Revelation 1:1–2:29

Introduction and Benediction

1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, awhich God gave Him to show His servants—things which must 1shortly take place. And bHe sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, 2 cwho bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things dthat he saw. 3 eBlessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for fthe time is near.

Greeting the Seven Churches

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

Grace to you and peace from Him gwho is and hwho was and who is to come, iand from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, jthe faithful kwitness, the lfirstborn from the dead, and mthe ruler over the kings of the earth.

To Him nwho 2loved us oand washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has pmade us 3kings and priests to His God and Father, qto Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

7 Behold, He is coming with rclouds, and every eye will see Him, even sthey who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.

8 t“I am the Alpha and the Omega, 4the Beginning and the End,” says the 5Lord, u“who is and who was and who is to come, the vAlmighty.”

Vision of the Son of Man

9 I, John, 6both your brother and wcompanion in the tribulation and xkingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10 yI was in the Spirit on zthe Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me aa loud voice, as of a trumpet, 11 saying, 7“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches 8which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”

12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned bI saw seven golden lampstands, 13 cand in the midst of the seven lampstands dOne like the Son of Man, eclothed with a garment down to the feet and fgirded about the chest with a golden band. 14 His head and ghair were white like wool, as white as snow, and hHis eyes like a flame of fire; 15 iHis feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and jHis voice as the sound of many waters; 16 kHe had in His right hand seven stars, lout of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, mand His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. 17 And nwhen I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But oHe laid His right hand on me, saying 9to me, “Do not be afraid; pI am the First and the Last. 18 qI am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, rI am alive forevermore. Amen. And sI have the keys of 1Hades and of Death. 19 2Write the things which you have tseen, uand the things which are, vand the things which will take place after this. 20 The 3mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are wthe 4angels of the seven churches, and xthe seven lampstands 5which you saw are the seven churches.

The Loveless Church

2 “To the 1angel of the church of Ephesus write,

‘These things says aHe who holds the seven stars in His right hand, bwho walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 2 c“I know your works, your labor, your 2patience, and that you cannot 3bear those who are evil. And dyou have tested those ewho say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have fnot become weary. 4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, gor else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. 6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

7 h“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give ito eat from jthe tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ’

The Persecuted Church

8 “And to the 4angel of the church in Smyrna write,

‘These things says kthe First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: 9 “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are lrich); and I know the blasphemy of mthose who say they are Jews and are not, nbut are a 5synagogue of Satan. 10 oDo not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. pBe faithful until death, and I will give you qthe crown of life.

11 r“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by sthe second death.” ’

The Compromising Church

12 “And to the 6angel of the church in Pergamos write,

‘These things says tHe who has the sharp two-edged sword: 13 “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of uBalaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, vto eat things sacrificed to idols, wand to commit sexual immorality. 15 Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, 7which thing I hate. 16 Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and xwill fight against them with the sword of My mouth.

17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden ymanna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone za new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” ’

The Corrupt Church

18 “And to the 8angel of the church in Thyatira write,

‘These things says the Son of God, awho has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: 19 b“I know your works, love, 9service, faith, and your 1patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. 20 Nevertheless I have 2a few things against you, because you allow 3that woman cJezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, 4to teach and seduce My servants dto commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 And I gave her time eto 5repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. 22 Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of 6their deeds. 23 I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who fsearches 7the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.

24 “Now to you I say, 8and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the gdepths of Satan, as they say, hI 9will put on you no other burden. 25 But hold fast iwhat you have till I come. 26 And he who overcomes, and keeps jMy works until the end, kto him I will give power over the nations—

27 ‘He lshall rule them with a rod of iron;

They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’—

as I also have received from My Father; 28 and I will give him mthe morning star.

29 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’