Revelation 1

Introduction and Benediction

1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servantsthings which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John,2 who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw.3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

Greeting the Seven Churches

4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia:5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.8 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, says the Lord, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

Vision of the Son of Man

9 I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.10 I was in the Spirit on the Lords Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet,11 saying, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, and, What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands,13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire;15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters;16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. 18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. 19 Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. 20 The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.

REVELATION 1

1 This is what God showed to Jesus Christ, so that he could tell his servants what must happen soon. Christ then sent his angel with the message to his servant John.

2 And John told everything he had seen about God's message and about what Jesus Christ had said and done.

3 God will bless everyone who reads this prophecy to others, t and he will bless everyone who hears and obeys it. The time is almost here.

4  t From John to the seven churches in Asia.t
I pray that you
will be blessed
with kindness and peace
from God, who is and was
and is coming.
May you receive
kindness and peace
from the seven spirits
before the throne of God.

5  t May kindness and peace
be yours
from Jesus Christ,
the faithful witness.
Jesus was the first
to conquer death,
and he is the ruler
of all earthly kings.
Christ loves us,
and by his blood
he set us free
from our sins.

6  t He lets us rule as kings
and serve God his Father
as priests.
To him be glory and power
forever and ever! Amen.

7  t Look! He is coming
with the clouds.
Everyone will see him,
even the ones who stuck
a sword through him.
All people on earth
will weep because of him.
Yes, it will happen! Amen.

8  t The Lord God says, “I am Alpha and Omega, t the one who is and was and is coming. I am God All-Powerful!”

A Vision of the Risen Lord

11 The voice said, “Write in a book what you see. Then send it to the seven churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”t
12 When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. 13 t There with the lampstands was someone who seemed to be the Son of Man.t He was wearing a robe that reached down to his feet, and a gold cloth was wrapped around his chest. 14 t t His head and his hair were white as wool or snow, and his eyes looked like flames of fire. 15 t His feet were glowing like bronze being heated in a furnace, and his voice sounded like the roar of a waterfall.

16 He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp double-edged sword was coming from his mouth. His face was shining as bright as the sun at noon.

17  t When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead person. But he put his right hand on me and said:
Don't be afraid! I am the first, the last, 18 and the living one. I died, but now I am alive forever, and I have the keys to death and the world of the dead.t 19 Write what you have seen and what is and what will happen after these things. 20 I will explain the mystery of the seven stars you saw at my right side and the seven gold lampstands. The seven stars are the angelst of the seven churches, and the lampstands are the seven churches.