¹⁸ I am the One who lives; I was dead, but ·look [^Tbehold], I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys to death and ·to the place of the dead [^LHades]. ¹⁹ So write the things you ·see [or have seen], ·what is now [^Lwhat is] and what will happen ·later [^Lafter these things]. ²⁰ Here is the ·secret [mystery] of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the ·angels [or messengers; ^Cthese may be guardian angels, human leaders, or the personified “spirit” of each church] of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.