Readings for Celebrating Advent

The New Heaven and the New Earth

21 ^(A)Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth disappeared, and the sea vanished. ^2 (B)And I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared and ready, like a bride dressed to meet her husband. ^3 (C)I heard a loud voice speaking from the throne: “Now God's home is with people! He will live with them, and they shall be his people. God himself will be with them, and he will be their God. ^4 (D)He will wipe away all tears from their eyes. There will be no more death, no more grief or crying or pain. The old things have disappeared.”

⁵ Then the one who sits on the throne said, “And now I make all things new!” He also said to me, “Write this, because these words are true and can be trusted.” ^6 (E)And he said, “It is done! I am the first and the last, the beginning and the end. To anyone who is thirsty I will give the right to drink from the spring of the water of life without paying for it. ^7 (F)Those who win the victory will receive this from me: I will be their God, and they will be my children.