Revelation 1-2
New American Standard Bible
The Revelation of Jesus Christ
1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which (A)God gave Him to (B)show to His bond-servants, (C)the things which must soon take place; and He sent and [a]communicated it (D)by His angel to His bond-servant (E)John, 2 who testified to (F)the word of God and to (G)the testimony of Jesus Christ, everything that he saw. 3 (H)Blessed is the one who reads, and those who hear the words of the prophecy and [b]keep the things which are written in it; (I)for the time is near.
Message to the Seven Churches
4 (J)John to (K)the seven churches that are in (L)Asia: (M)Grace to you and peace from (N)Him who is, and who was, and who [c]is to come, and from (O)the [d]seven spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, (P)the faithful witness, the (Q)firstborn of the dead, and the (R)ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who (S)loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— 6 and He made us into a (T)kingdom, (U)priests to [e](V)His God and Father—(W)to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 (X)Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and (Y)every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will (Z)mourn over Him. [f]So it is to be. Amen.
8 “I am (AA)the Alpha and the Omega,” says the (AB)Lord God, “(AC)who is and who was and who [g]is to come, the Almighty.”
The Patmos Vision
9 (AD)I, John, your (AE)brother and (AF)fellow participant in the tribulation and (AG)kingdom and [h](AH)perseverance in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos (AI)because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 I was (AJ)in the [i]Spirit on (AK)the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice (AL)like the sound of a trumpet, 11 saying, “(AM)Write [j]on a scroll what you see, and send it to the (AN)seven churches: to (AO)Ephesus, (AP)Smyrna, (AQ)Pergamum, (AR)Thyatira, (AS)Sardis, (AT)Philadelphia, and (AU)Laodicea.”
12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And after turning I saw (AV)seven golden lampstands; 13 and (AW)in the middle of the lampstands I saw one (AX)like [k]a son of man, (AY)clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and (AZ)wrapped around the chest with a golden sash. 14 His head and His (BA)hair were white like white wool, like snow; and (BB)His eyes were like a flame of fire. 15 His (BC)feet were like [l]burnished bronze when it has been heated to a glow in a furnace, and His (BD)voice was like the sound of many waters. 16 In His right hand He held (BE)seven stars, and out of His mouth came a (BF)sharp two-edged sword; and His (BG)face was like (BH)the sun [m]shining in its strength.
17 When I saw Him, I (BI)fell at His feet like a dead man. And He (BJ)placed His right hand on me, saying, “(BK)Do not be afraid; (BL)I am the first and the last, 18 and the (BM)living One; and I [n](BN)was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have (BO)the keys of death and of Hades. 19 Therefore (BP)write (BQ)the things which you have seen, [o]and the things which are, and the things which will take place (BR)after these things. 20 As for the (BS)mystery of the (BT)seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the (BU)seven golden lampstands: the (BV)seven stars are the angels of (BW)the seven churches, and the seven (BX)lampstands are the seven churches.
Message to Ephesus
2 “To the angel of the church in (BY)Ephesus write:
The One who holds (BZ)the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks [p](CA)among the seven golden lampstands, says this:
2 ‘(CB)I know your deeds and your labor and [q]perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil people, and you have (CC)put those who call themselves (CD)apostles to the test, and they are not, and you found them to be false; 3 and you have [r]perseverance and have endured (CE)on account of My name, and have not become weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have (CF)left your first love. 5 Therefore, remember from where you have fallen, and (CG)repent, and (CH)do the [s]deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and I will remove your (CI)lampstand from its place—unless you repent. 6 But you have this, that you hate the deeds of the (CJ)Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 (CK)The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (CL)To the one who overcomes, I will grant to eat from (CM)the tree of life, which is in the (CN)Paradise of God.’
Message to Smyrna
8 “And to the angel of the church in (CO)Smyrna write:
(CP)The first and the last, who [t](CQ)was dead, and has come to life, says this:
9 ‘I know your (CR)tribulation and your (CS)poverty (but you are (CT)rich), and the [u]slander by those who (CU)say they are Jews, and are not, but are a synagogue of (CV)Satan. 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, so that you will be (CW)tested, and you will have tribulation (CX)for ten days. [v]Be (CY)faithful until death, and I will give you (CZ)the crown of life. 11 (DA)The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (DB)The one who overcomes will not be hurt by the (DC)second death.’
Message to Pergamum
12 “And to the angel of the church in (DD)Pergamum write:
The One who has (DE)the sharp two-edged sword says this:
13 ‘I know where you dwell, where (DF)Satan’s throne is; and you hold firmly to My name, and did not deny (DG)My faith even in the days of Antipas, My (DH)witness, My (DI)faithful one, who was killed among you, (DJ)where Satan dwells. 14 But (DK)I have a few things against you, because you have some there who hold the (DL)teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a [w]stumbling block before the sons of Israel, (DM)to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality. 15 So you too, have some who in the same way hold to the teaching of the (DN)Nicolaitans. 16 Therefore (DO)repent; or else (DP)I am coming to you quickly, and I will wage war against them with (DQ)the sword of My mouth. 17 (DR)The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (DS)To the one who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden (DT)manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a (DU)new name written on the stone (DV)which no one knows except the one who receives it.’
Message to Thyatira
18 “And to the angel of the church in (DW)Thyatira write:
(DX)The Son of God, (DY)who has [x]eyes like a flame of fire, and [y]feet like burnished bronze, says this:
19 ‘(DZ)I know your deeds, and your love and faith, and service and [z]perseverance, and that your [aa]deeds of late are greater than [ab]at first. 20 But (EA)I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman (EB)Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they (EC)commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 (ED)I gave her time to repent, and she (EE)does not want to repent of her sexual immorality. 22 Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who (EF)commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of [ac]her deeds. 23 And I will kill her children with [ad]plague, and all the churches will know that I am He who (EG)searches the [ae]minds and hearts; and (EH)I will give to each one of you according to your deeds. 24 But I say to you, the rest who are in (EI)Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the (EJ)deep things of Satan, as they call them—I (EK)place no other burden on you. 25 Nevertheless (EL)what you have, hold firmly (EM)until I come. 26 (EN)The one who overcomes, and the one who keeps My deeds (EO)until the end, (EP)I will give him authority over the [af]nations; 27 and he shall [ag](EQ)rule them with a rod of iron, (ER)as the vessels of the potter are shattered, as I also have received authority from My Father; 28 and I will give him (ES)the morning star. 29 (ET)The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
Footnotes
- Revelation 1:1 Or signified
- Revelation 1:3 Or follow
- Revelation 1:4 Or is coming
- Revelation 1:4 Possibly a symbolic reference to the Holy Spirit in His fullness, or to seven key angels
- Revelation 1:6 Or God and His Father
- Revelation 1:7 Or Yes. Amen.
- Revelation 1:8 Or is coming
- Revelation 1:9 Or steadfastness
- Revelation 1:10 Or spirit
- Revelation 1:11 Or in a book
- Revelation 1:13 Or the Son of Man
- Revelation 1:15 Or fine brass
- Revelation 1:16 Lit shines
- Revelation 1:18 Lit became
- Revelation 1:19 Or both the things
- Revelation 2:1 Lit in the middle of
- Revelation 2:2 Or steadfastness
- Revelation 2:3 Or steadfastness
- Revelation 2:5 Lit first deeds
- Revelation 2:8 Lit became
- Revelation 2:9 Or blasphemy
- Revelation 2:10 Or Prove yourself faithful
- Revelation 2:14 I.e., a temptation to sin
- Revelation 2:18 Lit His eyes
- Revelation 2:18 Lit His feet
- Revelation 2:19 Or steadfastness
- Revelation 2:19 Lit last deeds
- Revelation 2:19 Lit the first
- Revelation 2:22 One early ms their
- Revelation 2:23 Lit death; i.e., a particular kind of death
- Revelation 2:23 Lit kidneys; i.e., inner man
- Revelation 2:26 Or Gentiles
- Revelation 2:27 Lit shepherd
Revelation 1-2
New King James Version
Introduction and Benediction
1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, (A)which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must [a]shortly take place. And (B)He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, 2 (C)who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things (D)that he saw. 3 (E)Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for (F)the time is near.
Greeting the Seven Churches
4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia:
Grace to you and peace from Him (G)who is and (H)who was and who is to come, (I)and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, (J)the faithful (K)witness, the (L)firstborn from the dead, and (M)the ruler over the kings of the earth.
To Him (N)who [b]loved us (O)and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has (P)made us [c]kings and priests to His God and Father, (Q)to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
7 Behold, He is coming with (R)clouds, and every eye will see Him, even (S)they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.
8 (T)“I am the Alpha and the Omega, [d]the Beginning and the End,” says the [e]Lord, (U)“who is and who was and who is to come, the (V)Almighty.”
Vision of the Son of Man
9 I, John, [f]both your brother and (W)companion in the tribulation and (X)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 (Y)I was in the Spirit on (Z)the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me (AA)a loud voice, as of a trumpet, 11 saying, [g]“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 [h]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 (AB)I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 (AC)and in the midst of the seven lampstands (AD)One like the Son of Man, (AE)clothed with a garment down to the feet and (AF)girded about the chest with a golden band. 14 His head and (AG)hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and (AH)His eyes like a flame of fire; 15 (AI)His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and (AJ)His voice as the sound of many waters; 16 (AK)He had in His right hand seven stars, (AL)out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, (AM)and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. 17 And (AN)when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But (AO)He laid His right hand on me, saying [i]to me, “Do not be afraid; (AP)I am the First and the Last. 18 (AQ)I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, (AR)I am alive forevermore. Amen. And (AS)I have the keys of [j]Hades and of Death. 19 [k]Write the things which you have (AT)seen, (AU)and the things which are, (AV)and the things which will take place after this. 20 The [l]mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are (AW)the [m]angels of the seven churches, and (AX)the seven lampstands [n]which you saw are the seven churches.
The Loveless Church
2 “To the [o]angel of the church of Ephesus write,
‘These things says (AY)He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, (AZ)who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 2 (BA)“I know your works, your labor, your [p]patience, and that you cannot [q]bear those who are evil. And (BB)you have tested those (BC)who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have (BD)not become weary. 4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, (BE)or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. 6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 (BF)“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give (BG)to eat from (BH)the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ’
The Persecuted Church
8 “And to the [r]angel of the church in Smyrna write,
‘These things says (BI)the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: 9 “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are (BJ)rich); and I know the blasphemy of (BK)those who say they are Jews and are not, (BL)but are a [s]synagogue of Satan. 10 (BM)Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. (BN)Be faithful until death, and I will give you (BO)the crown of life.
11 (BP)“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by (BQ)the second death.” ’
The Compromising Church
12 “And to the [t]angel of the church in Pergamos write,
‘These things says (BR)He who has the sharp two-edged sword: 13 “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of (BS)Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, (BT)to eat things sacrificed to idols, (BU)and to commit sexual immorality. 15 Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, [u]which thing I hate. 16 Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and (BV)will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.
17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden (BW)manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone (BX)a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” ’
The Corrupt Church
18 “And to the [v]angel of the church in Thyatira write,
‘These things says the Son of God, (BY)who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: 19 (BZ)“I know your works, love, [w]service, faith, and your [x]patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. 20 Nevertheless I have [y]a few things against you, because you allow [z]that woman (CA)Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, [aa]to teach and seduce My servants (CB)to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 And I gave her time (CC)to [ab]repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. 22 Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of [ac]their deeds. 23 I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who (CD)searches[ad] the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.
24 “Now to you I say, [ae]and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the (CE)depths of Satan, as they say, (CF)I [af]will put on you no other burden. 25 But hold fast (CG)what you have till I come. 26 And he who overcomes, and keeps (CH)My works until the end, (CI)to him I will give power over the nations—
27 ‘He(CJ) shall rule them with a rod of iron;
They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’—
as I also have received from My Father; 28 and I will give him (CK)the morning star.
29 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’
Footnotes
- Revelation 1:1 quickly or swiftly
- Revelation 1:5 NU loves us and freed; M loves us and washed
- Revelation 1:6 NU, M a kingdom
- Revelation 1:8 NU, M omit the Beginning and the End
- Revelation 1:8 NU, M Lord God
- Revelation 1:9 NU, M omit both
- Revelation 1:11 NU, M omit “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and,
- Revelation 1:11 NU, M omit which are in Asia
- Revelation 1:17 NU, M omit to me
- Revelation 1:18 Lit. Unseen; the unseen realm
- Revelation 1:19 NU, M Therefore, write
- Revelation 1:20 hidden truth
- Revelation 1:20 Or messengers
- Revelation 1:20 NU, M omit which you saw
- Revelation 2:1 Or messenger
- Revelation 2:2 perseverance
- Revelation 2:2 endure
- Revelation 2:8 Or messenger
- Revelation 2:9 congregation
- Revelation 2:12 Or messenger
- Revelation 2:15 NU, M likewise.
- Revelation 2:18 Or messenger
- Revelation 2:19 NU, M faith, service
- Revelation 2:19 perseverance
- Revelation 2:20 NU, M against you that you tolerate
- Revelation 2:20 M your wife Jezebel
- Revelation 2:20 NU, M and teaches and seduces
- Revelation 2:21 NU, M repent, and she does not want to repent of her sexual immorality.
- Revelation 2:22 NU, M her
- Revelation 2:23 examines
- Revelation 2:24 NU, M omit and
- Revelation 2:24 NU, M omit will
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
