Psalm 126

A song of ascents.

³ After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them^(A) over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.^{(B) 4} On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait^(C) for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.^{(D) 5} For John baptized with^[a] water,^(E) but in a few days you will be baptized with^[b] the Holy Spirit.”^(F)

⁶ Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore^(G) the kingdom to Israel?”

⁷ He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.^{(H) 8} But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;^(I) and you will be my witnesses^(J) in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,^(K) and to the ends of the earth.”^(L)

⁹ After he said this, he was taken up^(M) before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

¹⁰ They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white^(N) stood beside them. ¹¹ “Men of Galilee,”^(O) they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back^(P) in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

Greetings and Doxology

⁴ John,

To the seven churches^(A) in the province of Asia:

Grace and peace to you^(B) from him who is, and who was, and who is to come,^(C) and from the seven spirits^[a](D) before his throne, ⁵ and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness,^(E) the firstborn from the dead,^(F) and the ruler of the kings of the earth.^(G)

To him who loves us^(H) and has freed us from our sins by his blood,^{(I) 6} and has made us to be a kingdom and priests^(J) to serve his God and Father^(K)—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.^(L)

⁸ “I am the Alpha and the Omega,”^(P) says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come,^(Q) the Almighty.”^(R)

John’s Vision of Christ

⁹ I, John,^(S) your brother and companion in the suffering^(T) and kingdom^(U) and patient endurance^(V) that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God^(W) and the testimony of Jesus.^{(X) 10} On the Lord’s Day^(Y) I was in the Spirit,^(Z) and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,^{(AA) 11} which said: “Write on a scroll what you see^(AB) and send it to the seven churches:^(AC) to Ephesus,^(AD) Smyrna,^(AE) Pergamum,^(AF) Thyatira,^(AG) Sardis,^(AH) Philadelphia^(AI) and Laodicea.”^(AJ)

¹² I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands,^{(AK) 13} and among the lampstands^(AL) was someone like a son of man,^[d](AM) dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet^(AN) and with a golden sash around his chest.^{(AO) 14} The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.^{(AP) 15} His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace,^(AQ) and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.^{(AR) 16} In his right hand he held seven stars,^(AS) and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword.^(AT) His face was like the sun^(AU) shining in all its brilliance.

¹⁷ When I saw him, I fell at his feet^(AV) as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me^(AW) and said: “Do not be afraid.^(AX) I am the First and the Last.^{(AY) 18} I am the Living One; I was dead,^(AZ) and now look, I am alive for ever and ever!^(BA) And I hold the keys of death and Hades.^(BB)