1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”+ for the former+ heaven and the former+ earth had passed away,+ and the sea was no longer there.+ 2 I saw, too,+ the holy city, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared and ready, like a bride beautifully adorned for her husband. 3 Then I heard a booming voice from the throne say, “Look! The tabernacle of God is with mankind! He will tabernacle among them, and they will be peoples indeed+ belonging to him,+ and among them will dwell God himself.+ 4 He will ‘wipe away every tear from their eyes,’+ and death will be no more. There will be no more mourning or wailing or anguish,+ for the present+ order of things+ is destined+ to pass away.” 5 And the one seated on the throne said, “Listen! I am going to make the whole creation new+!” Then he added, “Write it down, because these words are fully+ trustworthy and reliable.+” 6 Then he said to me, “These things+ will surely+ come to pass! I AM the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end! I, to the one who is thirsty, will give the privilege of drinking from the spring of life-giving water without any charge. 7 The victor will inherit all these blessings,+ and I will be his God, and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowardly and the unbelieving+ and the abominable and murderers and the sexually immoral and those who practice witchcraft and idolaters and all who are full of deceit,+ their portion will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur—the second death.”

9 Then one of the seven angels who had been assigned to pour out the seven bowls filled with the seven final plagues came and spoke to me. “Come,” he said, “I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 At that, he carried me away while I was under the power of the Spirit+ to a high and magnificent+ mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, 11 resplendent with his+ glory. The city was shining+ like a precious stone, with a brilliant light the color of jasper,+ bright like+ crystal. 12 It had a strong,+ high wall, with twelve gates. In charge of+ the gates were twelve angels, and inscribed on each gate+ was a name+—the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel.+ 13 There were three gates on each side:+ Three on the east,+ and three on the north,+ and three on the south,+ and three on the west.+ 14 The wall of the city was built on twelve foundation stones, on each of which was inscribed one of the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.+ 15 The angel who was speaking to me was holding a measuring rod, a long cane made of gold,+ with which to measure+ the city and its gates and its wall. 16 The city was laid out in a square,+ with all four sides the same length.+ The angel+ measured the city with the measuring rod at 1,400 miles;+ its length and width and height were the same.+ 17 He measured its wall, and it was 216 feet high+ according to the human standard of measurement—from the tips of the fingers to the elbow, 144 times—that the angel was using.+ 18 The wall was made of jasper,+ and the city of such pure gold that the light shone through it like glass.+ 19 The foundation stones of the city’s wall were adorned with indeed+ precious stones of every kind. The first foundation was made of+ beautiful, dark green+ jasper; the second, of rich blue+ sapphire; the third, of agate, milky and grey;+ the fourth, of transparent, bright green+ emerald; 20 the fifth, of sardonyx, with layers of red and white;+ the sixth, of precious red+ carnelian; the seventh, of chrysolite, yellow-green and transparent;+ the eighth, of beryl, sea-green;+ the ninth, of topaz, yellow and transparent;+ the tenth, of golden-green+ chrysoprase; the eleventh, of jacinth, dark blue;+ the twelfth, of amethyst, purple and transparent.+ 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls—each gate made from a single pearl. The main street of the city was made of such pure gold that it was transparent like glass.+

22 There was one thing,+ however, I didn’t see in the city+: A sanctuary.+ The Lord God Almighty, you see, and the Lamb, were themselves+ the sanctuary of the city.+ 23 The city didn’t need the sun or the moon to shine on it,+ for the glory of God itself+ gave light to the city,+ and its lamp was the Lamb. 24 The nations will walk by the city’s+ light, and the kings of the earth will bring their royal gifts and treasures+ into it.+ 25 Its gates will never close+ (there will not be in that place any night,+ you see), 26 and people+ will bring the gifts and wealth and valuables+ of the nations into it.+ 27 Nothing profane will ever enter the city,+ nor anyone who does what is abominable and deceitful+; the only ones who may enter it+ are those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.