19

  • After this I heard what sounded like the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying: “Alleluia!* Salvation, glory, and might belong to our God,
  • for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her harlotry. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”
  • They said a second time: “Alleluia! Smoke will rise from her forever and ever.”
  • The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, “Amen. Alleluia.”
  • A voice coming from the throne said: “Praise our God, all you his servants, [and] you who revere him, small and great.”
  • Then I heard something like the sound of a great multitude or the sound of rushing water or mighty peals of thunder, as they said: “Alleluia! The Lord has established his reign, [our] God, the almighty.
  • Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory. For the wedding day of the Lamb* has come, his bride has made herself ready.
  • She was allowed to wear a bright, clean linen garment.”e (The linen represents the righteous deeds of the holy ones.)
  • Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed* are those who have been called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These words are true; they come from God.”
  • I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Don’t! I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brothers who bear witness to Jesus. Worship God.g Witness to Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
  • Then I saw the heavens opened, and there was a white horse; its rider was [called] “Faithful and True.” He judges and wages war in righteousness.
  • His eyes were [like] a fiery flame, and on his head were many diadems. He had a name* inscribed that no one knows except himself.
  • He wore a cloak that had been dipped in* blood, and his name was called the Word of God.
  • The armies of heaven followed him, mounted on white horses and wearing clean white linen.
  • Out of his mouth came a sharp sword to strike the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod, and he himself will tread out in the wine press* the wine of the fury and wrath of God the almighty.
  • He has a name written on his cloak and on his thigh, “King of kings and Lord of lords.”
  • Then I saw an angel standing on the sun. He cried out [in] a loud voice to all the birds flying high overhead, “Come here. Gather for God’s great feast,
  • to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of military officers, and the flesh of warriors, the flesh of horses and of their riders, and the flesh of all, free and slave, small and great.”
  • Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered to fight against the one riding the horse and against his army.
  • The beast was caught and with it the false prophet* who had performed in its sight the signs by which he led astray those who had accepted the mark of the beast and those who had worshiped its image. The two were thrown alive into the fiery pool burning w
  • The rest were killed by the sword that came out of the mouth of the one riding the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

20

  • Then I saw an angel come down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the abyss* and a heavy chain.
  • He seized the dragon, the ancient serpent, which is the Devil or Satan,* and tied it up for a thousand years
  • and threw it into the abyss, which he locked over it and sealed, so that it could no longer lead the nations astray until the thousand years are completed. After this, it is to be released for a short time.
  • Then I saw thrones; those who sat on them were entrusted with judgment. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast or its image nor had accepted its mark* on
  • The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were over. This is the first resurrection.
  • Blessed* and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over these; they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for [the] thousand years.
  • When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison.
  • He will go out to deceive the nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog,* to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea.
  • They invaded the breadth of the earth* and surrounded the camp of the holy ones and the beloved city. But fire came down from heaven and consumed them.
  • The Devil who had led them astray was thrown into the pool of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet were. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
  • Next I saw a large white throne and the one who was sitting on it. The earth and the sky fled from his presence and there was no place for them.
  • I saw the dead, the great and the lowly, standing before the throne, and scrolls were opened. Then another scroll was opened, the book of life.* The dead were judged according to their deeds, by what was written in the scrolls.
  • The sea gave up its dead; then Death and Hades* gave up their dead. All the dead were judged according to their deeds.
  • Then Death and Hades were thrown into the pool of fire. (This pool of fire is the second death.*)
  • Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the pool of fire.

21

  • Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
  • I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
  • I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race.c He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will always be with them [as their God].
  • He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, [for] the old order has passed away.”
  • The one who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Then he said, “Write these words down, for they are trustworthy and true.”
  • He said to me, “They are accomplished. I [am] the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give a gift from the spring of life-giving water.
  • The victor* will inherit these gifts, and I shall be his God, and he will be my son.
  • But as for cowards, the unfaithful, the depraved, murderers, the unchaste, sorcerers, idol-worshipers, and deceivers of every sort, their lot is in the burning pool of fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
  • One of the seven angels who held the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come here. I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”
  • He took me in spirit to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.
  • It gleamed with the splendor of God. Its radiance was like that of a precious stone, like jasper, clear as crystal.
  • It had a massive, high wall, with twelve gates where twelve angels were stationed and on which names were inscribed, [the names] of the twelve tribes of the Israelites.
  • There were three gates facing east, three north, three south, and three west.
  • The wall of the city had twelve courses of stones as its foundation, on which were inscribed the twelve names of the twelve apostles* of the Lamb.
  • The one who spoke to me held a gold measuring rod to measure the city, its gates, and its wall.
  • The city was square, its length the same as [also] its width. He measured the city with the rod and found it fifteen hundred miles in length and width and height.
  • He also measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits* according to the standard unit of measurement the angel used.
  • The wall was constructed of jasper, while the city was pure gold, clear as glass.
  • The foundations of the city wall were decorated with every precious stone; the first course of stones was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald,
  • the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh hyacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.
  • The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made from a single pearl; and the street of the city was of pure gold, transparent as glass.
  • I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God almighty and the Lamb.
  • The city had no need of sun or moon to shine on it,o for the glory of God gave it light, and its lamp was the Lamb.
  • The nations will walk by its light,* and to it the kings of the earth will bring their treasure.
  • During the day its gates will never be shut, and there will be no night there.
  • The treasure and wealth of the nations will be brought there,
  • but nothing unclean will enter it, nor any[one] who does abominable things or tells lies. Only those will enter whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

22

  • Then the angel showed me the river of life-giving water, sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb
  • down the middle of its street. On either side of the river grew the tree of life that produces fruit twelve times a year, once each month; the leaves of the trees serve as medicine for the nations.
  • Nothing accursed will be found there anymore. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him.
  • They will look upon his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.
  • Night will be no more, nor will they need light from lamp or sun, for the Lord God shall give them light, and they shall reign forever and ever.
  • And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true, and the Lord, the God of prophetic spirits, sent his angel to show his servants what must happen soon.”
  • “Behold, I am coming soon.” Blessed is the one who keeps the prophetic message of this book.
  • It is I, John, who heard and saw these things, and when I heard and saw them I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me.
  • But he said to me, “Don’t! I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brothers the prophets and of those who keep the message of this book. Worship God.”
  • Then he said to me, “Do not seal up the prophetic words of this book, for the appointed time is near.
  • Let the wicked still act wickedly, and the filthy still be filthy. The righteous must still do right, and the holy still be holy.”
  • “Behold, I am coming soon. I bring with me the recompense I will give to each according to his deeds.
  • I am the Alpha and the Omega,g the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”
  • Blessed are they who wash their robes so as to have the right to the tree of life and enter the city through its gates.
  • Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the unchaste, the murderers, the idol-worshipers, and all who love and practice deceit.
  • “I, Jesus, sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the root and offspring of David, the bright morning star.”
  • The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Let the hearer say, “Come.” Let the one who thirsts come forward, and the one who wants it receive the gift of life-giving water.
  • I warn everyone who hears the prophetic words in this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book,
  • and if anyone takes away from the words in this prophetic book, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city described in this book.
  • The one who gives this testimony says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!
  • The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all.
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