1. The angel showed me the river of the water of life, clear as crystal. The river flows from the throne of God and the Lamb.
2. It flows down the middle of the street of the city. The tree of life is on each side of the river, and it produces fruit every month, twelve times a year. The leaves of the tree are for healing the nations.
3. Nothing that God judges guilty will be there in that city. The throne of God and the Lamb will be in the city. God’s servants will worship him.
4. They will see his face. God’s name will be written on their foreheads.
5. There will never be night again. People will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun. The Lord God will give them light. And they will rule like kings forever and ever.
6. Then the angel said to me, “These words are true and can be trusted. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must happen soon:
7. ‘Listen, I am coming soon! Great blessings belong to the one who obeys the words of prophecy in this book.’”
8. I am John. I am the one who heard and saw these things. After I heard and saw them, I bowed down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me.
9. But the angel said to me, “Don’t worship me! I am a servant like you and your brothers the prophets. I am a servant like all those who obey the words in this book. You should worship God!”