The Destiny of the Wicked And Of The Good (Psalms 37) Good News Translation

1    Don't be worried on account of the wicked; don't be jealous of those who do wrong.

2    They will soon disappear like grass that dries up; they will die like plants that wither.

TRUST

3    Trust in the Lord and do good; live in the land and be safe.

4    Seek your happiness in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desire.

COMMITT

5    Give yourself to the Lord; trust in him, and he will help you;

6    he will make your righteousness shine like the noonday sun.

PATIENCE

7    Be patient and wait for the Lord to act; don't be worried about those who prosper or those who succeed in their evil plans.

RESULTS

8    Don't give in to worry or anger; it only leads to trouble.

9    Those who trust in the Lord will possess the land, but the wicked will be driven out.

JUDGEMENT

10  Soon the wicked will disappear; you may look for them, but you won't find them;

11  but the humble will possess the land and enjoy prosperity and peace.

12  The wicked plot against good people and glare at them with hate.

13  But the Lord laughs at wicked people, because he knows they will soon be destroyed.

14  The wicked draw their swords and bend their bows to kill the poor and needy, to slaughter those who do what is right;

15  but they will be killed by their own swords, and their bows will be smashed.

16  The little that a good person owns is worth more than the wealth of all the wicked,

17  because the Lord will take away the strength of the wicked, but protect those who are good.

REWARD

18  The Lord takes care of those who obey him, and the land will be theirs forever.

19  They will not suffer when times are bad; they will have enough in time of famine.

20  But the wicked will die; the enemies of the Lord will vanish like wild flowers; they will disappear like smoke.

21  The wicked borrow and never pay back, but good people are generous with their gifts.

22  Those who are blessed by the Lord will possess the land, but those who are cursed by him will be driven out.

23  The Lord guides us in the way we should go and protects those who please him.

24  If they fall, they will not stay down, because the Lord will help them up.

WISDOM AND PROMISE

25  I am old now; I have lived a long time, but I have never seen good people abandoned by the Lord or their children begging for food.

26  At all times they give freely and lend to others, and their children are a blessing.

27  Turn away from evil and do good, and your descendants will always live in the land;

28  for the Lord loves what is right and does not abandon his faithful people.  He protects them forever, but the descendants of the wicked will be driven out.

29  The righteous will possess the land and live in it forever.

30  The words of good people are wise, and they are always fair.

31  They keep the law of their God in their hearts and never depart from it.

32  Wicked people watch good people and try to kill them;

33  but the Lord will not abandon them to their enemy's power or let them be condemned when they are on trial.

34  Put your hope in the Lord and obey his commands; he will honor you by giving you the land, and you will see the wicked driven out.

35  I once knew someone wicked who was a tyrant; he towered over everyone like a cedar of Lebanon;

36  but later I passed by, and he wasn't there; I looked for him, but couldn't find him.

37  Notice good people, observe the righteous; peaceful people have descendants,

38  but sinners are completely destroyed, and their descendants are wiped out.

39  The Lord saves the righteous and protects them in times of trouble.

40  He helps them and rescues them; he saves them from the wicked, because they go to him for protection.

Confidence In God's Protection (Psalms 62:1-12) Good News and The Message Translations

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION

1    I wait patiently for God to save me; I depend on him alone.

2    He alone protects and saves me; he is my defender, and I shall never be defeated.

3    How much longer will all of you attack someone who is no stronger than a broken-down fence?

4    You only want to bring him down from his place of honor;  you take pleasure in lies.  You speak words of blessing, but in your heart you curse him.

5    I depend on God alone;  I put my hope in him.

6    He alone protects and saves me;  he is my defender, and I shall never be defeated.

7    My salvation and honor depend on God;  he is my strong protector;  he is my shelter.

8    Trust in God at all times, my people.  Tell him all your troubles, for he is our refuge.

9    Human beings are all like a puff of breath; great and small alike are worthless.  Put them on the scales, and they weigh nothing; they are lighter than a mere breath.

10  Don't put your trust in violence; don't hope to gain anything by robbery; even if your riches increase, don't depend on them. 

11  More than once I have heard God say that power belongs to him

12  and that his love is constant.  You yourself, O Lord, reward everyone according to their deeds.

THE MESSAGE TRANSLATION

1-2  God, the one and only—I’ll wait as long as he says.  Everything I need comes from him, so why not?
He’s solid rock under my feet, breathing room for my soul,  An impregnable castle:  I’m set for life.

3-4  How long will you gang up on me?  How long will you run with the bullies?  There’s nothing to you, any of you—rotten floorboards, worm-eaten rafters,  Anthills plotting to bring down mountains, far gone in make-believe.  You talk a good line, but every “blessing” breathes a curse.

5-6  God, the one and only—I’ll wait as long as he says.  Everything I hope for comes from him, so why not?  He’s solid rock under my feet, breathing room for my soul,  An impregnable castle:  I’m set for life.

7-8  My help and glory are in God—granite-strength and safe-harbor-God—So trust him absolutely, people; lay your lives on the line for him.  God is a safe place to be.

9    Man as such is smoke, woman as such, a mirage.  Put them together, they’re nothing; two times nothing is nothing.

10  And a windfall, if it comes—don’t make too much of it.

11  God said this once and for all; how many times Have I heard it repeated?  “Strength comes Straight from God.”  

12  Love to you, Lord God!  You pay a fair wage for a good day’s work!

The Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53:1-12) Good News and The Message Translations

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION

1    The people reply, “Who would have believed what we now report?  Who could have seen the Lord's hand in this?

2  It was the will of the Lord that his servant grow like a plant taking root in dry ground.  He had no dignity or beauty to make us take notice of him.  There was nothing attractive about him, nothing that would draw us to him.

3    We despised him and rejected him; he endured suffering and pain.  No one would even look at him—we ignored him as if he were nothing.

4    “But he endured the suffering that should have been ours, the pain that we should have borne.  All the while we thought that his suffering was punishment sent by God.

5     But because of our sins he was wounded, beaten because of the evil we did.  We are healed by the punishment he suffered, made whole by the blows he received.

6    All of us were like sheep that were lost, each of us going his own way.  But the Lord made the punishment fall on him, the punishment all of us deserved.

7    “He was treated harshly, but endured it humbly; he never said a word.  Like a lamb about to be slaughtered, like a sheep about to be sheared, he never said a word.

8    He was arrested and sentenced and led off to die, and no one cared about his fate.  He was put to death for the sins of our people.

9    He was placed in a grave with those who are evil, he was buried with the rich, even though he had never committed a crime or ever told a lie.”

10  The Lord says, “It was my will that he should suffer;  his death was a sacrifice to bring forgiveness.  And so he will see his descendants; he will live a long life, and through him my purpose will succeed.

11  After a life of suffering, he will again have joy; he will know that he did not suffer in vain.  My devoted servant, with whom I am pleased, will bear the punishment of many and for his sake I will forgive them.

12  And so I will give him a place of honor, a place among the great and powerful.  He willingly gave his life and shared the fate of evil men.  He took the place of many sinners and prayed that they might be forgiven.”

THE MESSAGE TRANSLATION

1    Who believes what we’ve heard and seen?  Who would have thought God’s saving power would look like this?

2-6  The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling, a scrubby plant in a parched field.  There was nothing attractive about him, nothing to cause us to take a second look.  He was looked down on and passed over, a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand.  One look at him and people turned away.  We looked down on him, thought he was scum.  But the fact is, it was our pains he carried—our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us.  We thought he brought it on himself, that God was punishing him for his own failures.  But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins!  He took the punishment, and that made us whole.  Through his bruises we get healed.  We’re all like sheep who’ve wandered off and gotten lost.  We’ve all done our own thing, gone our own way.  And God has piled all our sins, everything we’ve done wrong,  on him, on him.

7-9  He was beaten, he was tortured, but he didn’t say a word.  Like a lamb taken to be slaughtered and like a sheep being sheared, he took it all in silence.  Justice miscarried, and he was led off—and did anyone really know what was happening?  He died without a thought for his own welfare, beaten bloody for the sins of my people.  They buried him with the wicked, threw him in a grave with a rich man, Even though he’d never hurt a soul or said one word that wasn’t true.

10  Still, it’s what God had in mind all along, to crush him with pain.  The plan was that he give himself as an offering for sin so that he’d see life come from it—life, life, and more life.  And God’s plan will deeply prosper through him.

11-12  Out of that terrible travail of soul, he’ll see that it’s worth it and be glad he did it.  Through what he experienced, my righteous one, my servant, will make many “righteous ones,”  as he himself carries the burden of their sins.  Therefore I’ll reward him extravagantly— the best of everything, the highest honors—Because he looked death in the face and didn’t flinch, because he embraced the company of the lowest.  He took on his own shoulders the sin of the many, he took up the cause of all the black sheep.

Turn To The Lord (Isaiah 55:6-11) Good News and The Message Translations

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION

6    Turn to the Lord and pray to him, now that he is near.

7    Let the wicked leave their way of life and change their way of thinking.  Let them turn to the Lord, our God; he is merciful and quick to forgive.

8    “My thoughts,” says the Lord, “are not like yours, and my ways are different from yours.

9    As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways and thoughts above yours.

10  “My word is like the snow and the rain that come down from the sky to water the earth.  They make the crops grow and provide seed for planting and food to eat.

11  So also will be the word that I speak—it will not fail to do what I plan for it; it will do everything I send it to do.

THE MESSAGE TRANSLATION

6-7    Seek God while he’s here to be found, pray to him while he’s close at hand.  Let the wicked abandon their way of life and the evil their way of thinking.  Let them come back to God, who is merciful, come back to our God, who is lavish with forgiveness.

8-11  “I don’t think the way you think.  The way you work isn’t the way I work.”  God’s Decree.  “For as the sky soars high above earth, so the way I work surpasses the way you work, and the way I think is 

beyond the way you think.  Just as rain and snow descend from the skies and don’t go back until they’ve watered the earth,  Doing their work of making things grow and blossom, producing seed for farmers and food for the hungry,  So will the words that come out of my mouth not come back empty-handed.  They’ll do the work I sent them to do, they’ll complete the assignment I gave them.

God's Offer Of Mercy (Isaiah 55:1-5) Good News and The Message Translations

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION

1  The Lord says, “Come, everyone who is thirsty—here is water!  Come, you that have no money—buy grain and eat!  Come! Buy wine and milk—it will cost you nothing!

2  Why spend money on what does not satisfy?  Why spend your wages and still be hungry?  Listen to me and do what I say, and you will enjoy the best food of all.

3  “Listen now, my people, and come to me; come to me, and you will have life!  I will make a lasting covenant with you and give you the blessings I promised to David.

4  I made him a leader and commander of nations, and through him I showed them my power.

5  Now you will summon foreign nations; at one time they did not know you, but now they will come running to join you!  I, the Lord your God, the holy God of Israel, will make all this happen; I will give you honor and glory.”

THE MESSAGE TRANSLATION

1-5  “Hey there! All who are thirsty, come to the water!  Are you penniless?  Come anyway—buy and eat!
Come, buy your drinks, buy wine and milk.  Buy without money—everything’s free!  Why do you spend your money on junk food, your hard-earned cash on cotton candy?  Listen to me, listen well: Eat only the best, fill yourself with only the finest.  Pay attention, come close now, listen carefully to my life-giving, life-nourishing words.  I’m making a lasting covenant commitment with you, the same that I made with David: sure, solid, enduring love.  I set him up as a witness to the nations, made him a prince and leader of the nations,  And now I’m doing it to you:  You’ll summon nations you’ve never heard of, and nations who’ve never heard of you will come running to you  Because of me, your God, because The Holy of Israel has honored you.”

What The Lord Requires (Micah 6:6-9) Good News and The Message Translations

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION

6  What shall I bring to the Lord, the God of heaven, when I come to worship him?  Shall I bring the best calves to burn as offerings to him?

7  Will the Lord be pleased if I bring him thousands of sheep or endless streams of olive oil?  Shall I offer him my first-born child to pay for my sins?

8  No, the Lord has told us what is good.  What he requires of us is this:  to do what is just, to show constant love, and to live in humble fellowship with our God.

9  It is wise to fear the Lord.  he calls to the city, "Listen, you people who assemble in the city!

THE MESSAGE TRANSLATION

6-7  How can I stand up before God and show proper respect to the high God?  Should I bring an armload of offerings topped off with yearling calves?  Would God be impressed with thousands of rams, with buckets and barrels of olive oil?  Would he be moved if I sacrificed my firstborn child, my precious baby, to cancel my sin?

8    But he's already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women.  It's quite simple:  Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, And don't take yourself too seriously--take God seriously.

9  Attention!  God calls out to the city!  If you know what's good for you you'll listen.  So listen,  all of you!  This is serious business.

Wisdom From The Lord (Jeremiah 17:5-11) Good News and The Message Translations

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION
5    The Lord says, “I will condemn those who turn away from me and put their trust in human beings, in the strength of mortals.
6    He is like a bush in the desert, which grows in the dry wasteland, on salty ground where nothing else grows.  Nothing good ever happens to him.
7    “But I will bless the person who puts his trust in me.
8    He is like a tree growing near a stream and sending out roots to the water.  It is not afraid when hot weather comes, because its leaves stay green; it has no worries when there is no rain; it keeps on bearing fruit.
9    “Who can understand the human heart?  There is nothing else so deceitful; it is too sick to be healed.
10  I, the Lord, search the minds and test the hearts of people.  I treat each of them according to the way they live, according to what they do.”
11  The person who gets money dishonestly is like a bird that hatches eggs it didn't lay.  In the prime of life he will lose his riches, and in the end he is nothing but a fool.

THE MESSAGE TRANSLATION

5-6  God’s Message:  “Cursed is the strong one who depends on mere humans, Who thinks he can make it on muscle alone and sets God aside as dead weight.  He’s like a tumbleweed on the prairie, out of touch with the good earth.  He lives rootless and aimless in a land where nothing grows.

7-8  “But blessed is the man who trusts me, God, the woman who sticks with God.  They’re like trees replanted in Eden, putting down roots near the rivers—Never a worry through the hottest of summers,

    never dropping a leaf, Serene and calm through droughts, bearing fresh fruit every season.

9-10  “The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out.  But I, God, search the heart and examine the mind.  I get to the heart of the human.  I get to the root of things.  I treat them as they really are, not as they pretend to be.”

11    Like a cowbird that cheats by laying its eggs in another bird’s nest Is the person who gets rich by cheating.  When the eggs hatch, the deceit is exposed.  What a fool he’ll look like then!

Conclusion (Revelation 22:18-21) New Living, Good News and The Message Translations

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION

18  And I solemnly declare to everyone who hears the words of prophecy written in this book: If anyone adds anything to what is written here, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book. 

19  And if anyone removes any of the words from this book of prophecy, God will remove that person’s share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book.

20  He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!”

Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!
21  May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s holy people.

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION
18  I, John, solemnly warn everyone who hears the prophetic words of this book: if any add anything to them, God will add to their punishment the plagues described in this book. 
19  And if any take anything away from the prophetic words of this book, God will take away from them their share of the fruit of the tree of life and of the Holy City, which are described in this book.
20  He who gives his testimony to all this says, “Yes indeed! I am coming soon!”
So be it. Come, Lord Jesus!
21  May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with everyone.

THE MESSAGE TRANSLATION

18-19  I give fair warning to all who hear the words of the prophecy of this book: If you add to the words of this prophecy, God will add to your life the disasters written in this book; if you subtract from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will subtract your part from the Tree of Life and the Holy City that are written in this book.

20  He who testifies to all these things says it again: “I’m on my way! I’ll be there soon!”

Yes! Come, Master Jesus!
21  The grace of the Master Jesus be with all of you. Oh, Yes!

The Coming Of Jesus (Revelation 22:6-17) New Living and Good News Translations

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION
6    Then the angel said to me, “Everything you have heard and seen is trustworthy and true. The Lord God, who inspires his prophets, has sent his angel to tell his servants what will happen soon.” 
7    “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed are those who obey the words of prophecy written in this book.”
8    I, John, am the one who heard and saw all 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.
9    But he said, “No, don’t worship me. I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers the prophets, as well as all who obey what is written in this book. Worship only God!”
10  Then he instructed me, “Do not seal up the prophetic words in this book, for the time is near.
11  Let the one who is doing harm continue to do harm; let the one who is vile continue to be vile; let the one who is righteous continue to live righteously; let the one who is holy continue to be holy.”
12  “Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. 
13  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
14  Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life.
15  Outside the city are the dogs—the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol worshipers, and all who love to live a lie.
16  “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this message for the churches. I am both the source of David and the heir to his throne. I am the bright morning star.”
17  The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Let anyone who hears this say, “Come.” Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life.

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION
6    Then the angel said to me, “These words are true and can be trusted. And the Lord God, who gives his Spirit to the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must happen very soon.”
7    “Listen!” says Jesus. “I am coming soon! Happy are those who obey the prophetic words in this book!”
8    I, John, have heard and seen all these things. And when I finished hearing and seeing them, I fell down at the feet of the angel who had shown me these things, and I was about to worship him. 
9    But he said to me, “Don't do it! I am a servant together with you and with your brothers the prophets and of all those who obey the words in this book. Worship God!” 
10  And he said to me, “Do not keep the prophetic words of this book a secret, because the time is near when all this will happen. 
11  Whoever is evil must go on doing evil, and whoever is filthy must go on being filthy; whoever is good must go on doing good, and whoever is holy must go on being holy.”
12  “Listen!” says Jesus. “I am coming soon! I will bring my rewards with me, to give to each one according to what he has done. 
13  I am the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”
14  Happy are those who wash their robes clean and so have the right to eat the fruit from the tree of life and to go through the gates into the city. 
15  But outside the city are the perverts and those who practice magic, the immoral and the murderers, those who worship idols and those who are liars both in words and deeds.
16  “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to announce these things to you in the churches. I am descended from the family of David; I am the bright morning star.”
17  The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come!”  Everyone who hears this must also say, “Come!”  Come, whoever is thirsty; accept the water of life as a gift, whoever wants it.

The New Jerusalem (continued) Revelation 22:1-5 (New Living and Good News Translations)

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION

1  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. 

2  It flowed down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations.

3  No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him. 

4  And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads. 

5  And there will be no night there—no need for lamps or sun—for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever. 

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION

1  The angel also showed me the river of the water of life, sparkling like crystal, and coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb 

2  and flowing down the middle of the city's street. On each side of the river was the tree of life, which bears fruit twelve times a year, once each month; and its leaves are for the healing of the nations.

3  Nothing that is under God's curse will be found in the city.  The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will worship him. 

4  They will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads. 

5  There shall be no more night, and they will not need lamps or sunlight, because the Lord God will be their light, and they will rule as kings forever and ever.

The New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:9-27) Good News Translation

9    One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came to me and said, “Come, and I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 
10  The Spirit took control of me, and the angel carried me to the top of a very high mountain. He showed me Jerusalem, the Holy City, coming down out of heaven from God 
11  and shining with the glory of God. The city shone like a precious stone, like a jasper, clear as crystal.
12  It had a great, high wall with twelve gates and with twelve angels in charge of the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of the people of Israel. 
13  There were three gates on each side: three on the east, three on the south, three on the north, and three on the west. 
14  The city's wall was built on twelve foundation stones, on which were written the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 
15  The angel who spoke to me had a gold measuring stick to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. 
16  The city was perfectly square, as wide as it was long. The angel measured the city with his measuring stick: it was fifteen hundred miles long and was as wide and as high as it was long. 
17  The angel also measured the wall, and it was 216 feet high, according to the standard unit of measure which he was using.
18  The wall was made of jasper, and the city itself was made of pure gold, as clear as glass. 
19  The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with all kinds of precious stones. The first foundation stone was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 
20  the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh yellow quartz, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chalcedony, the eleventh turquoise, the twelfth amethyst. 
21  The twelve gates were twelve pearls; each gate was made from a single pearl. The street of the city was of pure gold, transparent as glass.
22  I did not see a temple in the city, because its temple is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb. 
23  The city has no need of the sun or the moon to shine on it, because the glory of God shines on it, and the Lamb is its lamp. 
24  The peoples of the world will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their wealth into it.
25  The gates of the city will stand open all day; they will never be closed, because there will be no night there. 
26  The greatness and the wealth of the nations will be brought into the city. 
27  But nothing that is impure will enter the city, nor anyone who does shameful things or tells lies. Only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of the living will enter the city.

The New Heaven And The New Earth (Revelation 21:1-8) New Living and Good News Translations

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION

1  Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 

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

3  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.

4  He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

5  And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.”

6  And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. 

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

8  “But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION

1  Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth disappeared, and the sea vanished. 

2  And I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared and ready, like a bride dressed to meet her husband. 

3  I heard a loud voice speaking from the throne: “Now God's home is with people! He will live with them, and they shall be his people. God himself will be with them, and he will be their God. 

4  He will wipe away all tears from their eyes. There will be no more death, no more grief or crying or pain. The old things have disappeared.”

5  Then the one who sits on the throne said, “And now I make all things new!” He also said to me, “Write this, because these words are true and can be trusted.”

6  And he said, “It is done! I am the first and the last, the beginning and the end. To anyone who is thirsty I will give the right to drink from the spring of the water of life without paying for it. 

7  Those who win the victory will receive this from me: I will be their God, and they will be my children. 

8  But cowards, traitors, perverts, murderers, the immoral, those who practice magic, those who worship idols, and all liars—the place for them is the lake burning with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

The Dead Are Judged (Revelation 20:11-15) NIV and Good News Translations

NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION TRANSLATION
11  Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.
12  And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.
13  The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done.
14  Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.
15  Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION
11  Then I saw a great white throne and the one who sits on it. Earth and heaven fled from his presence and were seen no more. 
12  And I saw the dead, great and small alike, standing before the throne. Books were opened, and then another book was opened, the book of the living. The dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. 
13  Then the sea gave up its dead. Death and the world of the dead also gave up the dead they held. And all were judged according to what they had done. 
14  Then death and the world of the dead were thrown into the lake of fire. (This lake of fire is the second death.) 
15  Those who did not have their name written in the book of the living were thrown into the lake of fire.

The Defeat Of Satan (Revelation 20:7-10) New Living and Good News Translations

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION

7    When the thousand years come to an end, Satan will be let out of his prison. 

8    He will go out to deceive the nations—called Gog and Magog—in every corner of the earth. He will gather them together for battle—a mighty army, as numberless as sand along the seashore. 

9    And I saw them as they went up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded God’s people and the beloved city. But fire from heaven came down on the attacking armies and consumed them.

10  Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION

7    After the thousand years are over, Satan will be set loose from his prison, 

8    and he will go out to deceive the nations scattered over the whole world, that is, Gog and Magog. Satan will bring them all together for battle, as many as the grains of sand on the seashore. 

9    They spread out over the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people and the city that he loves. But fire came down from heaven and destroyed them. 

10  Then the Devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had already been thrown; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

The Thousand Years (Revelation 20:1-6) New Living and Good News Translations

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION

1  Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the bottomless pit and a heavy chain in his hand. 

2  He seized the dragon—that old serpent, who is the devil, Satan—and bound him in chains for a thousand years. 

3  The angel threw him into the bottomless pit, which he then shut and locked so Satan could not deceive the nations anymore until the thousand years were finished. Afterward he must be released for a little while.

4  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.

5  This is the first resurrection. (The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years had ended.) 

6  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.

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION

1  Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key of the abyss and a heavy chain. 

2  He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent—that is, the Devil, or Satan—and chained him up for a thousand years. 

3  The angel threw him into the abyss, locked it, and sealed it, so that he could not deceive the nations any more until the thousand years were over. After that he must be set loose for a little while.

4  Then I saw thrones, and those who sat on them were given the power to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been executed because they had proclaimed the truth that Jesus revealed and the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image, nor had they received the mark of the beast on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and ruled as kings with Christ for a thousand years. 

5  (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were over.) This is the first raising of the dead. 

6  Happy and greatly blessed are those who are included in this first raising of the dead. The second death has no power over them; they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and they will rule with him for a thousand years.

The Rider On The White Horse (Revelation 19:11-21) New Living and Good News Translations

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION

11  Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. 

12  His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. 

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

14  The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses. 

15  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. 

16  On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.

17  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. 

18  Come and eat the flesh of kings, generals, and strong warriors; of horses and their riders; and of all humanity, both free and slave, small and great.”

19  Then I saw the beast and the kings of the world and their armies gathered together to fight against the one sitting on the horse and his army. 

20  And the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who did mighty miracles on behalf of the beast—miracles that deceived all who had accepted the mark of the beast and who worshiped his statue. Both the beast and his false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 

21  Their entire army was killed by the sharp sword that came from the mouth of the one riding the white horse. And the vultures all gorged themselves on the dead bodies.

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION

11  Then I saw heaven open, and there was a white horse. Its rider is called Faithful and True; it is with justice that he judges and fights his battles. 
12  His eyes were like a flame of fire, and he wore many crowns on his head. He had a name written on him, but no one except himself knows what it is. 
13  The robe he wore was covered with blood. His name is “The Word of God.” 
14  The armies of heaven followed him, riding on white horses and dressed in clean white linen. 
15  Out of his mouth came a sharp sword, with which he will defeat the nations. He will rule over them with a rod of iron, and he will trample out the wine in the wine press of the furious anger of the Almighty God. 
16  On his robe and on his thigh was written the name: “King of kings and Lord of lords.”
17  Then I saw an angel standing on the sun. He shouted in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair: “Come and gather together for God's great feast! 
18  Come and eat the flesh of kings, generals, and soldiers, the flesh of horses and their riders, the flesh of all people, slave and free, great and small!”
19  Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered to fight against the one who was riding the horse and against his army. 
20  The beast was taken prisoner, together with the false prophet who had performed miracles in his presence. (It was by those miracles that he had deceived those who had the mark of the beast and those who had worshiped the image of the beast.) The beast and the false prophet were both thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. 
21  Their armies were killed by the sword that comes out of the mouth of the one who was riding the horse; and all the birds ate all they could of their flesh.

The Wedding Feast Of The Lamb (Revelation 19:5-10) New Living and Good News Translations

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION
5    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.”
6    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.
7    Let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give honor to him.  For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself.
8    She has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear.”  For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God’s holy people.
9    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.”
10  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.”

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION
5    Then there came from the throne the sound of a voice, saying, “Praise our God, all his servants and all people, both great and small, who have reverence for him!” 
6    Then I heard what sounded like a crowd, like the sound of a roaring waterfall, like loud peals of thunder. I heard them say, “Praise God! For the Lord, our Almighty God, is King! 
7    Let us rejoice and be glad; let us praise his greatness! For the time has come for the wedding of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself for it. 
8    She has been given clean shining linen to wear.” (The linen is the good deeds of God's people.)
9    Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Happy are those who have been invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” And the angel added, “These are the true words of God.”
10  I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “Don't do it! I am a servant together with you and with other believers, all those who hold to the truth that Jesus revealed. Worship God!”
For the truth that Jesus revealed is what inspires the prophets.

Songs Of Victory In Heaven (Revelation 19:1-4) New Living and Good News Translations

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION

1  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.

2  His judgments are true and just.  He has punished the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality.  He has avenged the murder of his servants.”

3  And again their voices rang out:  “Praise the Lord!  The smoke from that city ascends forever and ever!”

4  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!”

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION

1  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.

2  His judgments are true and just.  He has punished the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality.  He has avenged the murder of his servants.”

3  And again their voices rang out:  “Praise the Lord!  The smoke from that city ascends forever and ever!”

4  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!”

The Fall Of Babylon (continued) Revelation 18:11-24 (New Living and Good News Translations)

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION

11  The merchants of the world will weep and mourn for her, for there is no one left to buy their goods.

12  She bought great quantities of gold, silver, jewels, and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet cloth; things made of fragrant thyine wood, ivory goods, and objects made of expensive wood; and bronze, iron, and marble. 

13  She also bought cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, wagons, and bodies—that is, human slaves.

14  “The fancy things you loved so much are gone,” they cry.  “All your luxuries and splendor are gone forever, never to be yours again.”

15  The merchants who became wealthy by selling her these things will stand at a distance, terrified by her great torment. They will weep and cry out,

16  “How terrible, how terrible for that great city!  She was clothed in finest purple and scarlet linens, decked out with gold and precious stones and pearls! 

17  In a single moment all the wealth of the city is gone!”  And all the captains of the merchant ships and their passengers and sailors and crews will stand at a distance. 

18  They will cry out as they watch the smoke ascend, and they will say, “Where is there another city as great as this?” 

19  And they will weep and throw dust on their heads to show their grief. And they will cry out, “How terrible, how terrible for that great city!  The shipowners became wealthy by transporting her great wealth on the seas.  In a single moment it is all gone.”

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

21  Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a huge millstone. He threw it into the ocean and shouted, “Just like this, the great city Babylon will be thrown down with violence and will never be found again.

22  The sound of harps, singers, flutes, and trumpets will never be heard in you again.  No craftsmen and no trades will ever be found in you again.  The sound of the mill will never be heard in you again.

23  The light of a lamp will never shine in you again.  The happy voices of brides and grooms will never be heard in you again.  For your merchants were the greatest in the world, and you deceived the nations with your sorceries.

24  In your streets flowed the blood of the prophets and of God’s holy people and the blood of people slaughtered all over the world.”

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION

11  The merchants of the earth also cry and mourn for her, because no one buys their goods any longer;
12  no one buys their gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls; their goods of linen, purple cloth, silk, and scarlet cloth; all kinds of rare woods and all kinds of objects made of ivory and of expensive wood, of bronze, iron, and marble; 
13  and cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, and frankincense; wine and oil, flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and carriages, slaves, and even human lives. 
14  The merchants say to her, “All the good things you longed to own have disappeared, and all your wealth and glamor are gone, and you will never find them again!” 
15  The merchants, who became rich from doing business in that city, will stand a long way off, because they are afraid of sharing in her suffering. They will cry and mourn, 
16  and say, “How terrible! How awful for the great city! She used to dress herself in linen, purple, and scarlet, and cover herself with gold ornaments, precious stones, and pearls! 
17  And in one hour she has lost all this wealth!”  All the ships' captains and passengers, the sailors and all others who earn their living on the sea, stood a long way off, 
18  and cried out as they saw the smoke from the flames that consumed her: “There never has been another city like this great city!” 
19  They threw dust on their heads, they cried and mourned, saying, “How terrible! How awful for the great city! She is the city where all who have ships sailing the seas became rich on her wealth! And in one hour she has lost everything!”
20  Be glad, heaven, because of her destruction! Be glad, God's people and the apostles and prophets! For God has condemned her for what she did to you!
21  Then a mighty angel picked up a stone the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “This is how the great city Babylon will be violently thrown down and will never be seen again. 
22  The music of harps and of human voices, of players of the flute and the trumpet, will never be heard in you again! No workman in any trade will ever be found in you again; and the sound of the millstone will be heard no more! 
23  Never again will the light of a lamp be seen in you; no more will the voices of brides and grooms be heard in you. Your merchants were the most powerful in all the world, and with your false magic you deceived all the peoples of the world!”
24  Babylon was punished because the blood of prophets and of God's people was found in the city; yes, the blood of all those who have been killed on earth.

The Fall Of Babylon (Revelation 18:1-10) New Living and Good News Translations

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION

1   After all this I saw another angel come down from heaven with great authority, and the earth grew bright with his splendor. 

2   He gave a mighty shout:  “Babylon is fallen—that great city is fallen!  She has become a home for demons.  She is a hideout for every foul spirit,  a hideout for every foul vulture and every foul and dreadful animal.

3   For all the nations have fallen because of the wine of her passionate immorality.  The kings of the world

    have committed adultery with her.  Because of her desires for extravagant luxury, the merchants of the world have grown rich.”

4   Then I heard another voice calling from heaven, “Come away from her, my people.  Do not take part in her sins, or you will be punished with her.

5    For her sins are piled as high as heaven, and God remembers her evil deeds. 

6     Do to her as she has done to others.  Double her penalty for all her evil deeds.  She brewed a cup of terror for others, so brew twice as much for her.

7    She glorified herself and lived in luxury, so match it now with torment and sorrow.  She boasted in her heart, ‘I am queen on my throne.  I am no helpless widow, and I have no reason to mourn.’

8   Therefore, these plagues will overtake her in a single day—death and mourning and famine.  She will be completely consumed by fire, for the Lord God who judges her is mighty.”

9    And the kings of the world who committed adultery with her and enjoyed her great luxury will mourn for her as they see the smoke rising from her charred remains. 

10  They will stand at a distance, terrified by her great torment. They will cry out, “How terrible, how terrible for you, O Babylon, you great city!  In a single moment God’s judgment came on you.”

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION

1    After this I saw another angel coming down out of heaven. He had great authority, and his splendor brightened the whole earth. 

2    He cried out in a loud voice: “She has fallen! Great Babylon has fallen! She is now haunted by demons and unclean spirits; all kinds of filthy and hateful birds live in her. 

3    For all the nations have drunk her wine—the strong wine of her immoral lust. The kings of the earth practiced sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the world grew rich from her unrestrained lust.”

4    Then I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out, my people! Come out from her!  You must not take part in her sins; you must not share in her punishment!

5    For her sins are piled up as high as heaven, and God remembers her wicked ways.

6    Treat her exactly as she has treated you; pay her back double for all she has done.  Fill her cup with a drink twice as strong as the drink she prepared for you.

7    Give her as much suffering and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself. For she keeps telling herself:  ‘Here I sit, a queen!  I am no widow, I will never know grief’

8    Because of this, in one day she will be struck with plagues—disease, grief, and famine.  And she will be burned with fire, because the Lord God, who judges her, is mighty.”

9    The kings of the earth who took part in her immorality and lust will cry and weep over the city when they see the smoke from the flames that consume her. 

10  They stand a long way off, because they are afraid of sharing in her suffering. They say, “How terrible! How awful! This great and mighty city Babylon! In just one hour you have been punished!”

The Great Prostitute (Revelation 17) New Living and Good News Translations

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION

1    One of the seven angels who had poured out the seven bowls came over and spoke to me. “Come with me,” he said, “and I will show you the judgment that is going to come on the great prostitute, who rules over many waters. 

2    The kings of the world have committed adultery with her, and the people who belong to this world have been made drunk by the wine of her immorality.”

3    So the angel took me in the Spirit into the wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that had seven heads and ten horns, and blasphemies against God were written all over it. 

4    The woman wore purple and scarlet clothing and beautiful jewelry made of gold and precious gems and pearls. In her hand she held a gold goblet full of obscenities and the impurities of her immorality.

5    A mysterious name was written on her forehead: “Babylon the Great, Mother of All Prostitutes and Obscenities in the World.” 

6    I could see that she was drunk—drunk with the blood of God’s holy people who were witnesses for Jesus. I stared at her in complete amazement.

7    “Why are you so amazed?” the angel asked. “I will tell you the mystery of this woman and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns on which she sits. 

8    The beast you saw was once alive but isn’t now. And yet he will soon come up out of the bottomless pit and go to eternal destruction. And the people who belong to this world, whose names were not written in the Book of Life before the world was made, will be amazed at the reappearance of this beast who had died.

9    “This calls for a mind with understanding: The seven heads of the beast represent the seven hills where the woman rules. They also represent seven kings. 

10  Five kings have already fallen, the sixth now reigns, and the seventh is yet to come, but his reign will be brief.

11  “The scarlet beast that was, but is no longer, is the eighth king. He is like the other seven, and he, too, is headed for destruction. 

12  The ten horns of the beast are ten kings who have not yet risen to power. They will be appointed to their kingdoms for one brief moment to reign with the beast. 

13  They will all agree to give him their power and authority. 

14  Together they will go to war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will defeat them because he is Lord of all lords and King of all kings. And his called and chosen and faithful ones will be with him.”

15  Then the angel said to me, “The waters where the prostitute is ruling represent masses of people of every nation and language. 

16  The scarlet beast and his ten horns all hate the prostitute. They will strip her naked, eat her flesh, and burn her remains with fire. 

17  For God has put a plan into their minds, a plan that will carry out his purposes. They will agree to give their authority to the scarlet beast, and so the words of God will be fulfilled. 

18  And this woman you saw in your vision represents the great city that rules over the kings of the world.”

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION

1    Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came to me and said, “Come, and I will show you how the famous prostitute is to be punished, that great city that is built near many rivers. 
2    The kings of the earth practiced sexual immorality with her, and the people of the world became drunk from drinking the wine of her immorality.”
3    The Spirit took control of me, and the angel carried me to a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a red beast that had names insulting to God written all over it; the beast had seven heads and ten horns. 
4    The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and covered with gold ornaments, precious stones, and pearls. In her hand she held a gold cup full of obscene and filthy things, the result of her immorality. 
5    On her forehead was written a name that has a secret meaning: “Great Babylon, the mother of all prostitutes and perverts in the world.” 
6    And I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God's people and the blood of those who were killed because they had been loyal to Jesus.  When I saw her, I was completely amazed. 
7    “Why are you amazed?” the angel asked me. “I will tell you the secret meaning of the woman and of the beast that carries her, the beast with seven heads and ten horns. 
8    That beast was once alive, but lives no longer; it is about to come up from the abyss and will go off to be destroyed. The people living on earth whose names have not been written before the creation of the world in the book of the living, will all be amazed as they look at the beast. It was once alive; now it no longer lives, but it will reappear.
9    “This calls for wisdom and understanding. The seven heads are seven hills, on which the woman sits. They are also seven kings: 
10  five of them have fallen, one still rules, and the other one has not yet come; when he comes, he must rule only a little while. 
11  And the beast that was once alive, but lives no longer, is itself an eighth king who is one of the seven and is going off to be destroyed.
12  “The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet begun to rule, but who will be given authority to rule as kings for one hour with the beast. 
13  These ten all have the same purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast. 
14  They will fight against the Lamb; but the Lamb, together with his called, chosen, and faithful followers, will defeat them, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings.”
15  The angel also said to me, “The waters you saw, on which the prostitute sits, are nations, peoples, races, and languages. 
16  The ten horns you saw and the beast will hate the prostitute; they will take away everything she has and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and destroy her with fire. 
17  For God has placed in their hearts the will to carry out his purpose by acting together and giving to the beast their power to rule until God's words come true.
18  “The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.”