Revelation 21:1–14

A New Heaven and a New Earth

¹I saw a new heaven and a new earth, because the first heaven and earth had disappeared, and the sea was gone. ²Then I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, dressed like a bride ready for her husband. ³I heard a loud voice from the throne say, “God lives with humans! God will make his home with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There won’t be any more death. There won’t be any grief, crying, or pain, because the first things have disappeared.” 

⁵The one sitting on the throne said, “I am making everything new.” He said, “Write this: ‘These words are faithful and true.’ ” ⁶He said to me, “It has happened! I am the A and the Z,^athe beginning and the end. I will give a drink from the fountain filled with the water of life to anyone who is thirsty. It won’t cost anything. ⁷Everyone who wins the victory will inherit these things. I will be their God, and they will be my children. ⁸But cowardly, unfaithful, and detestable people, murderers, sexual sinners, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars will find themselves in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” 

A New Jerusalem

⁹One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the last seven plagues came to me and said, “Come! I will show you the bride, the wife of the lamb.” ¹⁰He carried me by his power away to a large, high mountain. He showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven. ¹¹It had the glory of God. Its light was like a valuable gem, like gray quartz, as clear as crystal. ¹²It had a large, high wall with 12 gates. Twelve angels were at the gates. The names of the 12 tribes of Israel were written on the gates. ¹³There were three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. ¹⁴The wall of the city had 12 foundations. The 12 names of the 12 apostles of the lamb were written on them.