<h3>THE NEW HEAVEN ON EARTH</h3>
<p>Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven
and the first earth had passed away and the sea was no more. And
I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down from God
out of heaven, all ready like a bride attired to meet her husband.
I also heard a loud voice from the throne which said: "Behold, God's
dwelling-place is with men, and he shall dwell among men, and they
shall be his people, and God himself will be with them. He shall
wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more;
neither shall there be mourning nor wailing, nor pain, for the fir<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_328" id="Page_328">[328]</SPAN></span>st
things have passed away." The One who is seated on the throne
said: "Behold, I make all things new!" And he added, "Write
this: 'These words are faithful and true.'"</p>
<p>And he said to me, "All is over! I am the Alpha and the Omega,
the First and the Last. I will let the thirsty drink freely of the fountain
of life. He who conquers shall obtain this, and I will be his God
and he shall be my son."</p>
<p>The city has no need of the sun nor of the moon to give it light,
for the glory of God illumines it and its light is the Lamb. Its gates
shall never be shut by day and there shall be no night there. Nothing
unclean nor any one who does what is shameful or deceitful
shall enter it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's
book of life.</p>
<p>Then he showed me the river of the water of life, clear as crystal,
flowing through the streets of the city from the throne of God and
the Lamb. On both sides of the river grew the tree that gives
life, which bore twelve kinds of fruit and yielded its fruit each
month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the
nations.</p>
<p>And the throne of God and the Lamb will be in that city; and
his servants will serve and worship him; they will see his face and
his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night
there, and they will have no need of the light of lamp or sun, for
the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and
ever.</p>
<p>And he said to me: "Do not keep secret the prophetic words
contained in this book, for the time of their fulfilment is near. He
who does wrong, let him still do wrong, and he who is filthy, let him
still be filthy, and he who is righteous, let him still do right, and he
who is pure, let him still be pure. Know that I am coming quickly
and I will bring my rewards to repay each for what he has done.
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning
and the End. Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they
may have a right to the tree of life and to go through the gates into
the city.</p>
<p>"I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you for the churches.
I am the Scion and Offspring of David, the bright, the Morning Star.
Both the Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come.' Let him who hears say,
'Come,' let him who is thirsty come, and whoever will, let him take
of the water of life freely."<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_329" id="Page_329">[329]</SPAN></span></p>
<div class="blockquot"><p>"For God so loved the world, that he gave
his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth
in him, should not perish, but have
everlasting life."</p>
</div>
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