Revelation 1:1–8

PROLOGUE

1The revelation of^A Jesus Christ that God gave him to show his servants^a what must soon take place.^b He made it known by sending his angel^c to his servant John,^{d 2}who testified to the word of God and to the testimony^B of Jesus Christ,^e whatever he saw.^{C 3}Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy,^f and blessed are those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep^D what is written in it, because the time is near.

⁴John: To the seven churches in Asia. Grace and peace^g to you from^E the one who is, who was, and who is to come,^h and from the seven spirits^Fi before his throne, ⁵and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness,^j the firstborn from the dead^k and the ruler of the kings of the earth.^l

To him who loves us and has set us free^G from our sins by his blood,^{m 6}and made us a kingdom,^H priestsⁿ to his God and Father—to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.^o

⁷Look, he is coming with the clouds,^p

and every eye will see him,

even those who pierced him.

And all the tribes^J of the earth^Kq

will mourn over him.^LMr

So it is to be. Amen.

⁸“I am the Alpha and the Omega,”^s says the Lord God, “the one who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”