Revelation 19-22

Contemporary English Version

19 After this, I heard what sounded like a lot of voices in heaven, and they were shouting,

^3 (B) Then the crowd shouted,

⁴ After this, the 24 elders and the four living creatures all knelt before the throne of God and worshiped him. They said, “Amen! Praise the Lord!”

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb

^5 (C) From the throne a voice said,

^6 (D) Then I heard what seemed to be a large crowd that sounded like a roaring flood and loud thunder all mixed together. They were saying,

^9 (E) Then the angel told me, “Put this in writing. God will bless everyone who is invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” The angel also said, “These things God has said are true.”

¹⁰ I knelt at the feet of the angel and began to worship him. But the angel said, “Don't do that! I am a servant, just like you and everyone else who tells about Jesus. Don't worship anyone but God. Everyone who tells about Jesus does it by the power of the Spirit.”

The Rider on the White Horse

^11 (F) I looked and saw heaven was open, and a white horse was there. Its rider was called Faithful and True, and he is always fair when he judges or goes to war. ^12 (G) He had eyes like flames of fire, and he was wearing a lot of crowns. His name was written on him, but he was the only one who knew what the name meant.

^13 (H) The rider wore a robe that was covered with^[a] blood, and he was known as “The Word of God.” ¹⁴ He was followed by armies from heaven that rode on white horses and were dressed in pure white linen. ^15 (I) From his mouth a sharp sword went out to attack the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod and will show the fierce anger of God All-Powerful by trampling the grapes in the pit where wine is made. ¹⁶ On the part of the robe that covered his thigh was written, “KING OF KINGS AND Lord OF LordS.”

^17 (J) I then saw an angel standing on the sun, and he shouted to all the birds flying in the sky, “Come and join in God's great feast! ¹⁸ You can eat the flesh of kings, rulers, leaders, horses, riders, free people, slaves, important people, and everyone else.”

¹⁹ I also saw the beast and all kings of the earth come together. They fought against the rider on the white horse and against his army. ^20 (K) But the beast was captured and so was the false prophet. This is the same prophet who had worked miracles for the beast, so he could fool everyone who had the mark of the beast and worshiped the idol. The beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into a lake of burning sulfur. ²¹ But the rest of their army was killed by the sword that came from the mouth of the rider on the horse. Then birds stuffed themselves on the dead bodies.

The Thousand Years

20 I saw an angel come down from heaven, carrying the key to the deep pit and a big chain. ^2 (L) He chained the dragon for 1,000 years. It is that old snake, who is also known as the devil and Satan. ³ Then the angel threw the dragon into the pit. He locked and sealed it, so 1,000 years would go by before the dragon could fool the nations again. But after that, it would have to be set free for a little while.

^4 (M) I saw thrones, and sitting on those thrones were the ones who had been given the right to judge. I also saw the souls of the people who had their heads cut off because they had told about Jesus and preached God's message. They were the same ones who had not worshiped the beast or the idol, and they had refused to let its mark be put on their foreheads or hands. They will come to life and rule with Christ for 1,000 years.

^5-6 These people are the first to be raised to life, and they are especially blessed and holy. The second death^[b] has no power over them. They will be priests for God and Christ and will rule with them for 1,000 years.

No other dead people were raised to life until 1,000 years later.

Satan Is Defeated

⁷ At the end of the 1,000 years, Satan will be set free. ^8 (N) He will fool the countries of Gog and Magog, which are at the far ends of the earth, and their people will follow him into battle. They will have as many followers as there are grains of sand along the beach, ⁹ and they will march all the way across the earth. They will surround the camp of God's people and the city God loves. But fire will come down from heaven and destroy the whole army. ¹⁰ Then the devil who fooled them will be thrown into the lake of fire and burning sulfur. He will be there with the beast and the false prophet, and they will be in pain day and night forever and ever.

The Judgment at the Great White Throne

^11 (O) I saw a great white throne with someone sitting on it. Earth and heaven tried to run away, but there was no place for them to go. ^12 (P) I also saw all the dead people standing in front of that throne. Every one of them was there, no matter who they had once been. Several books were opened, and then the book of life^[c] was opened. The dead were judged by what those books said they had done.

¹³ The sea gave up the dead people who were in it, and death and its kingdom also gave up their dead. Then everyone was judged by what they had done. ¹⁴ Afterwards, death and its kingdom were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death.^{[d] 15} Anyone whose name wasn't written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

The New Heaven and the New Earth

21 ^(Q) I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth had disappeared, and so had the sea. ^2 (R) Then I saw New Jerusalem, the holy city, coming down from God in heaven. It was like a bride dressed in her wedding gown and ready to meet her husband.

^3 (S) I heard a loud voice shout from the throne:

God's home is now with his people. He will live with them, and they will be his own. Yes, God will make his home among his people. ^4 (T) He will wipe all tears from their eyes, and there will be no more death, suffering, crying, or pain. These things of the past are gone forever.

⁵ Then the one sitting on the throne said:

I am making everything new. Write down what I have said. My words are true and can be trusted. ^6 (U) Everything is finished! I am Alpha and Omega,^[e] the beginning and the end. I will freely give water from the life-giving fountain to everyone who is thirsty. ^7 (V) All who win the victory will be given these blessings. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

⁸ But I will tell you what will happen to cowards and to everyone who is unfaithful or dirty-minded or who murders or is sexually immoral or uses witchcraft or worships idols or tells lies. They will be thrown into that lake of fire and burning sulfur. This is the second death.^[f]

The New Jerusalem

⁹ I saw one of the seven angels who had the bowls filled with the seven last terrible troubles. The angel came to me and said, “Come on! I will show you the one who will be the bride and wife of the Lamb.” ^10 (W) Then with the help of the Spirit, he took me to the top of a very high mountain. There he showed me the holy city of Jerusalem coming down from God in heaven.

¹¹ The glory of God made the city bright. It was dazzling and crystal clear like a precious jasper stone. ^12 (X) The city had a high and thick wall with twelve gates, and each one of them was guarded by an angel. On each of the gates was written the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. ¹³ Three of these gates were on the east, three were on the north, three more were on the south, and the other three were on the west. ¹⁴ The city was built on twelve foundation stones. On each of the stones was written the name of one of the Lamb's twelve apostles.

^15 (Y) The angel who spoke to me had a gold measuring stick to measure the city and its gates and its walls. ¹⁶ The city was shaped like a cube, because it was just as high as it was wide. When the angel measured the city, it was about 2,400 kilometers high and 2,400 kilometers wide. ¹⁷ Then the angel measured the wall, and by our measurements it was about 60 meters high.

^18 (Z)(AA) The wall was built of jasper, and the city was made of pure gold, clear as crystal. ¹⁹ Each of the twelve foundations was a precious stone. The first was jasper,^[g] the second was sapphire, the third was agate, the fourth was emerald, ²⁰ the fifth was onyx, the sixth was carnelian, the seventh was chrysolite, the eighth was beryl, the ninth was topaz, the tenth was chrysoprase, the eleventh was jacinth, and the twelfth was amethyst. ²¹ Each of the twelve gates was a solid pearl. The streets of the city were made of pure gold, clear as crystal.

²² I did not see a temple there. The Lord God All-Powerful and the Lamb were its temple. ^23 (AB) And the city did not need the sun or the moon. The glory of God was shining on it, and the Lamb was its light.

^24 (AC) Nations will walk by the light of that city, and kings will bring their riches there. ^25 (AD) Its gates are always open during the day, and night never comes. ²⁶ The glorious treasures of nations will be brought into the city. ^27 (AE) But nothing unworthy will be allowed to enter. No one who is dirty-minded or who tells lies will be there. Only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life^[h] will be in the city.

22 ^(AF) The angel showed me a river that was crystal clear, and its waters gave life. The river came from the throne where God and the Lamb were seated. ^2 (AG) Then it flowed down the middle of the city's main street. On each side of the river are trees^[i] that grow a different kind of fruit each month of the year. The fruit gives life, and the leaves are used as medicine to heal the nations.

^3 (AH) God's curse will no longer be on the people of that city. He and the Lamb will be seated there on their thrones, and its people will worship God ^4 (AI) and will see him face to face. God's name will be written on the foreheads of the people. ^5 (AJ) Never again will night appear, and no one who lives there will ever need a lamp or the sun. The Lord God will be their light, and they will rule forever.

The Coming of Christ

⁶ Then I was told:

These words are true and can be trusted. The Lord God controls the spirits of his prophets, and he is the one who sent his angel to show his servants what must happen very soon. ⁷ Remember, I am coming soon! God will bless everyone who pays attention to the message of this book.

⁸ My name is John, and I am the one who heard and saw these things. Then after I had heard and seen all this, I knelt down and began to worship at the feet of the angel who had shown it to me.

⁹ But the angel said,

Don't do that! I am a servant, just like you. I am the same as a follower or a prophet or anyone else who obeys what is written in this book. God is the one you should worship.

¹⁰ Don't keep the prophecies in this book a secret. These things will happen soon.

^11 (AK) Evil people will keep on being evil, and everyone who is dirty-minded will still be dirty-minded. But good people will keep on doing right, and God's people will always be holy.

^12 (AL) Then I was told:

I am coming soon! And when I come, I will reward everyone for what they have done. ^13 (AM) I am Alpha and Omega,^[j] the first and the last, the beginning and the end.

^14 (AN) God will bless all who have washed their robes. They will each have the right to eat fruit from the tree that gives life, and they can enter the gates of the city. ¹⁵ But outside the city will be dogs, witches, immoral people, murderers, idol worshipers, and everyone who loves to tell lies and do wrong.

^16 (AO) I am Jesus! And I am the one who sent my angel to tell all of you these things for the churches. I am David's Great Descendant,^[k] and I am also the bright morning star.^[l]

^17 (AP) The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!”

Everyone who hears this^[m] should say, “Come!”

If you are thirsty, come! If you want life-giving water, come and take it. It's free!

^18 (AQ) Here is my warning for everyone who hears the prophecies in this book:

If you add anything to them, God will make you suffer all the terrible troubles written in this book. ¹⁹ If you take anything away from these prophecies, God will not let you have part in the life-giving tree and in the holy city described in this book.

²⁰ The one who has spoken these things says, “I am coming soon!”

So, Lord Jesus, please come soon!

²¹ I pray that the Lord Jesus will be kind to all of you.