2 So the heavens and the earth and everything in them^[a] were completed.^{(A) 2} By the seventh^[b] day God completed His work that He had done, and He rested^[c] on the seventh day from all His work that He had done.^{(B) 3} God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, for on it He rested^(C) from His work of creation.^[d](D)

Man and Woman in the Garden

⁴ These are the records^(E) of the heavens and the earth, concerning their creation at the time^[e] that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens. ⁵ No shrub of the field^(F) had yet grown on the land,^[f] and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the Lord God had not made it rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground. ⁶ But water would come out of the ground and water the entire surface of the land. ⁷ Then the Lord God formed the man out of the dust from the ground^(G) and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils,^(H) and the man became a living being.^(I)

⁸ The Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east,^(J) and there He placed the man He had formed. ⁹ The Lord God caused to grow out of the ground every tree pleasing in appearance and good for food, including the tree of life in the middle of the garden,^(K) as well as the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.^(L)

¹⁰ A river went^[g] out from Eden to water the garden. From there it divided and became the source of four rivers.^{[h] 11} The name of the first is Pishon, which flows through the entire land of Havilah,^[i](M) where there is gold. ¹² Gold from that land is pure;^[j] bdellium^[k] and onyx^[l] are also there. ¹³ The name of the second river is Gihon, which flows through the entire land of Cush. ¹⁴ The name of the third river is the Tigris,^(N) which runs east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.^(O)

¹⁵ The Lord God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it. ¹⁶ And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree of the garden,^{(P) 17} but you must not eat^[m] from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.”^{(Q) 18} Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper as his complement.”^{(R) 19} So the Lord God formed out of the ground every wild animal and every bird of the sky, and brought each to the man to see what he would call it.^(S) And whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. ²⁰ The man gave names to all the livestock, to the birds of the sky, and to every wild animal; but for the man^[n] no helper was found as his complement. ²¹ So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to come over the man,^(T) and he slept. God took one of his ribs and closed the flesh at that place. ²² Then the Lord God made the rib He had taken from the man into a woman and brought her to the man.^{(U) 23} And the man said:

²⁴ This is why a man leaves his father and mother and bonds with his wife, and they become one flesh.^{(W) 25} Both the man and his wife were naked, yet felt no shame.

The Temptation and the Fall

3 Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?”^(X)

² The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit from the trees in the garden. ³ But about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God said, ‘You must not eat it or touch it, or you will die.’”^(Y)

⁴ “No! You will not die,” the serpent said to the woman.^{(Z) 5} “In fact, God knows that when^[o] you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God,^[p] knowing good and evil.” ⁶ Then the woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.^{(AA) 7} Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.

Sin’s Consequences

⁸ Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze,^[q] and they hid themselves from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.^{(AB) 9} So the Lord God called out to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”

¹⁰ And he said, “I heard You^[r] in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.”

¹¹ Then He asked, “Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”

¹² Then the man replied,^(AC) “The woman You gave to be with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate.”

¹³ So the Lord God asked the woman, “What is this you have done?”

And the woman said, “It was the serpent. He deceived me, and I ate.”^(AD)

¹⁴ Then the Lord God said to the serpent:

¹⁶ He said to the woman:

¹⁷ And He said to Adam, “Because you listened to your wife’s voice and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘Do not eat from it’:

²⁰ Adam named his wife Eve^[u] because she was the mother of all the living. ²¹ The Lord God made clothing out of skins for Adam and his wife, and He clothed them.

²² The Lord God said, “Since man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil, he must not reach out, take from the tree of life, eat, and live forever.”^{(AL) 23} So the Lord God sent him away from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. ²⁴ He drove man out and stationed the cherubim and the flaming, whirling sword east of the garden of Eden to guard the way to the tree of life.^(AM)

5 Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children. ² And walk in love, as the Messiah also loved us and gave Himself for us,^(A) a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. ³ But sexual immorality^(B) and any impurity^(C) or greed^(D) should not even be heard of^[a] among you, as is proper for saints. ⁴ Coarse and foolish talking or crude joking are not suitable, but rather giving thanks. ⁵ For know and recognize this: Every sexually immoral^(E) or impure^(F) or greedy^(G) person, who is an idolater, does not have an inheritance in the kingdom^(H) of the Messiah and of God.

Light versus Darkness

⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for God’s wrath^(I) is coming on the disobedient because of these things.^{[b] 7} Therefore, do not become their partners. ⁸ For you were once darkness, but now you are light^(J) in the Lord. Walk as children of light^(K)— ⁹ for the fruit of the light^[c] results in all goodness, righteousness, and truth^(L)— ¹⁰ discerning^(M) what is pleasing^(N) to the Lord. ¹¹ Don’t participate in the fruitless^(O) works of darkness, but instead expose them. ¹² For it is shameful even to mention what is done by them in secret. ¹³ Everything exposed by the light is made clear,^{(P) 14} for what makes everything clear is light. Therefore it is said:

Consistency in the Christian Life

¹⁵ Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise— ¹⁶ making the most of the time,^[e](T) because the days are evil. ¹⁷ So don’t be foolish, but understand^(U) what the Lord’s will^(V) is. ¹⁸ And don’t get drunk^(W) with wine,^(X) which leads to reckless actions, but be filled by the Spirit:^(Y)

Wives and Husbands

²² Wives,^(AA) submit^[f](AB) to your own husbands^(AC) as to the Lord, ²³ for the husband is the head of the wife^(AD) as Christ is the head^(AE) of the church. He is the Savior of the body.^{(AF) 24} Now as the church submits to Christ, so wives are to submit to their husbands in everything. ²⁵ Husbands, love your wives,^(AG) just as Christ loved^(AH) the church and gave Himself^(AI) for her ²⁶ to make her holy, cleansing^[g] her with the washing of water by the word. ²⁷ He did this to present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and blameless.^{(AJ) 28} In the same way, husbands are to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ For no one ever hates his own flesh but provides and cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, ³⁰ since we are members of His body.^[h]

³² This mystery^(AM) is profound, but I am talking about Christ and the church. ³³ To sum up, each one of you is to love his wife as himself, and the wife is to respect her husband.

Celebration in Heaven

19 After this I heard something like the loud voice of a vast multitude in heaven, saying:

³ A second time they said:

⁴ Then the 24 elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God,^(E) who is seated on the throne, saying:

⁵ A voice came from the throne, saying:

Marriage of the Lamb Announced

⁶ Then I heard something like the voice of a vast multitude, like the sound of cascading waters,^(H) and like the rumbling of loud thunder, saying:

For the fine linen represents the righteous acts of the saints.^(K)

⁹ Then he^[b] said to me,^(L) “Write: Those invited to the marriage feast^(M) of the Lamb are fortunate!” He also said to me, “These words of God are true.” ¹⁰ Then I fell at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow slave with you and your brothers who have the testimony about^[c] Jesus.^(N) Worship God, because the testimony about Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”^[d]

The Rider on a White Horse

¹¹ Then I saw heaven opened,^(O) and there was a white horse. Its rider is called Faithful and True,^(P) and He judges and makes war in righteousness.^{(Q) 12} His eyes were like a fiery flame, and many crowns^[e] were on His head. He had a name written that no one knows except Himself.^{(R) 13} He wore a robe stained with blood,^[f](S) and His name is the Word of God.^{(T) 14} The armies that were in heaven followed Him on white horses, wearing pure white linen. ¹⁵ A sharp^[g] sword^(U) came from His mouth, so that He might strike the nations with it.^(V) He will shepherd^[h] them with an iron scepter.^(W) He will also trample the winepress of the fierce anger of God,^(X) the Almighty. ¹⁶ And He has a name written on His robe and on His thigh:

The Beast and His Armies Defeated

¹⁷ Then I saw an angel standing on^[i] the sun, and he cried out in a loud voice, saying to all the birds flying high overhead, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, ¹⁸ so that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of commanders, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of their riders, and the flesh of everyone, both free and slave, small and great.”^(Z)

¹⁹ Then I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies^(AA) gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and against His army. ²⁰ But the beast was taken prisoner, and along with him the false prophet, who had performed the signs in his presence. He deceived those who accepted the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image with these signs.^(AB) Both of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.^{(AC) 21} The rest were killed with the sword that came from the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh.

Satan Bound

20 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the abyss^(AD) and a great chain in his hand. ² He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the Devil and Satan,^[j](AE) and bound^(AF) him for 1,000 years. ³ He threw him into the abyss, closed it, and put a seal on it^(AG) so that he would no longer deceive the nations^(AH) until the 1,000 years were completed. After that, he must be released for a short time.

The Saints Reign with the Messiah

⁴ Then I saw thrones, and people seated on them who were given authority to judge.^(AI) I also saw the people^[k](AJ) who had been beheaded^[l] because of their testimony about Jesus^(AK) and because of God’s word, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and who had not accepted the mark on their foreheads or their hands.^(AL) They came to life^(AM) and reigned with the Messiah for 1,000 years. ⁵ The rest of the dead did not come to life until the 1,000 years were completed. This is the first resurrection. ⁶ Blessed^(AN) and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! The second death^(AO) has no power^[m] over them, but they will be priests of God and of the Messiah, and they will reign with Him for 1,000 years.^(AP)

Satanic Rebellion Crushed

⁷ When the 1,000 years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison ⁸ and will go out to deceive the nations at the four corners of the earth,^(AQ) Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle.^(AR) Their number is like the sand of the sea. ⁹ They came up over the surface of the earth and surrounded the encampment of the saints, the beloved city. Then fire came down from heaven^[n] and consumed them.^{(AS) 10} The Devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet are,^(AT) and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.^(AU)

The Great White Throne Judgment

¹¹ Then I saw a great white throne and One seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from His presence, and no place was found for them.^{(AV) 12} I also saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened.^(AW) Another book was opened, which is the book of life,^(AX) and the dead were judged according to their works^(AY) by what was written in the books.

¹³ Then the sea gave up its dead, and Death and Hades^(AZ) gave up their dead; all^[o] were judged according to their works. ¹⁴ Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire.^(BA) This is the second death, the lake of fire.^{[p] 15} And anyone not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

The New Creation

21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth,^(BB) for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea no longer existed.^{(BC) 2} I also saw the Holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,^(BD) prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.^(BE)

³ Then I heard a loud voice from the throne:^[q]

⁵ Then the One seated on the throne said, “Look! I am making everything new.” He also said, “Write, because these words^[u] are faithful and true.”^{(BK) 6} And He said to me, “It is done!^(BL) I am the Alpha and the Omega,^(BM) the Beginning and the End.^(BN) I will give water as a gift to the thirsty^(BO) from the spring of life.^{(BP) 7} The victor^(BQ) will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be My son.^{(BR) 8} But the cowards, unbelievers,^[v] vile, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars—their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur,^(BS) which is the second death.”

The New Jerusalem

⁹ Then one of the seven angels, who had held the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues,^(BT) came and spoke with me: “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” ¹⁰ He then carried me away in the Spirit^[w](BU) to a great and high mountain^(BV) and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, ¹¹ arrayed with God’s glory.^(BW) Her radiance was like a very precious stone, like a jasper stone, bright as crystal. ¹² The city had a massive high wall, with 12 gates. Twelve angels were at the gates; the names of the 12 tribes of Israel’s sons were inscribed on the gates. ¹³ There were three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west.^{(BX) 14} The city wall had 12 foundations, and the 12 names of the Lamb’s 12 apostles were on the foundations.

¹⁵ The one who spoke with me had a gold measuring rod^(BY) to measure the city, its gates, and its wall.^{(BZ) 16} The city is laid out in a square; its length and width are the same. He measured the city with the rod at 12,000 stadia.^[x] Its length, width, and height are equal. ¹⁷ Then he measured its wall, 144 cubits according to human measurement, which the angel used. ¹⁸ The building material of its wall was jasper, and the city was pure gold like clear glass.

¹⁹ The foundations of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone:^(CA)

²¹ The 12 gates are 12 pearls; each individual gate was made of a single pearl. The broad street^[y] of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

²² I did not see a sanctuary in it, because the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its sanctuary. ²³ The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, because God’s glory illuminates it, and its lamp is the Lamb.^{(CB) 24} The nations^[z] will walk in its light,^(CC) and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.^{[aa](CD) 25} Each day its gates will never close because it will never be night there. ²⁶ They will bring the glory and honor of the nations into it.^{[ab](CE) 27} Nothing profane will ever enter it:^(CF) no one who does what is vile or false, but only those written in the Lamb’s book of life.^(CG)