The
River of Life
Then the angel showed me the river
of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of
the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the
river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit
each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
Nothing accursed will be found there any more. But the throne of God and of the
Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him; they will see his face,
and his name will be on their foreheads. And there will be no more night; they
need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they
will reign for ever and ever.
And he said to me, ‘These words are
trustworthy and true, for the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has
sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.’
’See, I am coming soon! Blessed is
the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.’
Epilogue
and Benediction
I, John, am the one who heard and
saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the
feet of the angel who showed them to me; but he said to me, ‘You must not do
that! I am a fellow-servant with you and your comrades the prophets, and with
those who keep the words of this book.
Worship
God!’
And he said to me, ‘Do not seal up
the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. Let the evildoer
still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do
right, and the holy still be holy.’
’See, I am coming soon; my reward is
with me, to repay according to everyone’s work. I am the Alpha and the Omega,
the first and the last, the beginning and the end.’
Blessed are those who wash their
robes, so that they will have the right to the tree of life and may enter the
city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and fornicators and
murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practises falsehood.
’It is I, Jesus, who sent my angel
to you with this testimony for the churches. I am the root and the descendant
of David, the bright morning star.’
The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’
And let
everyone who hears say, ‘Come.’
And let
everyone who is thirsty come.
Let
anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift.
I warn everyone who hears the words
of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to that
person the plagues described in this book; if anyone takes away from the words
of the book of this prophecy, God will take away that person’s share in the
tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
The
one who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with
all the saints. (NRSV)
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This reading is taken from 30
Scripture Readings on Getting to Know God. The complete book can be found
here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ZK5HAK/ref=nosim?tag=hudsonbcom-20&linkCode=sb1&camp=212353&creative=380549
NEW REVISED STANDARD VERSION BIBLE, copyright 1989, Division
of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the
United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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