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Vision of the Son of Man

I, John, am your brother and your partner in suffering and in God’s Kingdom and in the patient endurance to which Jesus calls us. I was exiled to the island of Patmos for preaching the word of God and for my testimony about Jesus. 10 It was the Lord’s Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit.[a] Suddenly, I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet blast. 11 It said, “Write in a book[b] everything you see, and send it to the seven churches in the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”

12 When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. 13 And standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man.[c] He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. 14 His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were like flames of fire. 15 His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. 16 He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance.

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid 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 died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.[d]

19 “Write down what you have seen—both the things that are now happening and the things that will happen.[e] 20 This is the meaning of the mystery of the seven stars you saw in my right hand and the seven gold lampstands: The seven stars are the angels[f] of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

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Footnotes

  1. 1:10 Or in spirit.
  2. 1:11 Or on a scroll.
  3. 1:13 Or like a son of man. See Dan 7:13. “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.
  4. 1:18 Greek and Hades.
  5. 1:19 Or what you have seen and what they mean—the things that have already begun to happen.
  6. 1:20 Or the messengers.

The Patmos Vision

(A)I, John, your (B)brother and (C)fellow participant in the tribulation and (D)kingdom and [a](E)perseverance in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos (F)because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 I was (G)in the [b]Spirit on (H)the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice (I)like the sound of a trumpet, 11 saying, “(J)Write [c]on a scroll what you see, and send it to the (K)seven churches: to (L)Ephesus, (M)Smyrna, (N)Pergamum, (O)Thyatira, (P)Sardis, (Q)Philadelphia, and (R)Laodicea.”

12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And after turning I saw (S)seven golden lampstands; 13 and (T)in the middle of the lampstands I saw one (U)like [d]a son of man, (V)clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and (W)wrapped around the chest with a golden sash. 14 His head and His (X)hair were white like white wool, like snow; and (Y)His eyes were like a flame of fire. 15 His (Z)feet were like [e]burnished bronze when it has been heated to a glow in a furnace, and His (AA)voice was like the sound of many waters. 16 In His right hand He held (AB)seven stars, and out of His mouth came a (AC)sharp two-edged sword; and His (AD)face was like (AE)the sun [f]shining in its strength.

17 When I saw Him, I (AF)fell at His feet like a dead man. And He (AG)placed His right hand on me, saying, (AH)Do not be afraid; (AI)I am the first and the last, 18 and the (AJ)living One; and I [g](AK)was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have (AL)the keys of death and of Hades. 19 Therefore (AM)write (AN)the things which you have seen, [h]and the things which are, and the things which will take place (AO)after these things. 20 As for the (AP)mystery of the (AQ)seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the (AR)seven golden lampstands: the (AS)seven stars are the angels of (AT)the seven churches, and the seven (AU)lampstands are the seven churches.

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 1:9 Or steadfastness
  2. Revelation 1:10 Or spirit
  3. Revelation 1:11 Or in a book
  4. Revelation 1:13 Or the Son of Man
  5. Revelation 1:15 Or fine brass
  6. Revelation 1:16 Lit shines
  7. Revelation 1:18 Lit became
  8. Revelation 1:19 Or both the things