The Perfect Life
1 Then the angel showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb (Christ),
2 in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelvekinds offruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
3 There will no longer exist anything that is cursed [because sin and illness and death are gone]; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serveandworship Him [with great awe and joy and loving devotion];
4 they will [be privileged to] see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.
5 And there will no longer be night; they have no need for lamplight or sunlight, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign [as kings] forever and ever.
You Are Invited to be Blessed
6 Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true.” And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent His angel [as a representative] to show His bond-servants the things that must soon take place.
7 “And behold, I am coming quickly.Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) is the one who heedsandtakes to heartandremembers the words of the prophecy[that is, the predictions, consolations, and warnings]contained in this book (scroll).”
8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things.
9 But he said to me, “Do not do that. I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets and with those who heedandremember [the truths contained in] the words of this book. Worship God.”
10 And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time [of their fulfillment] isnear.
11 Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy (vile, impure), still be filthy; and the one who is righteous (just, upright), still be righteous; and the one who is holy, still be holy.”
12 “Behold, I (Jesus) am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me,to give to each oneaccording to the merit of his deeds (earthly works, faithfulness).
13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End[the Eternal One].”
14 Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) are those who wash their robes [in the blood of Christ by believing and trusting in Him–the righteous who do His commandments], so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.
15 Outside are the dogs [the godless, the impure, those of low moral character] and the sorcerers [with their intoxicating drugs, and magic arts], and the immoral persons [the perverted, the molesters, and the adulterers], and the murderers, and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying (deception, cheating).
The Final Invitation
16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to youandto give you assurance of these things for the churches. I am the Root (the Source, the Life) and the Offspring of David, the radiantandbright Morning Star.”
17 The [Holy] Spirit and the bride (the church, believers) say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes takeanddrink the water of life without cost.
18 I testifyandwarn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book [its predictions, consolations, and admonitions]: if anyone adds [anything] to them, God will add to him the plagues (afflictions, calamities) which are written in this book;
19 and if anyone takes away fromordistorts the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away [from that one] his share from the tree of life and from the holy city (new Jerusalem), which are written in this book.
20 He who testifiesandaffirms these things says,“Yes, I am coming quickly.”Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
21 The grace of the Lord Jesus (the Christ, the Messiah) be with all [the saints–all believers, those set apart for God]. Amen.