Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks
A New Heaven and a New Earth
21 Then[a] I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had ceased to exist,[b] and the sea existed no more. 2 And I saw the holy city—the new Jerusalem—descending out of heaven from God, made ready like a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: “Look! The residence[c] of God is among human beings.[d] He[e] will live among them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them.[f] 4 He[g] will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death will not exist any more—or mourning, or crying, or pain, for the former things have ceased to exist.”[h]
5 And the one seated on the throne said: “Look! I am making all things new!” Then[i] he said to me, “Write it down,[j] because these words are reliable[k] and true.” 6 He also said to me, “It is done![l] I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the one who is thirsty I will give water[m] free of charge[n] from the spring of the water of life. 7 The one who conquers[o] will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowards, unbelievers, detestable persons, murderers, the sexually immoral, and those who practice magic spells,[p] idol worshipers,[q] and all those who lie, their place[r] will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur.[s] That[t] is the second death.”
The New Jerusalem Descends
9 Then[u] one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven final plagues came and spoke to me,[v] saying, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb!” 10 So[w] he took me away in the Spirit[x] to a huge, majestic mountain[y] and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. 11 The city possesses[z] the glory of God; its brilliance is like a precious jewel, like a stone of crystal-clear jasper.[aa] 12 It has[ab] a massive, high wall[ac] with twelve gates,[ad] with twelve angels at the gates, and the names of the twelve tribes of the nation of Israel[ae] are written on the gates.[af] 13 There are[ag] three gates on the east side, three gates on the north side, three gates on the south side and three gates on the west side.[ah] 14 The[ai] wall of the city has twelve foundations, and on them are the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15 The angel[aj] who spoke to me had a golden measuring rod with which to measure the city and its foundation stones and wall. 16 Now[ak] the city is laid out as a square,[al] its length and width the same. He[am] measured the city with the measuring rod[an] at 1,400 miles[ao] (its length and width and height are equal). 17 He also measured its wall, 144 cubits[ap] according to human measurement, which is also the angel’s.[aq] 18 The city’s[ar] wall is made[as] of jasper and the city is pure gold, like transparent glass.[at] 19 The foundations of the city’s wall are decorated[au] with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation is jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate,[av] the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx,[aw] the sixth carnelian,[ax] the seventh chrysolite,[ay] the eighth beryl,[az] the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase,[ba] the eleventh jacinth,[bb] and the twelfth amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates are twelve pearls—each one of the gates is made from just one pearl! The[bc] main street[bd] of the city is pure gold, like transparent glass.
22 Now[be] I saw no temple in the city, because the Lord God—the All-Powerful[bf]—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 lights it up, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 The nations[bg] will walk by its light and the kings of the earth will bring their grandeur[bh] into it. 25 Its gates will never be closed during the day[bi] (and[bj] there will be no night there).[bk] 26 They will bring the grandeur and the wealth[bl] of the nations[bm] into it, 27 but[bn] nothing ritually unclean[bo] will ever enter into it, nor anyone who does what is detestable[bp] or practices falsehood,[bq] but only those whose names[br] are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
22 Then[bs] the angel[bt] showed me the river of the water of life—water as clear as crystal—pouring out[bu] from the throne of God and of the Lamb, 2 flowing down the middle of the city’s[bv] main street.[bw] On each side[bx] of the river is the tree of life producing twelve kinds[by] of fruit, yielding its fruit every month of the year.[bz] Its leaves are for the healing of the nations. 3 And there will no longer be any curse,[ca] and the throne of God and the Lamb will be in the city.[cb] His[cc] servants[cd] will worship[ce] him, 4 and they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 Night will be no more, and they will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord God will shine on them, and they will reign forever and ever.
A Final Reminder
6 Then[cf] the angel[cg] said to me, “These words are reliable[ch] and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants[ci] what must happen soon.”
7 (Look ! I am coming soon!
Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy expressed in this book.)[cj]
8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things,[ck] and when I heard and saw them,[cl] I threw myself down[cm] to worship at the feet of the angel who was showing them to me. 9 But[cn] he said to me, “Do not do this![co] I am a fellow servant[cp] with you and with your brothers the prophets, and with those who obey[cq] the words of this book. Worship God!” 10 Then[cr] he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy contained in this book, because the time is near. 11 The evildoer must continue to do evil,[cs] and the one who is morally filthy[ct] must continue to be filthy. The[cu] one who is righteous must continue to act righteously, and the one who is holy must continue to be holy.”
12 (Look ! I am coming soon,
and my reward is with me to pay[cv] each one according to what he has done!
13 I am the Alpha and the Omega,
the first and the last,
the beginning and the end!)[cw]
14 Blessed are those who wash their robes so they can have access[cx] to the tree of life and can enter into the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers[cy] and the sexually immoral, and the murderers, and the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood![cz]
16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star!”[da] 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say: “Come!” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wants it take the water of life free of charge.
18 I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy contained in this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described[db] in this book. 19 And if anyone takes away from the words of this book of prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life[dc] and in the holy city that are described in this book.
20 The one who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all.[dd]
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