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Revelation 1
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.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 1:1 quickly or swiftly
  2. Revelation 1:5 NU loves us and freed; M loves us and washed
  3. Revelation 1:6 NU, M a kingdom
  4. Revelation 1:8 NU, M omit the Beginning and the End
  5. Revelation 1:8 NU, M Lord God
  6. Revelation 1:9 NU, M omit both
  7. Revelation 1:11 NU, M omit “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and,
  8. Revelation 1:11 NU, M omit which are in Asia
  9. Revelation 1:17 NU, M omit to me
  10. Revelation 1:18 Lit. Unseen; the unseen realm
  11. Revelation 1:19 NU, M Therefore, write
  12. Revelation 1:20 hidden truth
  13. Revelation 1:20 Or messengers
  14. Revelation 1:20 NU, M omit which you saw
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Revelation 1
New International Version

Prologue

1 The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave(A) him to show his servants what must soon take place.(B) He made it known by sending his angel(C) to his servant John,(D) 2 who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God(E) and the testimony of Jesus Christ.(F) 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,(G) because the time is near.(H)

Greetings and Doxology

4 John,

To the seven churches(I) in the province of Asia:

Grace and peace to you(J) from him who is, and who was, and who is to come,(K) and from the seven spirits[a](L) before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness,(M) the firstborn from the dead,(N) and the ruler of the kings of the earth.(O)

To him who loves us(P) and has freed us from our sins by his blood,(Q) 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests(R) to serve his God and Father(S)—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.(T)

7 “Look, he is coming with the clouds,”[b](U)
    and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;(V)
    and all peoples on earth “will mourn(W) because of him.”[c]
So shall it be! Amen.

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,”(X) says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come,(Y) the Almighty.”(Z)

John’s Vision of Christ

9 I, John,(AA) your brother and companion in the suffering(AB) and kingdom(AC) and patient endurance(AD) that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God(AE) and the testimony of Jesus.(AF) 10 On the Lord’s Day(AG) I was in the Spirit,(AH) and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,(AI) 11 which said: “Write on a scroll what you see(AJ) and send it to the seven churches:(AK) to Ephesus,(AL) Smyrna,(AM) Pergamum,(AN) Thyatira,(AO) Sardis,(AP) Philadelphia(AQ) and Laodicea.”(AR)

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

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet(BD) as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me(BE) and said: “Do not be afraid.(BF) I am the First and the Last.(BG) 18 I am the Living One; I was dead,(BH) and now look, I am alive for ever and ever!(BI) And I hold the keys of death and Hades.(BJ)

19 “Write, therefore, what you have seen,(BK) what is now and what will take place later. 20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand(BL) and of the seven golden lampstands(BM) is this: The seven stars are the angels[e] of the seven churches,(BN) and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.(BO)

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 1:4 That is, the sevenfold Spirit
  2. Revelation 1:7 Daniel 7:13
  3. Revelation 1:7 Zech. 12:10
  4. Revelation 1:13 See Daniel 7:13.
  5. Revelation 1:20 Or messengers
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Apocalypse 1
La Bible du Semeur

Jésus, le témoin digne de foi

1 Révélation[a] de Jésus-Christ.

Cette révélation, Dieu l’a confiée à Jésus-Christ pour qu’il montre à ses serviteurs ce qui doit arriver bientôt[b] ; et Jésus-Christ, en envoyant son ange, l’a fait connaître à son serviteur Jean. 2 En tant que témoin, celui-ci a annoncé la Parole de Dieu que Jésus-Christ lui a transmise par son propre témoignage : il a annoncé tout ce qu’il a vu. 3 Heureux celui qui donne lecture des paroles de cette prophétie et ceux qui les entendent, et qui obéissent à ce qui est écrit dans ce livre, car le temps est proche.

4 Jean salue les sept Eglises qui sont dans la province d’Asie[c] : que la grâce et la paix vous soient données de la part de celui qui est, qui était et qui vient[d], de la part des sept esprits[e] qui se tiennent devant son trône 5 et de la part de Jésus-Christ, le témoin[f] digne de foi, le premier-né d’entre les morts[g] et le souverain des rois de la terre.

Il nous aime, il nous a délivrés de nos péchés par son sacrifice, 6 il a fait de nous un peuple de rois, des prêtres au service de Dieu[h], son Père : à lui donc soient la gloire et le pouvoir pour l’éternité ! Amen.

7 Voici ! Il vient
au milieu des nuées[i] ,
et tout le monde le verra,
même ceux qui l’ont transpercé,
et toutes les familles de la terre
se lamenteront à cause de lui[j] .
Oui, amen !
8 « Moi je suis l’Alpha et l’Oméga[k] »,
dit le Seigneur Dieu,
celui qui est, qui était et qui vient,
le Tout-Puissant[l].

La vision du Ressuscité

9 Moi, Jean, votre frère, qui partage avec vous la détresse, le royaume et la persévérance dans l’union avec Jésus, j’étais dans l’île de Patmos[m] parce que j’avais proclamé la Parole de Dieu et le témoignage rendu par Jésus. 10 Le jour du Seigneur[n], l’Esprit de Dieu se saisit de moi, et j’entendis derrière moi une voix forte, pareille au son d’une trompette. 11 Elle disait : Inscris dans un livre ce que tu vois, et envoie-le à ces sept Eglises : Ephèse, Smyrne, Pergame, Thyatire, Sardes, Philadelphie et Laodicée.

12 Je me retournai pour découvrir quelle était cette voix. Et l’ayant fait, voici ce que je vis : il y avait sept chandeliers d’or 13 et, au milieu des chandeliers, quelqu’un qui ressemblait à un homme. Il portait une longue tunique, et une ceinture d’or lui entourait la poitrine. 14 Sa tête et ses cheveux étaient blancs comme de la laine blanche, oui, comme la neige. Ses yeux étaient comme une flamme ardente 15 et ses pieds étincelaient comme du bronze incandescent au sortir d’un creuset. Sa voix retentissait comme celle des grandes eaux[o]. 16 Dans sa main droite, il tenait sept étoiles, et de sa bouche sortait une épée aiguisée à double tranchant[p]. Son visage était éblouissant comme le soleil quand il brille de tout son éclat.

17 Quand je le vis, je tombai à ses pieds, comme mort. Alors il posa sa main droite sur moi en disant :

N’aie pas peur. Moi, je suis le premier et le dernier[q], 18 le vivant. J’ai été mort, et voici : je suis vivant pour l’éternité ! Je détiens les clés de la mort et du séjour des morts. 19 Ecris donc ce que tu as vu, ce qui est, et ce qui va arriver ensuite. 20 Mais d’abord voici quel est le secret des sept étoiles que tu as vues dans ma main droite et des sept chandeliers d’or : les sept étoiles sont les anges des sept Eglises et les sept chandeliers les sept Eglises.

Footnotes

  1. 1.1 Traduction du mot apocalypse. Cette révélation a été donnée par le Père au Fils, puis par le Fils à Jean par l’intermédiaire d’un ange.
  2. 1.1 Ou : d’une manière soudaine, inattendue.
  3. 1.4 Localisées dans un cercle de 80 kilomètres autour d’Ephèse, énumérées aux chapitres 2 et 3. Ces Eglises, selon certains, représentent les Eglises de tous les temps (sept symbolise la totalité).
  4. 1.4 Paraphrase du nom de Dieu révélé à Moïse (Ex 3.14-15 ; comparer Hé 13.8). Un écrit juif le désignait comme « Celui qui est, qui était et qui sera » (Targum de Jérusalem).
  5. 1.4 Le chiffre sept symbolise la perfection, la totalité.
  6. 1.5 Qualification du Messie reprise d’Es 55.4.
  7. 1.5 Voir 1 Co 15.20, 23.
  8. 1.6 Voir Ex 19.6.
  9. 1.7 Dn 7.13. Dans plusieurs manifestations de Dieu, il est question des nuées (Ex 19.16 ; Es 6.4 ; Mc 9.7 ; Ac 1.9 ; comparer Mt 24.30 ; 25.31 ; 26.64).
  10. 1.7 Za 12.10, 14.
  11. 1.8 Première et dernière lettres de l’alphabet grec (comparer 21.6 ; 22.13).
  12. 1.8 Voir Ex 3.14. Le terme : Tout-Puissant est la traduction donnée par la Septante de l’expression : le Seigneur des armées célestes. Ce nom était aussi appliqué à l’empereur.
  13. 1.9 Petite île de la mer Egée à une centaine de kilomètres d’Ephèse. Les autorités romaines y exilaient ceux qu’elles jugeaient indésirables.
  14. 1.10 Cette expression (jour dominical) est déjà appliquée au premier jour de la semaine (dimanche) par Ignace d’Antioche, un contemporain de Jean.
  15. 1.15 Cette description renvoie à plusieurs textes de l’Ancien Testament : Dn 7.13 ; 10.5 ; 7.9 ; 10.6.
  16. 1.16 Voir Es 49.2.
  17. 1.17 Voir Es 44.6 et 48.12 où il s’agit de Dieu. Ici il est question de Christ (Ap 2 ; 8 ; 22.13).
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Revelation 1
English Standard Version

Prologue

1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God (A)gave him (B)to show to his servants[a] the things that must soon take place. (C)He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 (D)who bore witness to the word of God and to (E)the testimony of Jesus Christ, even (F)to all that he saw. 3 (G)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, (H)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 (I)him (J)who is and (K)who was and who is to come, and from (L)the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ (M)the faithful witness, (N)the firstborn of the dead, and (O)the ruler of kings on earth.

To (P)him who loves us and (Q)has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us (R)a kingdom, (S)priests to (T)his God and Father, to him be (U)glory and (V)dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, (W)he is coming with the clouds, and (X)every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail[b] on account of him. Even so. Amen.

8 (Y)“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, (Z)“who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Vision of the Son of Man

9 I, John, your brother and (AA)partner in (AB)the tribulation and (AC)the kingdom and (AD)the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos (AE)on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 (AF)I was in the Spirit (AG)on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice (AH)like a trumpet 11 saying, (AI)“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 (AJ)seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands (AK)one like (AL)a son of man, (AM)clothed with a long robe and (AN)with a golden sash around his chest. 14 (AO)The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. (AP)His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15 (AQ)his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and (AR)his voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 (AS)In his right hand he held seven stars, (AT)from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and (AU)his face was like the sun shining (AV)in full strength.

17 (AW)When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But (AX)he laid his right hand on me, (AY)saying, “Fear not, (AZ)I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. (BA)I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and (BB)I have the keys of Death and Hades. 19 (BC)Write therefore (BD)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 (BE)the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and (BF)the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 1:1 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface; likewise for servant later in this verse
  2. Revelation 1:7 Or mourn
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