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Revelation 1
Good News Translation

1 This book is the record of the events that Jesus Christ revealed. God gave him this revelation in order to show to his servants what must happen very soon. Christ made these things known to his servant John by sending his angel to him, 2 and John has told all that he has seen. This is his report concerning the message from God and the truth revealed by Jesus Christ. 3 Happy is the one who reads this book, and happy are those who listen to the words of this prophetic message and obey what is written in this book! For the time is near when all these things will happen.

Greetings to the Seven Churches

4 (A)From John to the seven churches in the province of Asia:

Grace and peace be yours from God, who is, who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits in front of his throne, 5 (B)and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first to be raised from death and who is also the ruler of the kings of the world.

He loves us, and by his sacrificial death he has freed us from our sins 6 (C)and made us a kingdom of priests to serve his God and Father. To Jesus Christ be the glory and power forever and ever! Amen.

7 (D)Look, he is coming on the clouds! Everyone will see him, including those who pierced him. All peoples on earth will mourn over him. So shall it be!

8 (E)“I am the first and the last,” says the Lord God Almighty, who is, who was, and who is to come.

A Vision of Christ

9 I am John, your brother, and as a follower of Jesus I am your partner in patiently enduring the suffering that comes to those who belong to his Kingdom. I was put on the island of Patmos because I had proclaimed God's word and the truth that Jesus revealed. 10 On the Lord's day the Spirit took control of me, and I heard a loud voice, that sounded like a trumpet, speaking behind me. 11 It said, “Write down what you see, and send the book to the churches in these seven cities: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”

12 I turned around to see who was talking to me, and I saw seven gold lampstands, 13 (F)and among them there was what looked like a human being, wearing a robe that reached to his feet, and a gold band around his chest. 14 (G)His hair was white as wool, or as snow, and his eyes blazed like fire; 15 (H)his feet shone like brass that has been refined and polished, and his voice sounded like a roaring waterfall. 16 He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came out of his mouth. His face was as bright as the midday sun. 17 (I)When I saw him, I fell down at his feet like a dead man. He placed his right hand on me and said, “Don't be afraid! I am the first and the last. 18 I am the living one! I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever. I have authority over death and the world of the dead. 19 Write, then, the things you see, both the things that are now and the things that will happen afterward. 20 Here is the secret meaning of the seven stars that you see in my right hand, and of the seven gold lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

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Revelation 1
American Standard Version

1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God [a]gave him to show unto his [b]servants, even the things which must shortly come to pass: and he sent and signified [c]it by his angel unto his servant John; 2 who bare witness of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, even of all things that he saw. 3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written therein: for the time is at hand.

4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from him [d]who is and who was and who is to come; and from the seven Spirits that are before his throne; 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loveth us, and [e]loosed us from our sins [f]by his blood; 6 and he made us to be a kingdom, to be priests unto [g]his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion [h]for ever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, he cometh with the clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they that pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn over him. Even so, Amen.

8 I am the Alpha and the Omega, saith the Lord God, [i]who is and who was and [j]who is to come, the Almighty.

9 I John, your brother and partaker with you in the tribulation and kingdom and [k]patience which are in Jesus, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet 11 saying, What thou seest, write in a book and send it to the seven churches: unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamum, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. 12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And having turned I saw seven golden [l]candlesticks; 13 and in the midst of the [m]candlesticks one like unto a son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about at the breasts with a golden girdle. 14 And his head and his hair were white as white wool, white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 15 and his feet like unto burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace; and his voice as the voice of many waters. 16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. 17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as one dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying, Fear not; I am the first and the last, 18 and the Living one; and I [n]was dead, and behold, I am alive [o]for evermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. 19 Write therefore the things which thou sawest, and the things which are, and the things which shall come to pass hereafter; 20 the mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest [p]in my right hand, and the seven golden [q]candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven [r]candlesticks are seven churches.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 1:1 Or, gave unto him, to show unto his servants the things etc.
  2. Revelation 1:1 Greek bondservants.
  3. Revelation 1:1 Or, them
  4. Revelation 1:4 Or, who cometh
  5. Revelation 1:5 Many authorities, some ancient, read washed. Heb. 9:14; compare 7:14.
  6. Revelation 1:5 Greek in.
  7. Revelation 1:6 Or, God and his Father
  8. Revelation 1:6 Greek unto the ages of the ages. Many ancient authorities omit of the ages.
  9. Revelation 1:8 Or, he who
  10. Revelation 1:8 Or, who cometh
  11. Revelation 1:9 Or, stedfastness
  12. Revelation 1:12 Greek lampstands.
  13. Revelation 1:13 Greek lampstands.
  14. Revelation 1:18 Greek became.
  15. Revelation 1:18 Greek unto the ages of the ages.
  16. Revelation 1:20 Greek upon.
  17. Revelation 1:20 Greek lampstands.
  18. Revelation 1:20 Greek lampstands.
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Jude 1
Revelation 2
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