Revelation 1

Prologue

1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servantst the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servantt John,2 who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw.3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.

Greeting to the Seven Churches

4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia:
Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne,

5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wailt on account of him. Even so. Amen.

8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."

Vision of the Son of Man

9 I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet11 saying, "Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea."

12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands,13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest.14 The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire,15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters.16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last,18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.19 Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this.20 As for the mystery of the seven stars that 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 are the seven churches.

Revelation 1

The Prologue

1 The revelation of Jesus Christ,t which God gave him to show his servantst what must happen very soon.t He made it cleart by sending his angel to his servantt John,2 who thent testified to everything that he saw concerning the word of God and the testimony aboutt Jesus Christ.

3 Blessed is the one who reads the words of thist prophecy aloud,t and blessed aret those who hear and obeyt the things written in it, because the time is near!s
4 From John,t to the seven churches that are in the province of Asia:t Grace and peace to yout from “he who is,”s and who was, and who is still to come,t and from the seven spirits who are before his throne,5 and from Jesus Christ – the faithfult witness,s the firstborn from among the dead, the ruler over the kings of the earth. To the one who loves us and has set us freest from our sins at the cost oft his own blood

6 and has appointedt us as a kingdom,t as priestst serving his God and Father – to him be the glory and the power for ever and ever!s Amen.

7 (Look! He is returning with the clouds,s
and every eye will see him,
eventthose who pierced him,s
and all the tribest on the earth will mourn becauset of him.
This will certainly come to pass!t Amen.)s

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,”s says the Lord God – the one who is, and who was, and who is still to come – the All-Powerful!t
9 I, John, your brother and the one who sharest with you in the persecution, kingdom, and endurance thatt are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony about Jesus.t10 I was in the Spiritt on the Lord’s Dayt whent I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,

11 saying: “Write in a book what you see and send it to the seven churches – to Ephesus,s Smyrna,t Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”
12 It turned to see whose voice was speaking to me,t and when I did so,t I saw seven golden lampstands,13 and in the midst of the lampstands was one like a son of man.t He was dressed in a robe extending down to his feet and he wore a wide golden beltt around his chest.14 Hist head and hair were as white as wool, even as white as snow,t and his eyes were like a fieryt flame.15 His feet were like polished bronzet refinedt in a furnace, and his voice was like the roart of many waters.16 He heldt seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp double-edged sword extended out of his mouth. Hist face shone like the sun shining at full strength.17 Whent I saw him I fell down at his feet as though I were dead, butt he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid! I am the first and the last,18 and the one who lives! It was dead, but look, now I am alive – forever and ever – and I hold the keys of death and of Hades!ts19 Therefore write what you saw, what is, and what will be after these things.t

20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and the seven golden lampstands is this:t The seven stars are the angelst of the seven churches and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.