Revelation 1:4-8

Contemporary English Version

⁴^(A) From John to the seven churches in Asia.^[a]

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^(B) 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^(C) He lets us rule as kings
and serve God his Father
    as priests.
To him be glory and power
    forever and ever! Amen.
⁷^(D) 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^(E) The Lord God says, “I am Alpha and Omega,^[b] the one who is and was and is coming. I am God All-Powerful!”

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Footnotes

1.4 Asia: The section 1.4—3.22 is in the form of a letter. Asia was in the eastern part of the Roman Empire and is present day Turkey.
1.8 Alpha and Omega: The first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, which sometimes mean “first” and “last.”