The New Heaven On Earth
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the
first earth had passed away and the sea was no more. And I saw the Holy
City, the New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, all ready
like a bride attired to meet her husband. I also heard a loud voice from
the throne which said: "Behold, God's dwelling-place is with men, and he
shall dwell among men, and they shall be his people, and God himself
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will be with them. He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, and
death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning nor wailing, nor
pain, for the first things have passed away." The One who is seated on
the throne said: "Behold, I make all things new!" And he added, "Write
this: 'These words are faithful and true.'"
And he said to me, "All is over! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First
and the Last. I will let the thirsty drink freely of the fountain of
life. He who conquers shall obtain this, and I will be his God and he
shall be my son."
The city has no need of the sun nor of the moon to give it light, for
the glory of God illumines it and its light is the Lamb. Its gates shall
never be shut by day and there shall be no night there. Nothing unclean
nor any one who does what is shameful or deceitful shall enter it, but
only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Then he showed me the river of the water of life, clear as crystal,
flowing through the streets of the city from the throne of God and the
Lamb. On both sides of the river grew the tree that gives life, which
bore twelve kinds of fruit and yielded its fruit each month; and the
leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
And the throne of God and the Lamb will be in that city; and his
servants will serve and worship him; they will see his face and his name
will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night there, and they
will have no need of the light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be
their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
And he said to me: "Do not keep secret the prophetic words contained in
this book, for the time of their fulfilment is near. He who does wrong,
let him still do wrong, and he who is filthy, let him still be filthy,
and he who is righteous, let him still do right, and he who is pure, let
him still be pure. Know that I am coming quickly and I will bring my
rewards to repay each for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the
Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Blessed are
those who wash their robes, that they may have a right to the tree of
life and to go through the gates into the city.
"I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you for the churches. I am
the Scion and Offspring of David, the bright, the Morning Star. Both
the Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come.' Let him who hears say, 'Come,' let
him who is thirsty come, and whoever will, let him take of the water of
life freely."
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in
him, should not perish, but have everlasting
life."