1 This book describes the things that God showed to Jesus Christ. He wanted Jesus to show these things to his own servants. They are events that must happen soon. Jesus sent his angel to show them to me, his servant John.
2 I, John, have written about everything that God showed me. These things are a true message from God. They are the things that Jesus Christ says are true. 3 If anyone reads aloud the words of this prophecy, God will bless that person. God will also bless the people who listen to these words, if they continue to obey them. The things that are written here will soon happen.
4 I am John. I am writing to the seven churches that are in the region of Asia. I pray that God will be very kind to you. I pray that he will give you peace in your minds. God is alive now. He has always been alive. He will continue to be alive for ever.
God will help you, and the seven spirits that are in front of his throne will help you. [ a ]
5 Jesus Christ will also help you. He always speaks a true message. He is the first person who became alive again after death. [ b ] He rules the kings of the earth.
Jesus loves us and he died for us. That is how he made us free. Because of Jesus, God will not punish us for the bad things that we have done. 6 Jesus has brought us into his family, so that we belong to God's kingdom. He has made us priests, so that we serve his God and Father.
So we praise Jesus Christ! He will always be very great! He has power for all time. Amen. This is true!
7 Look! He will come on the clouds!
At that time, everyone will see him!
Even the people who pushed a spear into his body will see him. [ c ]
People from all the nations on earth will be sad when they see him.
Yes, it is true! Amen!
8 The Lord God says, ‘I caused all things to begin and I will cause the end of all things. I have all power and authority. I am alive. I have always been alive. I will continue to be alive for ever.’
9 I am John. I am a believer, as you are. I am like your brother and your friend. Because we belong to Jesus' kingdom, we are having trouble and pain. So we all need to be strong and patient, as Jesus helps us. The Roman leaders punished me because I taught God's message. I told people the true message about Jesus. That is why they sent me to Patmos island. [ d ]
10 On the Lord's day, God's Spirit caused me to see and to hear things. [ e ] I heard a voice speak behind me. The sound was as loud as a trumpet. 11 The voice said: ‘When you see these things, write them in a book. Then you must send the book to the seven churches in these cities:
Ephesus,
Smyrna,
Pergamum,
Thyatira,
Sardis,
Philadelphia,
Laodicea.’
12 I turned round to see who was speaking to me. When I turned, I saw seven gold lampstands with their lights. 13 In the middle of the lights, I saw someone like a son of man. [ f ] He was wearing long clothes that reached down to his feet. He wore a gold belt around the top part of his body. 14 His head and his hair were white like sheep's hair. They were very white, like snow. His eyes were like fires that were burning brightly. 15 His feet shone like a metal that shines brightly in a very hot fire. When he spoke, his voice was very loud. It was like the sound of water that pours along a river very quickly. 16 He held seven stars in his right hand. A sword with two sharp edges came out of his mouth. His face was like the sun when it shines very brightly.
17 When I saw him, I fell down at his feet like a dead person. Then he put his right hand on me, and he said to me, ‘Do not be afraid! I am the one who is the first and also the last. 18 I am the one who always lives. I died once. But look! Now I am alive and I will be alive for ever. I have authority over death and over Hades, the place for dead people. [ g ] 19 So write down the things that you have seen. Write about what you see that is happening now. Also write about the things that will happen later.
20 You saw seven stars that I held in my right hand. You saw seven lights in their gold lampstands. Now I will tell you what they mean. The seven stars show what the angels of the seven churches are like. [ h ] The seven lights in their lampstands show what the seven churches themselves are like.’
1 This is a revelation [ a ] from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must happen soon. And Christ sent his angel to show it to his servant John, 2 who has told everything he saw. It is the truth that Jesus Christ told him; it is the message from God. 3 Great blessings belong to the person who reads the words of this message from God and to those who hear this message and do what is written in it. There is not much time left.
4 From John,
To the seven churches in the province of Asia:
Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who always was, and who is coming; and from the seven spirits before his throne; 5 and from Jesus Christ. Jesus is the faithful witness. He is first among all who will be raised from death. He is the ruler of the kings of the earth.
Jesus is the one who loves us and has made us free from our sins with his blood sacrifice. 6 He made us his kingdom and priests who serve God his Father. To Jesus be glory and power forever and ever! Amen.
7 Look, Jesus is coming with the clouds! Everyone will see him, even those who pierced [ b ] him. All peoples of the earth will cry loudly because of him. Yes, this will happen! Amen.
8 The Lord God says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega. [ c ] I am the one who is, who always was, and who is coming. I am the All-Powerful.”
9 I am John, your fellow believer. We are together in Jesus, and we share these things: suffering, the kingdom, and patient endurance. I was on the island of Patmos [ d ] because I was faithful to God’s message and to the truth of Jesus. 10 On the Lord’s Day, the Spirit took control of me. I heard a loud voice behind me that sounded like a trumpet. 11 It said, “Write down in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”
12 I turned to see who was talking to me. When I turned, I saw seven golden lampstands. 13 I saw someone among the lampstands who looked like the Son of Man. He was dressed in a long robe, with a golden sash tied around his chest. 14 His head and hair were white like wool—wool that is white as snow. His eyes were like flames of fire. 15 His feet were like brass that glows hot in a furnace. His voice was like the noise of flooding water. 16 He held seven stars in his right hand. A sharp two-edged sword came out of his mouth. He looked like the sun shining at its brightest time.
17 When I saw him, I fell down at his feet like a dead man. He put his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the one who lives. I was dead, but look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. 19 So write what you see. Write the things that happen now and the things that will happen later. 20 Here is the hidden meaning of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and the seven golden lampstands that you saw: The seven lampstands are the seven churches. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches.
1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it 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 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;
5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What 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 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being 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 foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned 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 twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;
20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which ( A ) God gave Him to ( B ) show to His bond-servants, ( C ) the things which must soon take place; and He sent and [ a ] communicated it ( D ) by His angel to His bond-servant ( E ) John, 2 who testified to ( F ) the word of God and to ( G ) the testimony of Jesus Christ, everything that he saw. 3 ( H ) Blessed is the one who reads, and those who hear the words of the prophecy and [ b ] keep the things which are written in it; ( I ) for the time is near.
4 ( J ) John to ( K ) the seven churches that are in ( L ) Asia: ( M ) Grace to you and peace from ( N ) Him who is, and who was, and who [ c ] is to come, and from ( O ) the [ d ] seven spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, ( P ) the faithful witness, the ( Q ) firstborn of the dead, and the ( R ) ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who ( S ) loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— 6 and He made us into a ( T ) kingdom, ( U ) priests to [ e ] ( V ) His God and Father— ( W ) to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 ( X ) Behold, He is coming with the clouds , and ( Y ) every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will ( Z ) mourn over Him. [ f ] So it is to be. Amen.
8 “I am ( AA ) the Alpha and the Omega,” says the ( AB ) Lord God, “ ( AC ) who is and who was and who [ g ] is to come, the Almighty.”
9 ( AD ) I, John, your ( AE ) brother and ( AF ) fellow participant in the tribulation and ( AG ) kingdom and [ h ] ( AH ) perseverance in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos ( AI ) because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 I was ( AJ ) in the [ i ] Spirit on ( AK ) the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice ( AL ) like the sound of a trumpet, 11 saying, “ ( AM ) Write [ j ] on a scroll what you see, and send it to the ( AN ) seven churches: to ( AO ) Ephesus, ( AP ) Smyrna, ( AQ ) Pergamum, ( AR ) Thyatira, ( AS ) Sardis, ( AT ) Philadelphia, and ( AU ) Laodicea.”
12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And after turning I saw ( AV ) seven golden lampstands; 13 and ( AW ) in the middle of the lampstands I saw one ( AX ) like [ k ] a son of man, ( AY ) clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and ( AZ ) wrapped around the chest with a golden sash. 14 His head and His ( BA ) hair were white like white wool, like snow; and ( BB ) His eyes were like a flame of fire. 15 His ( BC ) feet were like [ l ] burnished bronze when it has been heated to a glow in a furnace, and His ( BD ) voice was like the sound of many waters. 16 In His right hand He held ( BE ) seven stars, and out of His mouth came a ( BF ) sharp two-edged sword; and His ( BG ) face was like ( BH ) the sun [ m ] shining in its strength.
17 When I saw Him, I ( BI ) fell at His feet like a dead man. And He ( BJ ) placed His right hand on me, saying, “ ( BK ) Do not be afraid; ( BL ) I am the first and the last, 18 and the ( BM ) living One; and I [ n ] ( BN ) was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have ( BO ) the keys of death and of Hades. 19 Therefore ( BP ) write ( BQ ) the things which you have seen, [ o ] and the things which are, and the things which will take place ( BR ) after these things. 20 As for the ( BS ) mystery of the ( BT ) seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the ( BU ) seven golden lampstands: the ( BV ) seven stars are the angels of ( BW ) the seven churches, and the seven ( BX ) lampstands are the seven churches.
1 The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave ( A ) him to show his servants what must soon take place. ( B ) He made it known by sending his angel ( C ) to his servant John, ( D ) 2 who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God ( E ) and the testimony of Jesus Christ. ( F ) 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, ( G ) because the time is near. ( H )
4 John,
To the seven churches ( I ) in the province of Asia:
Grace and peace to you ( J ) from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, ( K ) and from the seven spirits [ a ] ( L ) before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, ( M ) the firstborn from the dead, ( N ) and the ruler of the kings of the earth. ( O )
To him who loves us ( P ) and has freed us from our sins by his blood, ( Q ) 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests ( R ) to serve his God and Father ( S ) —to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. ( T )
7 “Look, he is coming with the clouds,” [ b ] ( U )
and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”; ( V )
and all peoples on earth “will mourn ( W ) because of him.” [ c ]
So shall it be! Amen.
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” ( X ) says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, ( Y ) the Almighty.” ( Z )
9 I, John, ( AA ) your brother and companion in the suffering ( AB ) and kingdom ( AC ) and patient endurance ( AD ) that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God ( AE ) and the testimony of Jesus. ( AF ) 10 On the Lord’s Day ( AG ) I was in the Spirit, ( AH ) and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, ( AI ) 11 which said: “Write on a scroll what you see ( AJ ) and send it to the seven churches: ( AK ) to Ephesus, ( AL ) Smyrna, ( AM ) Pergamum, ( AN ) Thyatira, ( AO ) Sardis, ( AP ) Philadelphia ( AQ ) and Laodicea.” ( AR )
12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, ( AS ) 13 and among the lampstands ( AT ) was someone like a son of man, [ d ] ( AU ) dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet ( AV ) and with a golden sash around his chest. ( AW ) 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. ( AX ) 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, ( AY ) and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. ( AZ ) 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, ( BA ) and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. ( BB ) His face was like the sun ( BC ) shining in all its brilliance.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet ( BD ) as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me ( BE ) and said: “Do not be afraid. ( BF ) I am the First and the Last. ( BG ) 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, ( BH ) and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! ( BI ) And I hold the keys of death and Hades. ( BJ )
19 “Write, therefore, what you have seen, ( BK ) what is now and what will take place later. 20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand ( BL ) and of the seven golden lampstands ( BM ) is this: The seven stars are the angels [ e ] of the seven churches, ( BN ) and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. ( BO )
