梵蒂岡第二屆大公會議文獻 - 牧職憲章 (GS) , 39

新天新地

對大地及人類終窮的時刻，我們一無所知亦不知萬物將如何改變。但爲罪惡所玷污的世界面目，必將逝去。天主告訴我們，祂將替我們準備一個正義常存其內的、新的住所、新的天地，其幸福，將要滿足並超出人心所能想到的一切和平的願望。

此時，死亡將被擊敗，天主的子女將復活於基督內，在軟弱及析壞中所播種者，將穿上不朽，愛德及愛德的功續將永存不滅，天主爲人所造的萬物，將由虛妄的奴役中得到解救。

基督告訴我們，人若喪失了自己，即使獲得普世，亦毫無益處。但期待新天地的希望，不僅不應削弱，而且應增進我們建設此世的心火。因爲新的人類大家庭的雛型，是滋長發育在今世的，並已能提供人以新天地的預感。

故此，現世的進步雖然與基督神國的廣揚有其分別，但由現世進展可能有益於改善人類社會的觀點上看去，則頗有利於天主的神國。

我們在天主之神內，並依循天主的命令，在此世宣揚了人性尊嚴、兄弟共融及自由—— 這些出源於人性及人類努力的成果之後，當基督將「永恆而普遍的神國、真理及生命的神國、聖德及聖寵的神國、正義、聖愛及和平的神國」，交還天主聖父時，我們要再度看到這些美妙及成果。但那時這些美妙及成果，將是毫無玷污而光輝奪目的。這神國業已存在於此世，不過尚隱蔽於奧蹟內；當基督再度來臨時，則將成爲圓滿無缺的。

A NEW EARTH AND A NEW HEAVEN

We do not know the time for the consummation of the earth and of humanity. Nor do we know how all things will be transformed. As deformed by sin, the shape of this world will pass away. But we are taught that God is preparing a new dwelling place and a new earth where justice will abide, and whose blessedness will answer and surpass all the longings for peace which spring up in the human heart.

Then, with death overcome, the sons of God will be raised up in Christ. What was sown in weakness and corruption will be clothed with incorruptibility.113 While charity and its fruits endure, all that creation which God made on man's account will be unchained from the bondage of vanity.

Therefore, while we are warned that it profits a man nothing if he gain the whole world and lose himself,the expectation of a new earth must not weaken but rather stimulate our concern for cultivating this one. For here grows the body of a new human family, a body which even now is able to give some kind of foreshadowing of the new age.

Earthly progress must be carefully distinguished from the growth of Christ's kingdom. Nevertheless, to the extent that the former can contribute to the better ordering of human society, it is of vital concern to the kingdom of God.

For after we have obeyed the Lord, and in His Spirit nurtured on earth the values of human dignity, brotherhood and freedom, and indeed all the good fruits of our nature and enterprise, we will find them again, but freed of stain, burnished and transfigured. This will be so when Christ hands over to the Father a kingdom eternal and universal: "a kingdom of truth and life, of holiness and grace, of justice, love, and peace." On this earth that kingdom is already present in mystery. When the Lord returns, it will be brought into full flower.