Revelation 1

Introduction and Benediction

1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to Him to show His servants the things which must come to pass quickly. And He made it known by sending it through His angel to His servant John, 2 who testified to the word of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ, as many things as He saw, both the things that are and those that must happen after these. 3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and who keep the things having been written in it; for the time is near.

Greeting the Seven Churches

4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia:

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, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To Him who loves us and who washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and He made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

7 Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, and those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will wail because of Him. Even so, Amen!

8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "He who is and He who was and He who is to come, The Almighty."

Vision of the Son of Man

9 I, John, your brother and partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and endurance in Christ Jesus, came to be on the island that is called Patmos on account of the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard a loud voice like a trumpet behind me, 11 saying, "That which you see, write in a book and send to the seven churches: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea."

12 And there I turned to see the voice which was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands stood One like the Son of Man, having been clothed in a robe reaching to His feet and having been girded across His chest with a golden belt. 14 And His head and His hair were white, and like white wool, like snow, and His eyes were like a flame of fire; 15 And His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; 16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was as the sun shining in its strength. 17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as if dead. But He put His right hand on me, saying, "Do not fear; I am the First and the Last. 18 I am He who lives, and became dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Death and of Hades. 19 Write therefore the things which you saw, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter. 20 The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the messengers of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.