Revelation 1
New International Version
Prologue
1 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) 2 who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God(E) and the testimony of Jesus Christ.(F) 3 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
4 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, 5 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) 6 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)
7 “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.
8 “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
9 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)
Footnotes
- Revelation 1:4 That is, the sevenfold Spirit
- Revelation 1:7 Daniel 7:13
- Revelation 1:7 Zech. 12:10
- Revelation 1:13 See Daniel 7:13.
- Revelation 1:20 Or messengers
Revelation 1
Darby Translation
1 Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him, to shew to his bondmen what must shortly take place; and he signified [it], sending by his angel, to his bondman John,
2 who testified the word of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ, all things that he saw.
3 Blessed [is] he that reads, and they that hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things written in it; for the time [is] near.
4 John to the seven assemblies which [are] in Asia: Grace to you and peace from [him] who is, and who was, and who is to come; and from the seven Spirits which [are] before his throne;
5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and has washed us from our sins in his blood,
6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father: to him [be] the glory and the might to the ages of ages. Amen.
7 Behold, he comes with the clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they which have pierced him, and all the tribes of the land shall wail because of him. Yea. Amen.
8 I am the Alpha and the Omega, saith [the] Lord God, he who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.
9 I John, your brother and fellow-partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and patience, in Jesus, was in the island called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus.
10 I became in [the] Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet,
11 saying, What thou seest write in a book, and send to the seven assemblies: to Ephesus, and to Smyrna, and to Pergamos, and to Thyatira, and to Sardis, and to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.
12 And I turned back to see the voice which spoke with me; and having turned, I saw seven golden lamps,
13 and in the midst of the [seven] lamps [one] like [the] Son of man, clothed with a garment reaching to the feet, and girt about at the breasts with a golden girdle:
14 his head and hair white like white wool, as snow; and his eyes as a flame of fire;
15 and his feet like fine brass, as burning in a furnace; and his voice as the voice of many waters;
16 and having in his right hand seven stars; and out of his mouth a sharp two-edged sword going forth; and his countenance as the sun shines in its power.
17 And when I saw him I fell at his feet as dead; and he laid his right hand upon me, saying, Fear not; *I* am the first and the last,
18 and the living one: and I became dead, and behold, I am living to the ages of ages, and have the keys of death and of hades.
19 Write therefore what thou hast seen, and the things that are, and the things that are about to be after these.
20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou hast seen on my right hand, and the seven golden lamps.—The seven stars are angels of the seven assemblies; and the seven lamps are seven assemblies.
Revelation 1
English Standard Version
Prologue
1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God (A)gave him (B)to show to his servants[a] the things that must soon take place. (C)He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 (D)who bore witness to the word of God and to (E)the testimony of Jesus Christ, even (F)to all that he saw. 3 (G)Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, (H)for the time is near.
Greeting to the Seven Churches
4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia:
Grace to you and peace from (I)him (J)who is and (K)who was and who is to come, and from (L)the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ (M)the faithful witness, (N)the firstborn of the dead, and (O)the ruler of kings on earth.
To (P)him who loves us and (Q)has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us (R)a kingdom, (S)priests to (T)his God and Father, to him be (U)glory and (V)dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, (W)he is coming with the clouds, and (X)every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail[b] on account of him. Even so. Amen.
8 (Y)“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, (Z)“who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Vision of the Son of Man
9 I, John, your brother and (AA)partner in (AB)the tribulation and (AC)the kingdom and (AD)the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos (AE)on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 (AF)I was in the Spirit (AG)on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice (AH)like a trumpet 11 saying, (AI)“Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”
12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw (AJ)seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands (AK)one like (AL)a son of man, (AM)clothed with a long robe and (AN)with a golden sash around his chest. 14 (AO)The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. (AP)His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15 (AQ)his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and (AR)his voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 (AS)In his right hand he held seven stars, (AT)from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and (AU)his face was like the sun shining (AV)in full strength.
17 (AW)When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But (AX)he laid his right hand on me, (AY)saying, “Fear not, (AZ)I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. (BA)I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and (BB)I have the keys of Death and Hades. 19 (BC)Write therefore (BD)the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. 20 As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and (BE)the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and (BF)the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Footnotes
- Revelation 1:1 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface; likewise for servant later in this verse
- Revelation 1:7 Or mourn
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