Beginning
The Revelation of Saint John the Apostle
1 2 He declareth what kind of doctrine is here handled, 8 even his that is the beginning and ending. 12 Then the mystery of the seven Candlesticks and stars, 20 is expounded.
1 The [a][b]Revelation of [c]Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly be done: which he sent, and showed by his Angel unto his servant John,
2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.
3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
4 [d]John to the seven Churches which are in Asia, Grace be with you, and peace [e]from him, [f]Which (A)is, and Which was, and Which is to come, and from [g]the [h]seven Spirits which are before his Throne,
5 And from Jesus Christ [i]which is that (B)faithful witness, and (C)that first begotten of the dead, and that Prince of the Kings of the earth, unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his (D)blood,
6 And made us (E)Kings and Priests unto God even his Father, to him, I say, be glory, and dominion for evermore, Amen.
7 Behold, he cometh with (F)clouds, and every [j]eye shall see him: yea, even they which pierced him through: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail before him, Even so, Amen.
8 [k]I (G)am [l]Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, Which is, and Which was, and Which is to come, even the Almighty.
9 [m]I John even your brother and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the [n]Isle called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the witnessing of Jesus Christ.
10 And I was ravished in [o]spirit on the [p]Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as it had been of a trumpet,
11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, that first and that last: and that which thou seest write in a book, and send it unto the seven Churches which are in Asia, unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
12 [q]Then I turned back to [r]see the voice that spake with me: [s]and when I was turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks,
13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks, one like unto the son of man, clothed with a garment down to the feet, and girded about the paps with a golden girdle.
14 His head and hairs were white as white wool, and as snow, and his eyes were as a flame of fire,
15 And his feet like unto fine brass burning as in a furnace: and his voice as the sound of many waters.
16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two edged sword, and his face shone as the sun shineth in his strength.
17 [t]And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead: [u]then he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not: [v]I am that (H)first and that last,
18 And am alive, but I was dead: and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen: and I have the keys of hell and of death.
19 [w]Write these things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall come hereafter.
20 [x]The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks, is this, The seven stars are the [y]Angels of the seven Churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest, are the seven Churches.
2 1 John is commanded to write those things which the Lord knew necessary to the Churches of Ephesus. 8 Of the Smyrnians, 12 of Pergamos, 18 and of Thyatira, as that they keep those things which they received of the Apostles.
1 [z]Unto the Angel of the Church of Ephesus write, [aa]These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, and walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks.
2 [ab]I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear with them which are evil, and hast examined them which say they are Apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars.
3 And thou wast burdened, and hast patience, and for my Name’s sake hast labored, and hast not fainted.
4 Nevertheless, I have somewhat [ac]against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent and do the first works: or else I will come against thee shortly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou amend.
6 But this thou hast that thou hatest the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 [ad]Let him that hath an ear hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches: To him that overcometh, will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in [ae]the midst of the [af]Paradise of God.
8 ¶ [ag]And unto the Angel of the Church of the [ah]Smyrnians write, These things saith he that is first and last, which was dead and is alive.
9 [ai]I know thy works and tribulation, and poverty (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them, which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the Synagogue of Satan.
10 Fear none of those things, which thou shalt suffer: behold, it shall come to pass, that the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried, and ye shall have [aj]tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto the death, and I will give thee the crown of life.
11 [ak]Let him that hath an ear hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches. He that overcometh shall not be hurt [al]of the second death.
12 [am]And to the Angel of the Church, which is at [an]Pergamos write, Thus saith he which hath that sharp sword with two edges.
13 [ao]I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s throne is, and thou keepest my Name, and hast not denied my faith, even in [ap]those days when Antipas my faithful martyr was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that maintain the doctrine of (I)Balaam, which taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, that they should [aq]eat of things sacrificed unto idols, and commit fornication.
15 Even so hast thou them that maintain the doctrine of the [ar]Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.
16 Repent thyself, or else I will come unto thee shortly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
17 [as]Let him that hath an ear, hear what the spirit saith unto the Churches. To him that overcometh, will I give to eat [at]of the [au]Manna that is hid, and will give him a [av][aw]white stone, and in the stone a new [ax]name written, which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it.
18 ¶ And unto [ay]the Angel of the Church which is at Thyatira write, These things saith the Son of God, which hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet like fine brass.
19 I know [az]thy works and thy love, and [ba]service and faith, and thy patience, and thy works, and that they are more at the last, than at the first.
20 Notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee, that thou sufferest the woman Jezebel which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to deceive my servants, to make them commit [bb]fornication and to eat meat sacrificed unto idols.
21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication, and she repented not.
22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit fornication with her, into great affliction, except they repent them of their works.
23 And I will kill her children with death, and all the Churches shall know that I am he which (J)search the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according unto your works.
24 And unto you I say, the rest of them of Thyatira, As many as have not this learning, neither have known the [bc]deepness of Satan (as they speak) I will [bd]put upon you none other burden,
25 But that which ye have already, hold fast till I come.
26 [be]For he that overcometh and keepeth my words unto the end, to him will I give [bf]power over nations.
27 (K)And he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and as the vessels of a potter, shall they be broken:
28 Even as I received of my Father, so will I give him [bg]the morning Star.
29 Let him that hath an ear, hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches.
3 1 The first Epistle sent to the Pastors of the Church of Sardis, 7 of Philadelphia, 14 And of the Laodiceans, 16 that they be not lukewarm, 20 but endeavor to further God’s glory.
1 [bh]And write unto the Angel of the Church which is at [bi]Sardis, These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars, [bj]I know thy works: for thou hast a [bk]name that thou livest, but thou art dead.
2 Be awake, and strengthen the things which remain, that are [bl]ready to die: for I have not found thy work perfect before God.
3 Remember therefore, how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast and repent. (L)If therefore thou wilt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
4 Notwithstanding thou hast a few names yet in Sardis, [bm]which have not defiled their garments: and they shall walk with me in [bn]white: for they are [bo]worthy.
5 He [bp]that overcometh, shall be clothed in white array, and I will not put out his Name out of the (M)book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his Angels.
6 Let him that hath an ear, hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches.
7 ¶ [bq]And write unto the Angel of the Church which is of Philadelphia, These things saith he that is Holy, and True, which hath the [br]key of David, which openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth.
8 [bs]I know thy works: behold I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my Name.
9 Behold, I will make them [bt]of the Synagogue of Satan, which call themselves Jews, and are not, but do lie: behold, I say, I will make them that they shall come [bu]and worship before thy feet, and shall know that I have loved thee.
10 Because thou hast [bv]kept the word of my patience, therefore I will deliver thee from the hour of tentation, which will come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
11 Behold, I come shortly: hold that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
12 [bw]Him that overcometh, will I make a pillar in the Temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: [bx]and I will write upon him the Name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is the new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God, and I will write upon him my new Name.
13 Let him that hath an ear, hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches.
14 [by]And unto the Angel of the Church of the Laodiceans write, These things saith [bz]Amen, the faithful and true witness, that [ca]beginning of the creatures of God.
15 [cb]I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou werest cold or hot.
16 Therefore because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, it will come to pass, that I shall spew thee out of my mouth.
17 For thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing, and knowest not how thou art wretched and miserable, [cc]and poor, and blind, and naked.
18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried by the fire, that thou mayest be made rich: and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that thy filthy nakedness do not appear: and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see.
19 As many as I love, (N)I rebuke and chasten: be [cd]zealous therefore and amend.
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock, [ce]If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in unto him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
21 [cf]To him that overcometh, will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I overcame, and sit with my Father in his throne.
22 Let him that hath an ear, hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.