Revelation 19-22

Evangelical Heritage Version

The Church’s Victory

19 After these things I heard what seemed to be the loud sound of an immense crowd in heaven, saying:

³ A second time they said, “Alleluia! Her smoke goes up forever and ever.”

⁴ Then the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures bowed down and worshipped God, who sits on the throne, saying, “Amen! Alleluia!”

⁵ And from the throne came a voice that said, “Praise our God, all you his servants and you who fear him, small and great.”

The Wedding Supper of the Lamb

⁶ And I heard what seemed to be the roar of a large crowd or the roar of many waters or the sound of loud rumblings of thunder, saying:

⁹ The angel said to me, “Write: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb.” He also said to me, “These are the true words of God.” ¹⁰ And I bowed down at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers, who have the testimony about Jesus. Worship God. For the testimony about Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

The Rider on the White Horse

¹¹ I saw heaven standing open, and there was a white horse! Its rider is called Faithful and True, and he judges and makes war in righteousness. ¹² His eyes are like blazing flames, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him, which no one knows except he himself. ¹³ He is also clothed in a garment that had been dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. ¹⁴ The armies in heaven, which were clothed with white, clean, fine linen, were following him on white horses. ¹⁵ Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. He will shepherd them with an iron staff. He himself is going to trample the winepress of the fierce anger of the Almighty God. ¹⁶ On his garment and on his thigh this name is written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

¹⁷ I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he called out with a loud voice to all the birds that were flying in the middle of the sky. He said:

¹⁹ Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. ²⁰ The beast was captured along with the false prophet who performed miracles on his behalf, with which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and had worshipped its image. These two were thrown alive into the Lake of Fire, which burns with sulfur. ²¹ The rest were killed with the sword that comes out of the mouth of the rider on the horse. And all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

Christ and Satan

20 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven. He had the key to the abyss and a great chain in his hand. ² He seized the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, bound him for a thousand years, ³ threw him into the abyss, locked it, and set a seal on it, so that he could no longer deceive the nations until the thousand years come to an end. After this he must be released for a short time.

They Lived and Reigned With Christ

⁴ Then I saw thrones, and those who were sitting on them were given the authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshipped the beast and his image, and they did not receive his mark on their forehead and on their hand. They lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. ⁵ (The rest of the dead did not live until the thousand years came to an end.) This is the first resurrection.

⁶ Blessed and holy is the one who has a share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them. Instead they will be priests of God and of Christ. And they will reign with him for a thousand years.

Satan Defeated

⁷ When the thousand years come to an end, Satan will be released from his prison. ⁸ He will go out to deceive the nations that are in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to gather them for battle. They are as numerous as the sand of the sea.

⁹ They came up over the broad expanse of the earth, and they surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of^[b] heaven and devoured them. ¹⁰ And the Devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are. There they will be tormented day and night, forever and ever.

The Final Judgment

¹¹ Then I saw a great white throne and the one who sat on it. The earth and the sky fled from his presence, and no place was found for them. ¹² I also saw the dead, great and small, standing in front of the throne, and books were opened. Another book was also opened, which is the Book of Life. The dead were judged by the things written in the books, according to what they had done. ¹³ The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Death and the Grave^[c] gave up the dead that were in them, and they were judged, each one according to what he had done.

¹⁴ Death and the Grave^[d] were thrown into the Lake of Fire. The Lake of Fire is the second death. ¹⁵ If anyone’s name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the Lake of Fire.

The New Heaven and the New Earth

21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, because the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. And the sea no longer existed. ² And I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

³ And from the throne^[e] I heard a loud voice that said, “Look! God’s dwelling is with people. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them, and he will be their God. ⁴ He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain, because the former things have passed away.”

⁵ The one who was seated on the throne said to me, “Look, I am making everything new!” He also said, “Write, for these words are trustworthy and true.” ⁶ And he said to me:

The New Jerusalem

⁹ One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls that were filled with the seven last plagues came and spoke with me. He said, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”

¹⁰ He carried me away in spirit to a great and high mountain, and he showed me the^[f] Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. ¹¹ It has the glory of God. Its radiance is similar to a very precious stone, like crystal-clear jasper.

¹² It has a large, high wall. It has twelve gates. Twelve angels are at the gates, and twelve names are engraved on the gates, the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. ¹³ Three gates are on the east, three on the north, three on the south, and three on the west. ¹⁴ The city’s wall also has twelve foundations, and on them are the twelve names of the Lamb’s twelve apostles.

¹⁵ The one who spoke with me had a gold measuring rod so that he could measure the city, its gates, and its wall. ¹⁶ The city is laid out as a square. Its length and width are equal. He measured the city with the measuring rod: 12,000 stadia.^[g] Its length, width, and height are equal. ¹⁷ He also measured its wall by human measurement, which was what the angel used: 144 cubits.

¹⁸ The wall is made of jasper, and the city is pure gold, like pure glass. ¹⁹ The foundations of the city’s wall had been adorned with every kind of precious stone.

²¹ The twelve gates are twelve pearls. Each of the gates is made out of one pearl. And the street of the city is pure gold, like transparent glass.

²² I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. ²³ The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, because the glory of God has given it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. ²⁴ The nations^[k] will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory^[l] into it. ²⁵ There is no day when its gates will be shut, for there will be no night in that place. ²⁶ They will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. ²⁷ Nothing that is unclean and no one who does what is detestable or who tells lies will ever enter it, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

Paradise Restored

22 The angel showed me the^[m] river of the water of life, which was as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb. ² In the middle of the city’s street and on each side of the river was a tree of life that yielded twelve kinds of fruit. The tree yields its fruit every month, and its leaves are for the healing of the nations.

³ There will no longer be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city. His servants will worship him. ⁴ They will see his face. His name will be on their foreheads. ⁵ There will no longer be any night or any need for lamplight or sunlight, because the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever.

Jesus Is Coming Soon

⁶ The angel said to me, “These words are faithful and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets,^[n] sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.”

⁷ “And look: I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who holds on to the words of the prophecy of this book.”

⁸ I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. When I heard and saw them, I bowed down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things. ⁹ But he said to me, “Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and also with those who hold on to the words of this book. Worship God!”

¹⁰ The angel also said to me:

Jesus Speaks

¹⁷ The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears this say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come. Let the one who wants the water of life take it as a gift.

¹⁸ I give this warning to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book. ¹⁹ And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the Tree^[p] of Life and in the Holy City, which are written in this book.

²⁰ The one who testifies about these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

²¹ The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ^[q] be with all the saints.^[r] Amen.