Revelation 1

1 The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,2 who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

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

5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood,

6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

7 “Look, he is coming with the clouds,”
and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;
and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.” So shall it be! 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.”
9 I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.10 On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,

11 which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.”
12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands,13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest.14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.

16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.

18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
19 “Write, therefore, what you have seen: both what is now and what will take place later.

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