Revelation

A prophetic vision of the end times, encouraging perseverance and faithfulness until Christ's return.

Chapter 21

1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

*I saw a new sky and new ground. The old sky and old land disappeared, and no more ocean existed.

2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

*I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming from God in heaven, all set and beautiful for her wedding to her husband.

3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

*I heard a big voice from heaven say, "Look, God's home is now among people, and he will live with them. They will be his special group, and God himself will be with them, being their God."

4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

*God will remove all sadness from their eyes, and there will be no more death, sadness, or crying. No more pain either, because everything old is gone now.

5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

*The one on the throne said, "I'm making everything new." He told me, "Write this down because it's true and reliable."

6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

*He told me, "It's finished." I am the first and last, the start and end. I will give to those who are thirsty the pure water from the source of life without charge.

7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

*Those who overcome will receive everything; and I will be their God, and they will be my child.

8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

*But those who are afraid, don't believe, do terrible things, kill, have many partners, practice magic, worship false gods, and lie will suffer in a fiery lake. This is a very bad ending.

9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.

*An angel who had a vial filled with the final plague came to me and spoke to me, saying, "Come here, I'll show you the bride, who is the Lamb's wife."

10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

*He took me spiritually to a large, tall mountain and showed me a huge city, the holy Jerusalem, coming down from heaven sent by God.

11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

*Having God's great radiance: her light shone like a valuable gem, just like a clear jasper stone, as transparent as crystal.

12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:

*The verse says that there was a very tall wall with twelve big gates. At each gate, there was an angel, and the names on them were the names of the twelve Jewish tribes for the children of Israel.

13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.

*There are three gates each on the east, north, south, and west sides.

14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

*The city's wall had 12 supports, with the names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb inside them.

15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.

*The person speaking to me had a gold stick for measuring the city, its gates, and its walls.

16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.

*The city is shaped like a square, with equal length and width. It was measured using a special stick called a reed, and it is 12,000 units long. All its sides - length, width, and height - are the same size.

17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.

*He measured the wall, which was 144 and 4 cubits long, using the measurement for a person, as the angel showed.

18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.

*The wall was made of jasper, and the city's color was pure gold, similar to clear glass.

19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;

*The walls of the city had beautiful stones on them. The first stone was called jasper, then came sapphire, followed by chalcedony, and finally emerald.

20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.

*The fifth is sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprasus; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst.

21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

*The 12 gates were made from 12 large pearls each. The city's street was made of shiny gold that looked like clear glass.

22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.

*I saw no special building; God and the Lamb are the temple of that place.

23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

*The city didn't need the sun or moon to shine because God's glory and the Lamb provided its light.

24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.

*Saved nations will walk in its light, and Earth's kings will bring their glory and honor to it.

25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.

*The gates will always stay open during the day because there won't be any night there.

26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.

*They will bring the fame and respect of different countries into it.

27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

*Nothing unclean or lying will be allowed to enter, only those listed in the Lamb's book of life.

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