Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them. They will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will rule with him for 1,000 years.
‘Whoever has ears should listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. If anyone wins the victory, I won’t let that person be hurt at all by the second death.’
But God chose you to be his own people, his royal priests, a holy nation, his special treasure. You’re all these things so that you can tell everyone how wonderful God is. He brought you out of darkness and into his marvelous light.
And since we are his children, we’re going to inherit everything that Christ will also inherit. But we must share in his sufferings if we also want to share in his glory.
Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die as believers in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, and they’ll be rewarded for what they’ve done.”
Because God has shown you such mercy, brothers and sisters, I ask you to offer up your bodies to God while you are still alive. That will be a sacrifice that is holy and pleasing to God. It’s the right kind of worship to offer God.
But others will be thrown into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur: cowards, unbelievers, and murderers; those who are impure or commit sexual sins or practice witchcraft; those who worship idols; and all liars. The lake of fire is the second death.”
You’re also like living stones. As you come to Christ, you’re being built into a house for worship. There you will be holy priests and offer spiritual sacrifices that God will accept because of what Jesus Christ has done.
‘If anyone wins the victory, I’ll give that person the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I won the victory and sat down with my Father on his throne.
There will be no more night. They won’t need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord God will give them light. And they will rule for ever and ever.