The Revelation of Jesus Christ

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which (A)God gave Him to (B)show to His bond-servants, (C)the things which must soon take place; and He sent and [a]communicated it (D)by His angel to His bond-servant (E)John, who testified to (F)the word of God and to (G)the testimony of Jesus Christ, everything that he saw. (H)Blessed is the one who reads, and those who hear the words of the prophecy and [b]keep the things which are written in it; (I)for the time is near.

Message to the Seven Churches

(J)John to (K)the seven churches that are in (L)Asia: (M)Grace to you and peace from (N)Him who is, and who was, and who [c]is to come, and from (O)the [d]seven spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, (P)the faithful witness, the (Q)firstborn of the dead, and the (R)ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who (S)loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— and He made us into a (T)kingdom, (U)priests to [e](V)His God and Father—(W)to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. (X)Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and (Y)every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will (Z)mourn over Him. [f]So it is to be. Amen.

“I am (AA)the Alpha and the Omega,” says the (AB)Lord God, (AC)who is and who was and who [g]is to come, the Almighty.”

The Patmos Vision

(AD)I, John, your (AE)brother and (AF)fellow participant in the tribulation and (AG)kingdom and [h](AH)perseverance in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos (AI)because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 I was (AJ)in the [i]Spirit on (AK)the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice (AL)like the sound of a trumpet, 11 saying, “(AM)Write [j]on a scroll what you see, and send it to the (AN)seven churches: to (AO)Ephesus, (AP)Smyrna, (AQ)Pergamum, (AR)Thyatira, (AS)Sardis, (AT)Philadelphia, and (AU)Laodicea.”

12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And after turning I saw (AV)seven golden lampstands; 13 and (AW)in the middle of the lampstands I saw one (AX)like [k]a son of man, (AY)clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and (AZ)wrapped around the chest with a golden sash. 14 His head and His (BA)hair were white like white wool, like snow; and (BB)His eyes were like a flame of fire. 15 His (BC)feet were like [l]burnished bronze when it has been heated to a glow in a furnace, and His (BD)voice was like the sound of many waters. 16 In His right hand He held (BE)seven stars, and out of His mouth came a (BF)sharp two-edged sword; and His (BG)face was like (BH)the sun [m]shining in its strength.

17 When I saw Him, I (BI)fell at His feet like a dead man. And He (BJ)placed His right hand on me, saying, (BK)Do not be afraid; (BL)I am the first and the last, 18 and the (BM)living One; and I [n](BN)was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have (BO)the keys of death and of Hades. 19 Therefore (BP)write (BQ)the things which you have seen, [o]and the things which are, and the things which will take place (BR)after these things. 20 As for the (BS)mystery of the (BT)seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the (BU)seven golden lampstands: the (BV)seven stars are the angels of (BW)the seven churches, and the seven (BX)lampstands are the seven churches.

Message to Ephesus

“To the angel of the church in (BY)Ephesus write:

The One who holds (BZ)the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks [p](CA)among the seven golden lampstands, says this:

(CB)I know your deeds and your labor and [q]perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil people, and you have (CC)put those who call themselves (CD)apostles to the test, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have [r]perseverance and have endured (CE)on account of My name, and have not become weary. But I have this against you, that you have (CF)left your first love. Therefore, remember from where you have fallen, and (CG)repent, and (CH)do the [s]deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and I will remove your (CI)lampstand from its place—unless you repent. But you have this, that you hate the deeds of the (CJ)Nicolaitans, which I also hate. (CK)The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (CL)To the one who overcomes, I will grant to eat from (CM)the tree of life, which is in the (CN)Paradise of God.’

Message to Smyrna

“And to the angel of the church in (CO)Smyrna write:

(CP)The first and the last, who [t](CQ)was dead, and has come to life, says this:

‘I know your (CR)tribulation and your (CS)poverty (but you are (CT)rich), and the [u]slander by those who (CU)say they are Jews, and are not, but are a synagogue of (CV)Satan. 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, so that you will be (CW)tested, and you will have tribulation (CX)for ten days. [v]Be (CY)faithful until death, and I will give you (CZ)the crown of life. 11 (DA)The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (DB)The one who overcomes will not be hurt by the (DC)second death.’

Message to Pergamum

12 “And to the angel of the church in (DD)Pergamum write:

The One who has (DE)the sharp two-edged sword says this:

13 ‘I know where you dwell, where (DF)Satan’s throne is; and you hold firmly to My name, and did not deny (DG)My faith even in the days of Antipas, My (DH)witness, My (DI)faithful one, who was killed among you, (DJ)where Satan dwells. 14 But (DK)I have a few things against you, because you have some there who hold the (DL)teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a [w]stumbling block before the sons of Israel, (DM)to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality. 15 So you too, have some who in the same way hold to the teaching of the (DN)Nicolaitans. 16 Therefore (DO)repent; or else (DP)I am coming to you quickly, and I will wage war against them with (DQ)the sword of My mouth. 17 (DR)The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (DS)To the one who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden (DT)manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a (DU)new name written on the stone (DV)which no one knows except the one who receives it.’

Message to Thyatira

18 “And to the angel of the church in (DW)Thyatira write:

(DX)The Son of God, (DY)who has [x]eyes like a flame of fire, and [y]feet like burnished bronze, says this:

19 (DZ)I know your deeds, and your love and faith, and service and [z]perseverance, and that your [aa]deeds of late are greater than [ab]at first. 20 But (EA)I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman (EB)Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they (EC)commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 (ED)I gave her time to repent, and she (EE)does not want to repent of her sexual immorality. 22 Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who (EF)commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of [ac]her deeds. 23 And I will kill her children with [ad]plague, and all the churches will know that I am He who (EG)searches the [ae]minds and hearts; and (EH)I will give to each one of you according to your deeds. 24 But I say to you, the rest who are in (EI)Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the (EJ)deep things of Satan, as they call them—I (EK)place no other burden on you. 25 Nevertheless (EL)what you have, hold firmly (EM)until I come. 26 (EN)The one who overcomes, and the one who keeps My deeds (EO)until the end, (EP)I will give him authority over the [af]nations; 27 and he shall [ag](EQ)rule them with a rod of iron, (ER)as the vessels of the potter are shattered, as I also have received authority from My Father; 28 and I will give him (ES)the morning star. 29 (ET)The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

Message to Sardis

“To the angel of the church in (EU)Sardis write:

He who has [ah](EV)the seven spirits of God and (EW)the seven stars, says this: ‘(EX)I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, and yet you are (EY)dead. Be constantly alert, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. So (EZ)remember [ai]what you have received and heard; and [aj]keep it, and (FA)repent. Then if you are not alert, (FB)I will come (FC)like a thief, and you will not know at (FD)what hour I will come to you. But you have a few [ak](FE)people in (FF)Sardis who have not (FG)soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me (FH)in white, for they are worthy. (FI)The one who overcomes will be clothed the same way, in (FJ)white garments; and I will not (FK)erase his name from the book of life, and (FL)I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. (FM)The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

Message to Philadelphia

“And to the angel of the church in (FN)Philadelphia write:

(FO)He who is holy, (FP)who is true, who has (FQ)the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this:

(FR)I know your [al]deeds. Behold, I have put before you (FS)an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have followed My word, and (FT)have not denied My name. Behold, I [am]will make those of (FU)the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—I will make them (FV)come and bow down before your feet, and make them know that (FW)I have loved you. 10 Because you have (FX)kept (FY)My [an]word of perseverance, (FZ)I also will keep you from the hour of the [ao](GA)testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole [ap](GB)world, to [aq]test (GC)those who live on the earth. 11 (GD)I am coming quickly; (GE)hold firmly to what you have, so that no one will take your (GF)crown. 12 (GG)The one who overcomes, I will make him a (GH)pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the (GI)name of My God, and (GJ)the name of the city of My God, (GK)the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My (GL)new name. 13 (GM)The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

Message to Laodicea

14 “To the angel of the church in (GN)Laodicea write:

(GO)The Amen, (GP)the faithful and true Witness, (GQ)the [ar]Origin of the creation of God, says this:

15 (GR)I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; (GS)I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, “(GT)I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have no need of anything,” and you do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked, 18 I advise you to (GU)buy from Me (GV)gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and (GW)white garments so that you may clothe yourself and (GX)the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to apply to your eyes so that you may see. 19 (GY)Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline; therefore be zealous and (GZ)repent. 20 Behold, I stand (HA)at the door and (HB)knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, (HC)I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. 21 (HD)The one who overcomes, I will grant to him (HE)to sit with Me on My throne, as (HF)I also overcame and sat with My Father on His throne. 22 (HG)The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 1:1 Or signified
  2. Revelation 1:3 Or follow
  3. Revelation 1:4 Or is coming
  4. Revelation 1:4 Possibly a symbolic reference to the Holy Spirit in His fullness, or to seven key angels
  5. Revelation 1:6 Or God and His Father
  6. Revelation 1:7 Or Yes. Amen.
  7. Revelation 1:8 Or is coming
  8. Revelation 1:9 Or steadfastness
  9. Revelation 1:10 Or spirit
  10. Revelation 1:11 Or in a book
  11. Revelation 1:13 Or the Son of Man
  12. Revelation 1:15 Or fine brass
  13. Revelation 1:16 Lit shines
  14. Revelation 1:18 Lit became
  15. Revelation 1:19 Or both the things
  16. Revelation 2:1 Lit in the middle of
  17. Revelation 2:2 Or steadfastness
  18. Revelation 2:3 Or steadfastness
  19. Revelation 2:5 Lit first deeds
  20. Revelation 2:8 Lit became
  21. Revelation 2:9 Or blasphemy
  22. Revelation 2:10 Or Prove yourself faithful
  23. Revelation 2:14 I.e., a temptation to sin
  24. Revelation 2:18 Lit His eyes
  25. Revelation 2:18 Lit His feet
  26. Revelation 2:19 Or steadfastness
  27. Revelation 2:19 Lit last deeds
  28. Revelation 2:19 Lit the first
  29. Revelation 2:22 One early ms their
  30. Revelation 2:23 Lit death; i.e., a particular kind of death
  31. Revelation 2:23 Lit kidneys; i.e., inner man
  32. Revelation 2:26 Or Gentiles
  33. Revelation 2:27 Lit shepherd
  34. Revelation 3:1 Possibly a symbolic reference to the Holy Spirit in His fullness, or to seven key angels
  35. Revelation 3:3 Lit how
  36. Revelation 3:3 Or follow
  37. Revelation 3:4 Lit names
  38. Revelation 3:8 Or deeds (behold...shut), that you have
  39. Revelation 3:9 Lit give
  40. Revelation 3:10 Or instruction
  41. Revelation 3:10 Or temptation
  42. Revelation 3:10 Lit inhabited earth
  43. Revelation 3:10 Or tempt
  44. Revelation 3:14 Or Beginning; i.e., Originator

Prologue

The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave(A) him to show his servants what must soon take place.(B) He made it known by sending his angel(C) to his servant John,(D) who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God(E) and the testimony of Jesus Christ.(F) Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it,(G) because the time is near.(H)

Greetings and Doxology

John,

To the seven churches(I) in the province of Asia:

Grace and peace to you(J) from him who is, and who was, and who is to come,(K) and from the seven spirits[a](L) before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness,(M) the firstborn from the dead,(N) and the ruler of the kings of the earth.(O)

To him who loves us(P) and has freed us from our sins by his blood,(Q) and has made us to be a kingdom and priests(R) to serve his God and Father(S)—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.(T)

“Look, he is coming with the clouds,”[b](U)
    and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;(V)
    and all peoples on earth “will mourn(W) because of him.”[c]
So shall it be! Amen.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,”(X) says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come,(Y) the Almighty.”(Z)

John’s Vision of Christ

I, John,(AA) your brother and companion in the suffering(AB) and kingdom(AC) and patient endurance(AD) that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God(AE) and the testimony of Jesus.(AF) 10 On the Lord’s Day(AG) I was in the Spirit,(AH) and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,(AI) 11 which said: “Write on a scroll what you see(AJ) and send it to the seven churches:(AK) to Ephesus,(AL) Smyrna,(AM) Pergamum,(AN) Thyatira,(AO) Sardis,(AP) Philadelphia(AQ) and Laodicea.”(AR)

12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands,(AS) 13 and among the lampstands(AT) was someone like a son of man,[d](AU) dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet(AV) and with a golden sash around his chest.(AW) 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.(AX) 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace,(AY) and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.(AZ) 16 In his right hand he held seven stars,(BA) and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword.(BB) His face was like the sun(BC) shining in all its brilliance.

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet(BD) as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me(BE) and said: “Do not be afraid.(BF) I am the First and the Last.(BG) 18 I am the Living One; I was dead,(BH) and now look, I am alive for ever and ever!(BI) And I hold the keys of death and Hades.(BJ)

19 “Write, therefore, what you have seen,(BK) what is now and what will take place later. 20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand(BL) and of the seven golden lampstands(BM) is this: The seven stars are the angels[e] of the seven churches,(BN) and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.(BO)

To the Church in Ephesus

“To the angel[f] of the church in Ephesus(BP) write:

These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand(BQ) and walks among the seven golden lampstands.(BR) I know your deeds,(BS) your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested(BT) those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.(BU) You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name,(BV) and have not grown weary.

Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.(BW) Consider how far you have fallen! Repent(BX) and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand(BY) from its place. But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans,(BZ) which I also hate.

Whoever has ears, let them hear(CA) what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious,(CB) I will give the right to eat from the tree of life,(CC) which is in the paradise(CD) of God.

To the Church in Smyrna

“To the angel of the church in Smyrna(CE) write:

These are the words of him who is the First and the Last,(CF) who died and came to life again.(CG) I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich!(CH) I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not,(CI) but are a synagogue of Satan.(CJ) 10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you,(CK) and you will suffer persecution for ten days.(CL) Be faithful,(CM) even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.(CN)

11 Whoever has ears, let them hear(CO) what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.(CP)

To the Church in Pergamum

12 “To the angel of the church in Pergamum(CQ) write:

These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.(CR) 13 I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me,(CS) not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness,(CT) who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives.(CU)

14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you:(CV) There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam,(CW) who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols(CX) and committed sexual immorality.(CY) 15 Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.(CZ) 16 Repent(DA) therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.(DB)

17 Whoever has ears, let them hear(DC) what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious,(DD) I will give some of the hidden manna.(DE) I will also give that person a white stone with a new name(DF) written on it, known only to the one who receives it.(DG)

To the Church in Thyatira

18 “To the angel of the church in Thyatira(DH) write:

These are the words of the Son of God,(DI) whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze.(DJ) 19 I know your deeds,(DK) your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.

20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel,(DL) who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.(DM) 21 I have given her time(DN) to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling.(DO) 22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery(DP) with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds,(DQ) and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.(DR)

24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you,(DS) 25 except to hold on to what you have(DT) until I come.’(DU)

26 To the one who is victorious(DV) and does my will to the end,(DW) I will give authority over the nations(DX) 27 that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter(DY) and will dash them to pieces like pottery’[g](DZ)—just as I have received authority from my Father. 28 I will also give that one the morning star.(EA) 29 Whoever has ears, let them hear(EB) what the Spirit says to the churches.

To the Church in Sardis

“To the angel[h] of the church in Sardis(EC) write:

These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits[i](ED) of God and the seven stars.(EE) I know your deeds;(EF) you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.(EG) Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent.(EH) But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief,(EI) and you will not know at what time(EJ) I will come to you.

Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes.(EK) They will walk with me, dressed in white,(EL) for they are worthy. The one who is victorious(EM) will, like them, be dressed in white.(EN) I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life,(EO) but will acknowledge that name before my Father(EP) and his angels. Whoever has ears, let them hear(EQ) what the Spirit says to the churches.

To the Church in Philadelphia

“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia(ER) write:

These are the words of him who is holy(ES) and true,(ET) who holds the key of David.(EU) What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds.(EV) See, I have placed before you an open door(EW) that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.(EX) I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan,(EY) who claim to be Jews though they are not,(EZ) but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet(FA) and acknowledge that I have loved you.(FB) 10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you(FC) from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world(FD) to test(FE) the inhabitants of the earth.(FF)

11 I am coming soon.(FG) Hold on to what you have,(FH) so that no one will take your crown.(FI) 12 The one who is victorious(FJ) I will make a pillar(FK) in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God(FL) and the name of the city of my God,(FM) the new Jerusalem,(FN) which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. 13 Whoever has ears, let them hear(FO) what the Spirit says to the churches.

To the Church in Laodicea

14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea(FP) write:

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness,(FQ) the ruler of God’s creation.(FR) 15 I know your deeds,(FS) that you are neither cold nor hot.(FT) I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’(FU) But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.(FV) 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire,(FW) so you can become rich; and white clothes(FX) to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness;(FY) and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.(FZ) So be earnest and repent.(GA) 20 Here I am! I stand at the door(GB) and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,(GC) I will come in(GD) and eat with that person, and they with me.

21 To the one who is victorious,(GE) I will give the right to sit with me on my throne,(GF) just as I was victorious(GG) and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear(GH) what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 1:4 That is, the sevenfold Spirit
  2. Revelation 1:7 Daniel 7:13
  3. Revelation 1:7 Zech. 12:10
  4. Revelation 1:13 See Daniel 7:13.
  5. Revelation 1:20 Or messengers
  6. Revelation 2:1 Or messenger; also in verses 8, 12 and 18
  7. Revelation 2:27 Psalm 2:9
  8. Revelation 3:1 Or messenger; also in verses 7 and 14
  9. Revelation 3:1 That is, the sevenfold Spirit