One 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.” 

      He 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. It had the glory of God. Its light was like a valuable gem, like gray quartz, as clear as crystal. It 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. There were three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. 

             The wall of the city had 12 foundations. The 12 names of the 12 apostles of the lamb were written on them.

The one sitting on the throne said, “I am making everything new.” He said, “Write this: ‘These words are faithful and true.’” He said to me, “It has happened! I am the A and the Z, the 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. Everyone who wins the victory will inherit these things. I will be their God, and they will be my children. But 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.”

I [John] saw a new heaven and a new earth, because the first heaven and earth had disappeared, and the sea was gone. 

      Then I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, dressed like a bride ready for her husband. 

           I 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. He 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.”

I [John] saw a large, white throne and the one who was sitting on it. The earth and the sky fled from his presence, but no place was found for them. 

       I saw the dead, both important and unimportant people, standing in front of the throne. Books were opened, including the Book of Life. The dead were judged on the basis of what they had done, as recorded in the books. 

           The sea gave up its dead. Death and hell gave up their dead. People were judged based on what they had done.

Death and hell were thrown into the fiery lake. (The fiery lake is the second death.)  Those whose names were not found in the Book of Life were thrown into the fiery lake.

When 1,000 years are over, Satan will be freed from his prison. He will go out to deceive Gog and Magog, the nations in the four corners of the earth, and gather them for war. They will be as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore. 

       I [John] saw that they spread over the broad expanse of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s holy people and the beloved city. Fire came from heaven and burned them up. 

           The devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet were also thrown. They will be tortured day and night forever and ever.

This is the first time that people come back to life. Blessed and holy are those who are included the first time that people come back to life. The second death has no power over them. They will continue to be priests of God and Christ. They will rule with him for 1,000 years.

I [John] saw thrones, and those who sat on them were allowed to judge. 

     Then I saw the souls of those whose heads had been cut off because of their testimony about Jesus and because of God’s word. They had not worshiped the beast or its statue and were not branded on their foreheads or hands. They lived and ruled with Christ for 1,000 years.

I [John] saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key to the bottomless pit and a large chain in his hand. 

       He overpowered the serpent, that ancient snake, named Devil and Satan. The angel chained up the serpent for 1,000 years.  He threw it into the bottomless pit. 

            The angel shut and sealed the pit over the serpent to keep it from deceiving the nations anymore until the 1,000 years were over. After that it must be set free for a little while.

I [John] saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. 

      The beast and the false prophet who had done miracles for the beast were captured. By these miracles the false prophet had deceived those who had the brand of the beast and worshiped its statue. Both of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 

           The rider on the horse killed the rest with the sword that came out of his mouth. All the birds gorged themselves on the flesh of those who had been killed.

I [John] saw an angel standing in the sun. He cried out in a loud voice to all the birds flying overhead, “Come! Gather for the great banquet of God. Eat the flesh of kings, generals, warriors, horses and their riders, and all free people and slaves, both important or insignificant people.”

The armies of heaven, wearing pure, white linen, follow Him on white horses. 

       A sharp sword comes out of His mouth to defeat the nations. He will rule them with an iron scepter and tread the winepress of the fierce anger of God Almighty. On his clothes and his thigh He has a name written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

I [John] saw heaven standing open. There was a white horse, and its rider is named Faithful and True. With integrity He judges and wages war.  

     His eyes are flames of fire. On His head are many crowns. He has a name written on Him, but only He knows what it is. He wears clothes dipped in blood, and His name is the Word of God.

Then the angel said to me [John], “Write this: ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the lamb’s wedding banquet.’” 

       He also told me, “These are God’s true words.” 

             I bowed at his feet to worship him. But he told 
me, “Don’t do that! I am your coworker and a coworker of the Christians who hold on to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God, because the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy!”

The 24 leaders and the 4 living creatures bowed and worshiped God, who was sitting on the throne. They said, “Amen! Hallelujah!” A voice came from the throne. It said, “Praise our God, all who serve and fear him, no matter who you are.”

      I [John] heard what sounded like the noise from a large crowd, like the noise of raging waters, like the noise of loud thunder, saying,
         “Hallelujah! The Lord our God, the Almighty,

           has become king.
           Let us rejoice, be happy, and give him glory
           because it’s time for the marriage of the lamb.
           His bride has made herself ready.           
           She has been given the privilege of wearing
           dazzling, pure linen.”

This fine linen represents the things that God’s holy people do that have his approval.

After these things I heard what sounded like the loud noise from a large crowd in heaven, saying,
    “Hallelujah!
      Salvation, glory, and power belong to our God.
      His judgments are true and fair.
      He has condemned the notorious prostitute
      who corrupted the world with her fornications.
      He has taken revenge on her for the blood of his servants.”

A second time they said, “Hallelujah! The smoke goes up from her forever and ever.”

Then a powerful angel picked up a stone that was like a large millstone. He threw it into the sea and said,
     “The important city Babylon will be thrown 

       down with the same force.
       It will never be found again.
       The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, 

        and trumpeters will never be heard in it again.
        A skilled craftsman—regardless of the type 

        of craft will never be found in it again.
        The sound of a millstone will never be heard 

         in it again.
         Light from lamps will never shine in it again.
         Voices of brides and grooms will never be 

          heard in it again.
Its merchants were the important people of the world,
because all the nations were deceived by its witchcraft.

      The blood of prophets, God’s people, and everyone 

who had been murdered on earth was found in it.”

Every ship’s captain, everyone who traveled by ship, sailors, and everyone who made their living from the sea stood far away. When they saw the smoke rise from her raging fire, they repeatedly cried out, ‘Was there ever a city as important as this?’ Then they threw dust on their heads and shouted while crying and mournin
     ‘How horrible, how horrible for that important city.
       Everyone who had a ship at sea grew rich because 

       of that city’s high prices.
       In one moment it has been destroyed!’
     “Gloat over it, heaven, God’s people, apostles, and 

       prophets. God has condemned it for you.”

Frightened by her torture, the merchants who had become rich by selling these things will stand far away. They will cry and mourn, saying,
    ‘How horrible, how horrible for that important city
     which was wearing fine linen, purple clothes,
      bright red clothes, gold jewelry, gems, and pearls.
      In one moment all this wealth has been destroyed!’

“The merchants of the earth cry and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargo anymore. No one buys their cargo of gold, silver, gems, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, bright red cloth, all kinds of citron wood, articles made of ivory and very costly wood, bronze, iron, marble, cinnamon, spices, incense, perfume, frankincense, wine, olive oil, flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, wagons, slaves (that is, humans).
        ‘The fruit you craved is gone.
All your luxuries and your splendor have disappeared.
No one will ever find them again.’

“The kings of the earth who had lusted after her and lived in luxury with her will cry and mourn over her when they see the smoke rise from her raging fire. Frightened by her torture, they will stand far away and say,
       ‘How horrible, how horrible it is for that important 
        city, the powerful city Babylon!
        In one moment judgment has come to it!’

I [John] heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of Babylon, my people, so that you do not participate in her sins and suffer from any of her plagues. Her sins are piled as high as heaven, and God has remembered her crimes. Do to her what she has done. Give her twice as much as she gave. Serve her a drink in her own cup twice as large as the drink she served others. She gave herself glory and luxury. Now give her just as much torture and misery. She says to herself, ‘I’m a queen on a throne, not a widow. I’ll never be miserable.’ For this reason her plagues of death, misery, and starvation will come in a single day. She will be burned up in a fire, because the Lord God, who judges her, is powerful.

After these things I [John] saw another angel come from heaven. He had tremendous power, and his glory lit up the earth. He cried out in a powerful voice, 

        “Fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen! She has become a home for demons. She is a prison for every evil spirit, every unclean bird, and every unclean and hated beast. All the nations fell because of the wine of her fornications. The kings of the earth had lusted after her. Her luxurious wealth has made the merchants of the earth rich.”