Study Desk

Rejoice over her fate, O heaven and people of God and apostles and prophets! For at last God has judged her for your sakes.

After this, I heard what sounded like a vast crowd in heaven shouting, "Praise the Lord ! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God.

Then the twenty-four elders and the four living beings fell down and worshiped God, who was sitting on the throne. They cried out, "Amen! Praise the Lord !"

And from the throne came a voice that said, "Praise our God, all his servants, all who fear him, from the least to the greatest."

Then I heard again what sounded like the shout of a vast crowd or the roar of mighty ocean waves or the crash of loud thunder: "Praise the Lord ! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.

And the angel said to me, "Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb." And he added, "These are true words that come from God."

Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said, "No, don't worship me. I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers and sisters who testify about their faith in Jesus. Worship only God. For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus."

He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God.

From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress.

Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, shouting to the vultures flying high in the sky: "Come! Gather together for the great banquet God has prepared.

Then I saw thrones, and the people sitting on them had been given the authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony about Jesus and for proclaiming the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his statue, nor accepted his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They all came to life again, and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. For them the second death holds no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him a thousand years.

And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, "Look, God's home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them.

All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.

So he took me in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and he showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.

It shone with the glory of God and sparkled like a precious stone—like jasper as clear as crystal.

I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.

And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light.

Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.