(W) see the smoke of her burning,^(X) they will weep and mourn over her.^{(Y) 10} Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off^(Z) and cry:

¹¹ “The merchants^(AC) of the earth will weep and mourn^(AD) over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore^(AE)— ¹² cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble;^{(AF) 13} cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and human beings sold as slaves.^(AG)

¹⁴ “They will say, ‘The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your luxury and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.’ ¹⁵ The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her^(AH) will stand far off,^(AI) terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn^{(AJ) 16} and cry out:

“Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea,^(AO) will stand far off.^{(AP) 18} When they see the smoke of her burning,^(AQ) they will exclaim, ‘Was there ever a city like this great city^(AR)?’^{(AS) 19} They will throw dust on their heads,^(AT) and with weeping and mourning^(AU) cry out:

The Finality of Babylon’s Doom

²¹ Then a mighty angel^(AZ) picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea,^(BA) and said:

Threefold Hallelujah Over Babylon’s Fall

19 After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude^(BJ) in heaven shouting:

³ And again they shouted:

⁴ The twenty-four elders^(BS) and the four living creatures^(BT) fell down^(BU) and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried:

⁵ Then a voice came from the throne, saying:

⁶ Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude,^(BY) like the roar of rushing waters^(BZ) and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:

(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts^(CH) of God’s holy people.)

⁹ Then the angel said to me,^(CI) “Write this:^(CJ) Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!”^(CK) And he added, “These are the true words of God.”^(CL)

¹⁰ At this I fell at his feet to worship him.^(CM) But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God!^(CN) For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.”^(CO)

The Heavenly Warrior Defeats the Beast

¹¹ I saw heaven standing open^(CP) and there before me was a white horse, whose rider^(CQ) is called Faithful and True.^(CR) With justice he judges and wages war.^{(CS) 12} His eyes are like blazing fire,^(CT) and on his head are many crowns.^(CU) He has a name written on him^(CV) that no one knows but he himself.^{(CW) 13} He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood,^(CX) and his name is the Word of God.^{(CY) 14} The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen,^(CZ) white^(DA) and clean. ¹⁵ Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword^(DB) with which to strike down^(DC) the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.”^[d](DD) He treads the winepress^(DE) of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. ¹⁶ On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:^(DF)

¹⁷ And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds^(DH) flying in midair,^(DI) “Come,^(DJ) gather together for the great supper of God,^{(DK) 18} so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people,^(DL) free and slave,^(DM) great and small.”^(DN)

¹⁹ Then I saw the beast^(DO) and the kings of the earth^(DP) and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse^(DQ) and his army. ²⁰ But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet^(DR) who had performed the signs^(DS) on its behalf.^(DT) With these signs he had deluded^(DU) those who had received the mark of the beast^(DV) and worshiped its image.^(DW) The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake^(DX) of burning sulfur.^{(DY) 21} The rest were killed with the sword^(DZ) coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse,^(EA) and all the birds^(EB) gorged themselves on their flesh.

The Thousand Years

20 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven,^(EC) having the key^(ED) to the Abyss^(EE) and holding in his hand a great chain. ² He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan,^(EF) and bound him for a thousand years.^{(EG) 3} He threw him into the Abyss,^(EH) and locked and sealed^(EI) it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations^(EJ) anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.

⁴ I saw thrones^(EK) on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge.^(EL) And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded^(EM) because of their testimony about Jesus^(EN) and because of the word of God.^(EO) They^[e] had not worshiped the beast^(EP) or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands.^(EQ) They came to life and reigned^(ER) with Christ a thousand years. ⁵ (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection.^{(ES) 6} Blessed^(ET) and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death^(EU) has no power over them, but they will be priests^(EV) of God and of Christ and will reign with him^(EW) for a thousand years.

The Judgment of Satan

⁷ When the thousand years are over,^(EX) Satan will be released from his prison ⁸ and will go out to deceive the nations^(EY) in the four corners of the earth^(EZ)—Gog and Magog^(FA)—and to gather them for battle.^(FB) In number they are like the sand on the seashore.^{(FC) 9} They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded^(FD) the camp of God’s people, the city he loves.^(FE) But fire came down from heaven^(FF) and devoured them. ¹⁰ And the devil, who deceived them,^(FG) was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur,^(FH) where the beast^(FI) and the false prophet^(FJ) had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.^(FK)

The Judgment of the Dead

¹¹ Then I saw a great white throne^(FL) and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence,^(FM) and there was no place for them. ¹² And I saw the dead, great and small,^(FN) standing before the throne, and books were opened.^(FO) Another book was opened, which is the book of life.^(FP) The dead were judged^(FQ) according to what they had done^(FR) as recorded in the books. ¹³ The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades^(FS) gave up the dead^(FT) that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done.^{(FU) 14} Then death^(FV) and Hades^(FW) were thrown into the lake of fire.^(FX) The lake of fire is the second death.^{(FY) 15} Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life^(FZ) was thrown into the lake of fire.

A New Heaven and a New Earth

21 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”^[f](GA) for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away,^(GB) and there was no longer any sea. ² I saw the Holy City,^(GC) the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,^(GD) prepared as a bride^(GE) 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.^(GF) They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.^{(GG) 4} ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes.^(GH) There will be no more death’^[g](GI) or mourning or crying or pain,^(GJ) for the old order of things has passed away.”^(GK)

⁵ He who was seated on the throne^(GL) said, “I am making everything new!”^(GM) Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”^(GN)

⁶ He said to me: “It is done.^(GO) I am the Alpha and the Omega,^(GP) the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost^(GQ) from the spring of the water of life.^{(GR) 7} Those who are victorious^(GS) will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.^{(GT) 8} But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars^(GU)—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur.^(GV) This is the second death.”^(GW)

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^(GX) came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride,^(GY) the wife of the Lamb.” ¹⁰ And he carried me away^(GZ) in the Spirit^(HA) to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.^{(HB) 11} It shone with the glory of God,^(HC) and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper,^(HD) clear as crystal.^{(HE) 12} It had a great, high wall with twelve gates,^(HF) and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.^{(HG) 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,^(HH) and on them were the names of the twelve apostles^(HI) of the Lamb.

¹⁵ The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod^(HJ) of gold to measure the city, its gates^(HK) 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^[h] in length, and as wide and high as it is long. ¹⁷ The angel measured the wall using human^(HL) measurement, and it was 144 cubits^[i] thick.^{[j] 18} The wall was made of jasper,^(HM) and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.^{(HN) 19} The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone.^(HO) The first foundation was jasper,^(HP) the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, ²⁰ the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby,^(HQ) the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.^{[k] 21} The twelve gates^(HR) were twelve pearls,^(HS) each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.^(HT)

²² I did not see a temple^(HU) in the city, because the Lord God Almighty^(HV) and the Lamb^(HW) are its temple. ²³ The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God^(HX) gives it light,^(HY) and the Lamb^(HZ) is its lamp. ²⁴ The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.^{(IA) 25} On no day will its gates^(IB) ever be shut,^(IC) for there will be no night there.^{(ID) 26} The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.^{(IE) 27} Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful,^(IF) but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.^(IG)

Eden Restored

22 Then the angel showed me the river^(IH) of the water of life,^(II) as clear as crystal,^(IJ) flowing^(IK) from the throne of God and of the Lamb ² down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life,^(IL) bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.^{(IM) 3} No longer will there be any curse.^(IN) The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.^{(IO) 4} They will see his face,^(IP) and his name will be on their foreheads.^{(IQ) 5} There will be no more night.^(IR) They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light.^(IS) And they will reign for ever and ever.^(IT)

John and the Angel

⁶ The angel said to me,^(IU) “These words are trustworthy and true.^(IV) The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets,^(IW) sent his angel^(IX) to show his servants the things that must soon take place.”

⁷ “Look, I am coming soon!^(IY) Blessed^(IZ) is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”^(JA)

⁸ I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things.^(JB) And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet^(JC) of the angel who had been showing them to me. ⁹ But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll.^(JD) Worship God!”^(JE)

¹⁰ Then he told me, “Do not seal up^(JF) the words of the prophecy of this scroll,^(JG) because the time is near.^{(JH) 11} Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.”^(JI)

Epilogue: Invitation and Warning

¹² “Look, I am coming soon!^(JJ) My reward is with me,^(JK) and I will give to each person according to what they have done.^{(JL) 13} I am the Alpha and the Omega,^(JM) the First and the Last,^(JN) the Beginning and the End.^(JO)

¹⁴ “Blessed are those who wash their robes,^(JP) that they may have the right to the tree of life^(JQ) and may go through the gates^(JR) into the city.^{(JS) 15} Outside^(JT) are the dogs,^(JU) those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

¹⁶ “I, Jesus,^(JV) have sent my angel^(JW) to give you^[l] this testimony for the churches.^(JX) I am the Root^(JY) and the Offspring of David,^(JZ) and the bright Morning Star.”^(KA)

¹⁷ The Spirit^(KB) and the bride^(KC) say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.^(KD)

¹⁸ I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll:^(KE) If anyone adds anything to them,^(KF) God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll.^{(KG) 19} And if anyone takes words away^(KH) from this scroll of prophecy,^(KI) God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life^(KJ) and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.

²⁰ He who testifies to these things^(KK) says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”^(KL)

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.^(KM)

²¹ The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people.^(KN) Amen.