Knox Bible

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He shewed me, too, a river, whose waters give life; it flows, clear as crystal, from the throne of God, from the throne of the Lamb.

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On either side of the river, mid-way along the city street, grows the tree that gives life, bearing its fruit twelvefold, one yield for each month. And the leaves of this tree bring health to all the nations.✻

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No longer can there be any profanation in that city; God’s throne (which is the Lamb’s throne) will be there, with his servants to worship him,

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and to see his face, his name written on their foreheads.

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There will be no more night, no more need of light from lamp or sun; the Lord God will shed his light on them, and they will reign for ever and ever.

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Then the angel said to me, These words are sure and true. The Lord God who inspires his prophets has sent his angel to tell his servants what must soon find its due accomplishment.✻

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Patience, I am coming soon. Blessed is he who holds fast the words of prophecy this book contains.

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All this I, John, heard and saw, till, hearing and seeing it, I fell down as if to worship at the feet of the angel who revealed it to me.

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But he said, Never that; I am only a fellow servant of thine, and of thy brother prophets, and of all who hold fast the words which this book contains. Keep thy worship for God.✻

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Then the command came to me, Do not seal up the words of prophecy that are contained in this book; the time is close at hand.✻

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Meanwhile, the wrong-doer must persist in his deeds of wrong, the corrupt in his corruption, the just man in winning his justification, the holy in his life of holiness.

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Patience, I am coming soon; and with me comes the award I make, repaying each man according to the life he has lived.

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I am Alpha, I am Omega, I am before all, I am at the end of all, the beginning of all things and their end.

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Blessed are those who wash their garments in the blood of the Lamb; so they will have access to the tree which gives life, and find their way through the gates into the city.✻

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No room there for prowling dogs, for sorcerers and wantons and murderers and idolaters, for anyone who loves falsehood and lives in it.

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I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you the assurance of this in your churches; I, the root, I, the offspring of David’s race, I, the bright star that brings in the day.

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The Spirit and my bride bid me come; let everyone who hears this read out say, Come. Come, you who are thirsty, take, you who will, the water of life; it is my free gift.

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To all who hear the words of prophecy this book contains, I give this warning. If anyone adds to them, God will add to his punishment the plagues which this book threatens;

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and if anyone cancels a word in this book of prophecy, God will cancel his share in the book of life, in the holy city, in all that this book promises.✻

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And he who gives this warning says, Indeed I am coming soon. Be it so, then; come, Lord Jesus.✻

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May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.✻