< Revelation 21 >
1 Then [in the vision] I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth had disappeared, and the oceans no longer existed.
2 I saw [God’s] holy city, which is the new [city of] Jerusalem. It was coming down out of heaven from God. [The city] had been prepared [and decorated] {[God] had prepared [and decorated the city]} as [SIM] a bride is decorated {decorates herself} [beautifully in order to marry] her husband.
3 I heard a loud voice that spoke from the throne [of God]. It said, “Listen to this! Now God will live with people. He will live [right in the midst of] them [DOU]! They will be his people. God himself will be with them, and he will be their God.
4 [As a result], he will [cause them to no longer be sad. It will be as though he will] [MTY] wipe every tear from their eyes. [None of them] will ever again die or mourn or cry [DOU] or suffer pain, because the former things [that make us sad] will have disappeared.”
5 Then [God], who sits on the throne, said, “Listen to this! I am [now] making everything new!” He said [to me]: “Write these things [that I have told you], because you can trust [that I will certainly cause them to happen].”
6 He said to me, “I have finished [doing all the things I needed to do]. I am the one who began all things [MET] and the one who will cause all things to end [MET]. To everyone who is [spiritually] thirsty [MET], I will (freely give/give as a free gift) water from the spring [that causes people] to live [forever].
7 I will give this to every person who is victorious over [the evil powers] (OR, [over Satan]). I will be their God, and they will be my children.
8 But those who are cowardly, those who do not believe [in me], those [who do] detestable things, those who are murderers, those who sin sexually, those who commit sorcery, those who worship idols, and every liar, will [all suffer] in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. [Anyone who suffers in that lake] will be dying the second time.” (Limnē Pyr )
9 One of the seven angels who had one of the seven bowls that had been full of [the wine/liquid causing] [MTY] the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come [with me] and I will show you [the people who have permanently united with Christ, the one who is like a] lamb! They will be [like] [MET] a bride [for him].”
10 Then, while [God’s] Spirit [controlled me], the angel took/carried me to the top of a very high mountain. He showed me [God’s] holy city, [the New] Jerusalem. It was coming down out of heaven from God.
11 It was shining with his glory. The city was shining like a very precious jasper stone [shines, and] it was clear like crystal.
12 [Around the city] was a very high wall. The wall had twelve gates. An angel was at each gate. The names of the twelve tribes of Israel were written {[God] had written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel} over the gates. [Each gate had the name of one tribe].
13 Three gates were on the east [side], three gates were on the north [side], three gates were on the south [side], and three gates were on the west [side].
14 The wall of the city had twelve foundation [stones]. On each foundation [stone was] the name of one of the twelve apostles of [Jesus, the one who is like a] lamb.
15 The angel who was speaking to me carried a golden measuring rod, in order to measure the city, its gates, and its wall.
16 The city was square [in shape]; it was as long as it was wide. After the angel measured the city with his rod, [he reported that it was] (1,500 miles/2,400 kilometers) long, and that its height was the same as [its length and width].
17 He measured its wall [and reported that it was] ([216 ft./70 meters]) [thick] (OR, [high]). The angel used the measure that people [normally use].
18 The [city] wall was made of [something like the green stone that we call] jasper. The city [itself] was [made of something like] pure gold [that looked] like clear glass.
19 The foundations of the wall of the city were beautifully made with [wonderful stones that are like] precious stones [on earth]. The first foundation [stone was a crystalline stone like] jasper, the second [foundation stone was a blue stone like] sapphire, the third [foundation stone was a green stone like] agate, the fourth [foundation stone was a green stone like] emerald,
20 the fifth [foundation stone was a brown and white layered stone like] sardonyx, the sixth [foundation stone was a red stone like] carnelian, the seventh [foundation stone was a yellow stone like] chrysolite, the eighth [foundation stone was a green stone like] beryl, the ninth [foundation stone was a yellow stone like] topaz, the tenth [foundation stone was a green stone like] chrysoprase, the eleventh [foundation stone was a blue stone like] hyacinth, and the twelfth [foundation stone was a purple stone like] amethyst.
21 The twelve gates [of the city] were [something like huge] pearls. Each gate was like [it was] a single pearl. The [ground of] the main plaza of the city (OR, The streets of the city) [appeared to be] pure gold [that looked] like clear glass.
22 There was no temple in the city. The Lord God Almighty [himself], and the [one who is like a] lamb, are [there, so there was no need for] [MET] a temple.
23 The city will not need the sun or the moon to light the city, because the glory of God will illuminate the city, and [Jesus, the one who is like a] lamb, will also be its light.
24 The people of [MTY] the nations will live with the light of the city [shining upon them]. And the kings of the earth will bring their wealth into the city [to honor God and the one who is like a lamb].
25 The gates of the city will not be shut {No one will shut the gates of the city} [at the end of each day as they usually are shut], because there will be no night there.
26 The [people of the] world will also bring their wealth into the city to honor [God and the one who is like a lamb].
27 No one who is morally impure, no one who does things [that God considers] detestable, and no one who tells lies, will ever enter that city. Only those people whose names are written in the book of the [one who is like a] lamb {whose [names] the [one who is like a] lamb has written in his book}, [the names] of people who have [eternal] life, will be there.
