1 This is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show
to his servants the things which must happen soon, which he sent and made
known by his angel to his servant, John, 2 who testified to God's word,
and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, about everything that he saw.
3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy,
and keep the things that are written in it, for the time is at hand.
4 John, to the seven assemblies that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace,
from God, who is and who was and who is to come; and from the seven Spirits
who are before his throne; 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness,
the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him
who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood; 6 and he made us
to be a kingdom, priests to his God and Father; to him be the glory and the
dominion forever and ever. Amen.
7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him,
including those who pierced him. All the tribes of the earth will mourn over
him. Even so, Amen.
8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega,*1 " says the Lord God,*2 "who is and
who was and who is to come, the Almighty."
9 I John, your brother and partner with you in oppression, kingdom, and
perseverance in Christ Jesus, was on the isle that is called Patmos because
of God's Word and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10 I was in the Spirit on
the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, like a trumpet
11 saying, "*3 What you see, write in a book and send to the seven
assemblies*4 : to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum,
Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and to Laodicea."
12 I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. Having turned, I saw
seven golden lampstands. 13 And among the lampstands was one like a son of
man, clothed with a robe reaching down to his feet, and with a golden sash
around his chest. 14 His head and his hair were white as white wool, like
snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire. 15 His feet were like burnished
brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace. His voice was like the voice
of many waters. 16 He had seven stars in his right hand. Out of his mouth
proceeded a sharp two-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining at its
brightest. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man.
He laid his right hand on me, saying, "Don't be afraid. I am the first
and the last, 18 and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive
forevermore. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades. 19 Write
therefore the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the
things which will happen hereafter; 20 the mystery of the seven stars
which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands. The seven
stars are the angels of the seven assemblies. The seven lampstands are seven
assemblies.
1 TR adds "the Beginning and the
End" 2 TR omits "God" 3 TR adds "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and
the Last." 4 TR adds "which are in Asia"
World English Bible - Public Domain |
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