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This is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things which must happen soon, which he sent and made known by his angel[a] to his servant, John, who testified to God’s word and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, about everything that he saw.

Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written in it, for the time is at hand.

John, to the seven assemblies that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from God, 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 firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood— and he made us to be a Kingdom, priestsExodus 19:6; Isaiah 61:6 to his God and Father—to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Behold,[b] he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, including those who pierced him. All the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. Even so, Amen.

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

I John, your brother and partner with you in the oppression, Kingdom, and perseverance in Christ Jesus, was on the isle that is called Patmos because of God’s Word and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, like a trumpet 11 saying,[e]“What you see, write in a book and send to the seven assemblies:[f] to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”

12 I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. Having turned, I saw seven golden lamp stands. 13 And among the lamp stands was one like a son of man,Daniel 7:13 clothed with a robe reaching down to his feet, and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 His head and his hair were white as white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire. 15 His feet were like burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace. His voice was like the voice of many waters. 16 He had seven stars in his right hand. Out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man.

He laid his right hand on me, saying, “Don’t be afraid. I am the first and the last, 18 and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades.[g] 19 Write therefore the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will happen hereafter. 20 The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lamp stands is this: The seven stars are the angels[h] of the seven assemblies. The seven lamp stands are seven assemblies.

Footnotes

  1. 1:1 or, messenger (here and wherever angel is mentioned)
  2. 1:7 “Behold”, from “ἰδοὺ”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
  3. 1:8 TR adds “the Beginning and the End”
  4. 1:8 TR omits “God”
  5. 1:11 TR adds “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last.”
  6. 1:11 TR adds “which are in Asia”
  7. 1:18 or, Hell
  8. 1:20 or, messengers (here and wherever angels are mentioned)

Prologue

The revelation of[a] Jesus Christ that God gave him to show his servants(A) what must soon take place.(B) He made it known by sending his angel(C) to his servant John,(D) who testified to the word of God and to the testimony[b] of Jesus Christ,(E) whatever he saw.[c] Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy,(F) and blessed are those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep[d] what is written in it, because the time is near.

John: To the seven churches in Asia. Grace and peace(G) to you from[e] the one who is, who was, and who is to come,(H) and from the seven spirits[f](I) before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness,(J) the firstborn from the dead(K) and the ruler of the kings of the earth.(L)

To him who loves us and has set us free[g] from our sins by his blood,(M) and made us a kingdom,[h] priests[i](N) to his God and Father—to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.(O)

Look, he is coming with the clouds,(P)
and every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him.
And all the tribes[j] of the earth[k](Q)
will mourn over him.[l][m] (R)
So it is to be. Amen.

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

John’s Vision of the Risen Lord

I, John, your brother and partner in the affliction,(T) kingdom,(U) and endurance(V) that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.(W) 10 I was in the Spirit[n](X) on the Lord’s day, and I heard a loud voice behind me like a trumpet(Y) 11 saying, “Write(Z) on a scroll[o] what you see and send it to the seven churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”

12 Then I turned to see whose voice(AA) it was that spoke to me. When I turned I saw seven golden lampstands,(AB) 13 and among the lampstands was one like the Son of Man,[p](AC) dressed in a robe(AD) and with a golden sash wrapped around his chest.(AE) 14 The hair of his head was white as wool—white as snow(AF)—and his eyes like a fiery flame.(AG) 15 His feet were like fine bronze as it is fired in a furnace,(AH) and his voice like the sound of cascading[q] waters.(AI) 16 He had seven stars in his right hand; a sharp double-edged sword came from his mouth,(AJ) and his face was shining like the sun at full strength.(AK)

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man.(AL) He laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid. I am the First and the Last,(AM) 18 and the Living One.(AN) I was dead, but look—I am alive forever and ever,(AO) and I hold the keys(AP) of death and Hades. 19 Therefore write what you have seen,(AQ) what is, and what will take place after this. 20 The mystery(AR) of the seven stars you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels[r] of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands[s] are the seven churches.(AS)

Footnotes

  1. 1:1 Or Revelation of, or A revelation of
  2. 1:2 Or witness
  3. 1:2 Or as many as he saw
  4. 1:3 Or follow, or obey
  5. 1:4 Other mss add God
  6. 1:4 Or the sevenfold Spirit
  7. 1:5 Other mss read has washed us
  8. 1:6 Other mss read kings and
  9. 1:6 Or made us into (or to be) a kingdom of priests; Ex 19:6
  10. 1:7 Or peoples
  11. 1:7 Gn 12:3; 28:14; Zch 14:17
  12. 1:7 Or will wail because of him
  13. 1:7 Dn 7:13; Zch 12:10
  14. 1:10 Or in spirit; lit I became in the Spirit
  15. 1:11 Or book
  16. 1:13 Or like a son of man
  17. 1:15 Lit many
  18. 1:20 Or messengers
  19. 1:20 Other mss add that you saw