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Introduction and Salutation

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants what must soon take place; and he made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is he who reads aloud the words of the prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written therein; for the time is near.

John to the seven churches that are in Asia:[a]

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, every one who pierced him; and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

A Vision of Christ

I John, your brother, who share with you in Jesus the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance, was on the island called Patmos on account of 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 loud voice like a trumpet 11 saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Per′gamum and to Thyati′ra and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to La-odice′a.”

12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man,[b] clothed with a long robe and with a golden girdle round his breast; 14 his head and his hair were white as white wool, white as snow; his eyes were like a flame of fire, 15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined as in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of many waters; 16 in his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth issued a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand upon me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one; I died, and behold I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. 19 Now write what you see, what is and what is to take place hereafter. 20 As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

Footnotes

  1. 1.4-8 Describes the glorious coming and reign of the Messiah.
  2. 1.13 son of man refers to Dan 7.13. The Messiah is described in symbolic terms.

Introduction and Benediction

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, (C)who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things (D)that he saw. (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

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, 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, 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.

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.

(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

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