The passage
      v1. In the opening verse, John witnesses the transformation of all things - a new heaven and a new earth.
      v2. John sees the "Holy City, the new Jerusalem". This city is "prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband." The image, of course, is that of the bride of Christ, the people of God, the assembled brotherhood of Christ. The image of the assembly of believers "coming down", represents a restored humanity in a new dimension, an amalgamation of the earthly and heavenly realms.
      v3. John hears a loud voice, a voice of authority, declaring a mighty truth. The shechinah glory of the Lord (his radiant presence, his person in all its fullness) now resides, dwells, tabernacles, with his people. The promise to Israel, all those years ago, is now a reality. "They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God."
      v4. As our intimate friend, God will console us in our troubles; he will wipe away every tear. The context implies that the troubles for which God will console us are the troubles of this age, an age now passed. Christ has opened the seals and dealt with the pains of this age.
      v5 God now speaks, "I am making everything new". The process of renewal begins; darkness in chaos recedes. God's proclamation to the suffering community of Christ is that all things are being renewed right now, cf. 2Cor.4:16-18. The age of renewal has begun and will extend into eternity. Stunned by this revelation, John is prompted to "write this down", he is to write down his vision.
      v6. The prophetic vision has now ended and the one who is the beginning of all things and the end of all things, makes a promise to his suffering people: life-giving water is theirs at journey's end.
      v7. The believer, who holds onto their faith in Christ, is assured victory.
      v8. For those without faith, eternal death awaits them. A list of eight examples is supplied. Sadly, we will toy with many of these evils during our Christian walk, but here they serve to describe a life lived in constant rebellion against the living God, rather than just a passing flirtation.

No more mourning or crying
      In Australia, the classic response to the difficulties of life is "don't worry, she'll be right mate." The fact is, it may not get right and in any case, it is my worrying about it that is the main problem. If only I could stop worrying and start living - accept the trouble and get on with life. In truth, most of us are debilitated by the emotional stress caused by our problems, rather than by the problems themselves.
      How then do we handle the "death, or mourning, or crying, or pain," of this old order of things? What means do we have to wipe every tear from our eyes? There are some obvious practical steps that can aid us in rightly addressing the pressures of life.
      We must first identify the problem.
      Having identified the cause, we must then assess our reaction. First, we must identify our reactive feelings. We have to be able to articulate how we feel about the situation we now face. "I feel afraid; I feel guilty...." and so on. Then we need to reassess these feelings. Often, our feelings are a reaction to subconscious thoughts which may not be at all relevant to the situation we face. We must ask, is this reaction of mine rational or irrational?
      Having identified the problem (the cause) and analyzed our feelings, we must then consider our response, developing a plan of action.
      We are best to document our efforts in a "Problem Book." At the top of the page we define the problem, then we express how we feel about it and finally we list the possible solutions. These solutions inevitably become our plan of action. When we are worried by one of our problems we simply turn it up in our "Problem Book" and see if anything has changed, The best place to keep our "Problem Book" is in a locked draw; out of sight out of mind!
      This approach can lift much of the burden of life's pressures, but it is the vision of the eternal that truly wipes every tear from our eyes. Honestly facing the pressures of life is the essential first step toward dealing with them, but it is viewing them in the light of eternity that gives them their true place in the scheme of things. The troubles of this age seem beyond solution, but Christ has broken the seals and confounded the darkness with light. "The old order of things" is passing away, "now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them" and "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, or mourning, or crying, or pain." In part, this is our experience at the moment, but the age is dawning when we will experience the tender and comforting hand of our God in all its fullness. Then indeed will every tear be wiped from our eyes. It is the vision of the Holy City in the age to come that aids us in drying our eyes today.

v2
      thn polin thn aJgian Ierousalhm kainhn eidon "I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem" - The city of God which is the new Jerusalem = the redeemed, the new creation, the people of God, the heavenly assembly.
      katabainousan (katabainw) part. "coming down" - descending. The redeemed people assemble in (descend into) God's new domain. A Western imagination doesn't quite get the descending imagery. The words describe the glorification of the people of God at the hand of God, in the eternal domain.
      hJtoimasmenhn (eJtoimazw) pas. part. "prepared" - prepared, made ready
      kekosmhmenhn (kosmew) pas. part. "beautifully dressed" - adorned. The city was as a woman adorned (appropriately/beautifully dressed) to meet her husband.
      tw/ "for [her husband]" - The dative article can be read differently. The NIV has translated it as a dative of advantage, she is adorned for the advantage of her husband. TEV opts for "to meet"; she is adorned ready to join with the man she is about to marry. The people of God, new in Christ, stand prepared to meet God.

v3
      skhnh (h) "dwelling" - dwelling, tabernacle, shelter. The final words of Ezekiel's vision is "The name of the city shall be 'the Lord is there'". Israel's great hope is that the Lord will tabernacle with his people, make his abode with them, cf. Lev.26:11, Isa.7:14. This then is the ultimate blessing and is realized in the final gathering together of God's people.
      laoi (oV) pl. "people" - peoples. The source texts are either singular or plural and as the plural is the more difficult reading it is probably original. The sense is "the peoples of the world", "all races", etc.
      met ..... estai "will be with" - The sense is will remain/abide with, underlining God's presence with his people - the blessing of relationship, fellowship, oneness, love....
      autwn qeoV "and be their God" - This textual variant may be original. So, possibly "[with them] as their God."

v4
      oJ qanatoV ouk estai eti "death will be no more" - death will be not still (no longer). Physical death is intended. "Death will no longer exist."
      penqoV (oV) "mourning" - The mourning associated with bereavement, cf Isa.25:8, 35:10, 51:11.
      kraugh (h) "crying" - Although "weeping" seems to be the sense here, the word normally means a noisy outcry, or shout.
      ponoV (oV) "pain" - anguish.
      oJti "for" - because. Many early manuscripts do not have this preposition and so it is quite possible that the phrase "the old order ......." is not causal. "The old order of things" may have passed away, but this is not the reason why there is "no more death ....."

v5
      poiw (poiew) pres. "I am making [everything new]" - I make. The present tense is interesting. There is a futuristic element in the words, but the "realized" nature of Christ's work also makes the future present. Note also that this is the first time God actually speaks in the prophecy.
      oJti "for" - A consequential sense is possible, "so that [these words are .....]", but purpose is more likely, "in order that ...."
      grayon (grafw) imp. "write" - Write the book rather than just verse 5.
      pistoi adj. "trustworthy" - faithful. The one who declares the words is to be relied on; he is faithful.

v6
      gegonan (ginomai) 3rd pers. pl. perf. "it is done" - they having done. What is the antecedent, "the things that shall come to pass", or "the words concerning the things to come"? The words seem best, ie. the prophecy is ended; "all the words are completed."
      tw/ diywnti part. "to him who thirsts" - to the one thirsting. This promise is for believers going through the trials of life.
      tou uJdatoV thV zwhV "the water of life" - life-giving water. cf. Isa.55:1.

v7
      oJ nikwn (nikaw) part. "he who overcomes" - he who conquers. The believer conquers when they remain true to their faith through the tests and trials of life
      klhronomhsei (klhronomew) fut. "will inherit" - "Will have this heritage" may be better because the context implies a gift freely given at the end of a troubled journey, not an inheritance after a death. "Will receive."
      tauta "all this" - this. "All that I have promised."
      Inclusive language is required here as it is surely intended, though the Greek uses masculine singular forms. "I will be their God and they will be my people."

v8
      deiloiV adj. "cowardly" - afraid. An interesting descriptive to head the list, given that none of us are wholly courageous or consistent in our Christian witness. For myself, out of the eight descriptives, I am OK on practicing magic arts (although I have tried a few card tricks in the past!), but to varying degrees, I am compromised on all the others. So what are we to do with this list, move the bar down so we can jump it (ie. define the sins in terms of ongoing defiant acts of rebellion that are well beyond the normal failings of the Christian walk), or move the bar up so that we can't jump it (ie. define the sins as constants in our Christian walk that serve to drive us again to rely on God's grace in Christ)? For myself I am reminded that I am saved by grace through faith - thanks be to Jesus, Amen.
      apistoiV adj. "unbelieving" - faithless. Those who have given up their faith no longer trust in Jesus.
      ebdelugmenoiV (bdelussomai) pas. perf. part. "vile" - ones having become vile. The word means polluted by pagan worship, or even worship of the beast, along with all the evil practices that are associated with pagan worship.
      farmakoiV (oV) "those who practice magic arts" - sorcerer
      to meroV autwn "their place" - the lot of them. Their destiny.
      o qanatoV oJ deuteroV "the second death" - Eternal spiritual death as opposed to physical death. Are the two actually separate? What of eternal damnation?