1 The revelation of  * 1:1 Or Revelation of, or A revelation of Jesus Christ that God gave him to show his servants  * 1:1 Ac 2:18; Rm 6:19; 1Pt 2:16; Rv 22:6 what must soon take place.  * 1:1 Dn 2:28–29,45; Rv 22:6 He made it known by sending his angel  * 1:1 Gn 24:7; Mt 1:24; Ac 12:11 to his servant John,  * 1:1 Jn 21:7; Rv 22:82 who testified to the word of God and to the testimony  * 1:2 Or witness of Jesus Christ,  * 1:2 1Co 1:6; Rv 12:17; 19:10; 20:4 whatever he saw.  * 1:2 Or as many as he saw3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy,  * 1:3 Rv 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7,14 and blessed are those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep  * 1:3 Or follow, or obey what is written in it, because the time is near.

4 John: To the seven churches in Asia. Grace and peace  * 1:4 Ti 1:4 to you from  * 1:4 Other mss add God the one who is, who was, and who is to come,  * 1:4 Rv 1:8,17; 4:8; 16:5 and from the seven spirits  * 1:4 Or the sevenfold Spirit,* 1:4 Rv 3:1; 4:5; 5:6 before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness,  * 1:5 Ps 89:37; Jn 18:37; Rv 2:13; 3:14 the firstborn from the dead  * 1:5 Ps 89:27; Ac 26:23; Rm 8:29; 1Co 15:20–23; Col 1:18 and the ruler of the kings of the earth.  * 1:5 Ps 89:27; Rv 17:14; 19:16

To him who loves us and has set us free  * 1:5 Other mss read has washed us from our sins by his blood,  * 1:5 Dt 7:8; Rm 8:26 and made us a kingdom,  * 1:6 Other mss read kings and priests  * 1:6 Or made us into (or to be) a kingdom of priests; Ex 19:6,* 1:6 Ex 19:6; 1Pt 2:9; Rv 5:10; 20:6 to his God and Father — to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.  * 1:6 Rm 11:36; 1Pt 4:11; Jd 25; Rv 7:12

7 Look, he is coming with the clouds,* 1:7 Is 19:1; Zch 12:10; Jn 19:34–37

and every eye will see him,

even those who pierced him.

And all the tribes* 1:7 Or peoplesof the earth* 1:7 Gn 12:3; 28:14; Zch 14:17,* 1:7 Gn 12:3; 28:14; Zch 14:17

will mourn over him.* 1:7 Or will wail because of him,* 1:7 Dn 7:13; Zch 12:10,* 1:7 Dn 7:13; Zch 12:10

So it is to be. Amen.

8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega,"  * 1:8 Is 44:6; Rv 21:6; 22:13 says the Lord God, "the one who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."

9 I, John, your brother and partner in the affliction,  * 1:9 Jn 16:33; Ac 14:22; Rm 5:3; 2Tm 2:12; Rv 2:9 kingdom,  * 1:9 Mt 25:34; Jms 2:5 and endurance  * 1:9 Rm 5:3–4; 8:25; 15:4; Col 1:11; 2Th 1:4; Heb 10:36; 12:1; Jms 1:3–4; Rv 2:3; 3:10; 13:10; 14:12 that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.  * 1:9 Rv 1:2; 6:9; 12:17; 19:10; 20:410 I was in the Spirit  * 1:10 Or in spirit; lit I became in the Spirit,* 1:10 1Kg 18:12; Ezk 3:12; 2Co 12:2; Rv 4:2; 17:3; 21:10 on the Lord’s day, and I heard a loud voice behind me like a trumpet  * 1:10 Ex 19:16,19; 20:18; Ps 47:511 saying, "Write* 1:11 Ex 34:27; Dt 31:19; Is 8:1; 30:8; Jr 30:2; 36:2,28; Hab 2:2; Rv 2:1,8,12,18; 3:1,7,14; 14:3; 19:9; 21:5on a scroll* 1:11 Or bookwhat 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  * 1:12 Ex 20:18 it was that spoke to me. When I turned I saw seven golden lampstands,  * 1:12 Ex 25:37; 37:23; 2Ch 4:20; Zch 4:213 and among the lampstands was one like the Son of Man,  * 1:13 Or like a son of man,* 1:13 Dn 7:13; 10:16; Rv 14:14 dressed in a robe  * 1:13 Dn 10:5 and with a golden sash wrapped around his chest.  * 1:13 Rv 15:614 The hair of his head was white as wool — white as snow  * 1:14 Is 1:18; Dn 7:9  — and his eyes like a fiery flame.  * 1:14 Dn 10:6; Rv 2:18; 19:1215 His feet were like fine bronze as it is fired in a furnace,  * 1:15 Ezk 1:7; Dn 10:6; Rv 2:18 and his voice like the sound of cascading  * 1:15 Lit many waters.  * 1:15 Ezk 1:24; 43:2; Rv 14:2; 19:616 He had seven stars in his right hand; a sharp double-edged sword came from his mouth,  * 1:16 Is 49:2; Heb 4:12; Rv 2:12,16; 19:15 and his face was shining like the sun at full strength.  * 1:16 Mt 17:2; Rv 10:1

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man.  * 1:17 Gn 17:3; Jdg 6:22–23; 13:20; Jb 42:5–6; Is 6:5; Ezk 1:28; Dn 8:17; Mt 17:6; Lk 1:12; 5:8 He laid his right hand on me and said, "Don’t be afraid. I am the First and the Last,* 1:17 Is 41:4; 44:6; 48:12; Rv 2:8; 22:1318 and the Living One.* 1:18 Mt 16:16; 26:63; Jn 6:57; Rv 4:10; 10:6I was dead, but look — I am alive forever and ever,* 1:18 Rm 6:9; 14:9; Rv 2:8; 10:6and I hold the keys* 1:18 Mt 16:19of death and Hades.19 Therefore write what you have seen,* 1:19 Ex 17:14; 34:27; Dt 31:19; Jr 30:2; Hab 2:2what is, and what will take place after this.20 The mystery* 1:20 Mt 13:35; Rm 16:25of the seven stars you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels* 1:20 Or messengersof the seven churches, and the seven lampstands* 1:20 Other mss add that you saware the seven churches.* 1:20 Mt 5:14–15