The Prologue

1:1 The revelation of Jesus Christ,1 which God gave him to show his servants2 what must happen very soon.3 He made it clear4 by sending his angel to his servant5 John, 1:2 who then6 testified to everything that he saw concerning the word of God and the testimony about7 Jesus Christ. 1:3 Blessed is the one who reads the words of this8 prophecy aloud,9 and blessed are10 those who hear and obey11 the things written in it, because the time is near!12

1:4 From John,13 to the seven churches that are in the province of Asia:14 Grace and peace to you15 from “he who is,”16 and who was, and who is still to come,17 and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 1:5 and from Jesus Christ—the faithful18 witness,19 the firstborn from among the dead, the ruler over the kings of the earth. To the one who loves us and has set us free20 from our sins at the cost of21 his own blood 1:6 and has appointed22 us as a kingdom,23 as priests24 serving his God and Father—to him be the glory and the power for ever and ever!25 Amen.

1:7 (Look! He is returning with the clouds,26

and every eye will see him,

even27 those who pierced him,28

and all the tribes29 on the earth will mourn because30 of him.

This will certainly come to pass!31 Amen.)32

1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,”33 says the Lord God—the one who is, and who was, and who is still to come—the All-Powerful!34

1:9 I, John, your brother and the one who shares35 with you in the persecution, kingdom, and endurance that36 are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony about Jesus.37 1:10 I was in the Spirit38 on the Lord’s Day39 when40 I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 1:11 saying: “Write in a book what you see and send it to the seven churches—to Ephesus,41 Smyrna,42 Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”

1:12 I43 turned to see whose voice was speaking to me,44 and when I did so,45 I saw seven golden lampstands, 1:13 and in the midst of the lampstands was one like a son of man.46 He was dressed in a robe extending down to his feet and he wore a wide golden belt47 around his chest. 1:14 His48 head and hair were as white as wool, even as white as snow,49 and his eyes were like a fiery50 flame. 1:15 His feet were like polished bronze51 refined52 in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar53 of many waters. 1:16 He held54 seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp double-edged sword extended out of his mouth. His55 face shone like the sun shining at full strength. 1:17 When56 I saw him I fell down at his feet as though I were dead, but57 he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid! I am the first and the last, 1:18 and the one who lives! I58 was dead, but look, now I am alive—forever and ever—and I hold the keys of death and of Hades!59 1:19 Therefore write what you saw, what is, and what will be after these things.60 1:20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and the seven golden lampstands is this:61 The seven stars are the angels62 of the seven churches and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.