A modern English translation drawn directly from the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. Translated word-for-word where possible, by a committee with scholarly oversight.
Uses the same source texts as the ESV, NASB, and most academic Bibles, including the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia and the Nestle-Aland critical edition.
Revelation 1
Revelation 1 is the opening chapter of the sixty-sixth and final book of the Bible. The 20-verse chapter opens the book with a prologue, a greeting to seven churches, and a vision of the risen Christ that sets up the seven letters in chapters 2 and 3.
The chapter opens by identifying the book as the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John. A blessing is pronounced on the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy and on those who hear it, because the time is near.
John then greets the seven churches in the province of Asia. He sends them grace and peace from God who is and was and is to come, from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. The chapter notes that Jesus is coming with the clouds and every eye will see him.
John introduces himself as a brother and companion in suffering, on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. On the Lord's Day, he was in the Spirit and heard behind him a loud voice like a trumpet telling him to write what he saw and send it to the seven churches.
John turns to see the voice. He sees seven golden lampstands, and among them one like a son of man, wearing a long robe with a golden sash. His head and hair are white as snow, his eyes like blazing fire, his feet like burnished bronze. His voice is like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand are seven stars, and out of his mouth comes a sharp double-edged sword. His face is like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
The chapter closes with John falling at his feet as though dead. The figure places his right hand on him and says: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last." He explains that the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches and the seven lampstands are the churches themselves.
Verse 1. This is the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants what must soon come to pass. He made it known by sending His angel to His servant John,
Verse 2. who testifies to everything he saw. This is the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Verse 3. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear and obey what is written in it, because the time is near.
Verse 4. John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from Him who is and was and is to come, and from the seven spirits before His throne,
Verse 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 has released us from our sins by His blood,
Verse 6. who has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and power forever and ever! Amen.
Verse 7. Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him—even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen.
Verse 8. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and was and is to come—the Almighty.
Verse 9. I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance that are in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and my testimony about Jesus.
Verse 10. On the Lord’s day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,
Verse 11. saying, “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”
Verse 12. Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands,
Verse 13. and among the lampstands was One like the Son of Man, dressed in a long robe, with a golden sash around His chest.
Verse 14. The hair of His head was white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were like a blazing fire.
Verse 15. His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and His voice was like the roar of many waters.
Verse 16. He held in His right hand seven stars, and a sharp double-edged sword came from His mouth. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest.
Verse 17. When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. But He placed His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last,
Verse 18. the Living One. I was dead, and behold, now I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of Death and of Hades.
Verse 19. Therefore write down the things you have seen, the things that are, and the things that will happen after this.
Verse 20. This is the mystery of the seven stars you saw in My right hand and of the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
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