The River of Life

1Then the angel showed me a river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God {Theou} and of the Lamb 2down the middle of the main street of the city. On either side of the river stood a tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit and yielding a fresh crop for each month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations {ethnōn}.

3No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God {Theou} and of the Lamb will be within the city, and His servants {douloi} will worship Him. 4They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. 5There will be no more night in the city, and they will have no need for the light of a lamp or of the sun. For the Lord {Kyrios} God {Theos} will shine on them, and they will reign forever \to the ages/ and ever.

Jesus Is Coming

6Then the angel said to me, “These words are faithful and true. The Lord {Kyrios}, the God {Theos} of the spirits {pneumatōn} of the prophets, has sent His angel (messenger) to show His servants {doulois} what must soon (suddenly)a take place.”

7“Behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of prophecy in this book (scroll).b”

8And I, John (YHWH is gracious), am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel (messenger) who had shown me these things. 9But he said to me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow servant {syndoulos} with you and your brothers (and sisters) the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book (papyrus roll). Worship God {Theō}!”

10Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of prophecy in this book (papyrus roll), because the time is near. 11Let the unrighteous continue to be unrighteous, and the vile continue to be vile; let the righteous continue to practice righteousness, and the holy continue to be holy.”

12“Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to what he has done. 13I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

14Blessed are those who wash their robes [Blessed are those who do His commandments],c so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by its gates. 15But outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves {philōn} and practices falsehood.

16“I, Jesus (YHWH saves), have sent My angel (messenger) to give you⁺ this testimony for the churches {ekklēsiais}. I am the Root and the Offspring of David (beloved), the bright Morning Star.”

17The Spirit {Pneuma} and the bride say, “Come!” Let the one who hears say, “Come!” And let the one who is thirsty come, and the one who desires the water of life drink freely.

Nothing May Be Added or Removed

18I testify to everyone who hears the words of prophecy in this book (papyrus roll): If anyone adds to them, God {Theos} will add to him the plagues described in this book. 19And if anyone takes away from the words of this book (papyrus roll) of prophecy, God {Theos} will take away his share in the tree of life and the holy (set apart) city, which are described in this book.

20He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord {Kyrie} Jesus (YHWH saves)!

21The grace of the Lord {Kyriou} Jesus [Christ]d be with all the saints (holy ones).e

Amen.f