1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which AJohn 17:8; Rev 5:7God gave Him to BRev 22:6show to His bond-servants, CDan 2:28f; Rev 1:19the things which must soon take place; and He sent and 1Or signifiedcommunicated it DRev 17:1; 19:9f; 21:9; 22:16by His angel to His bond-servant ERev 1:4, 9; 22:8John, 2 who testified to ARev 1:9; 6:9; 12:17; 20:4the word of God and to B1 Cor 1:6; Rev 12:17the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. 3 ALuke 11:28; Rev 22:7Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and 1Or keepheed the things which are written in it; BRom 13:11; Rev 3:11; 22:7, 10, 12for the time is near.

4 ARev 1:1, 9; 22:8John to BRev 1:11, 20the seven churches that are in CActs 2:9Asia: DRom 1:7Grace to you and peace, from ERev 1:8, 17; 4:8; 16:5Him who is and who was and who 1Or is comingis to come, and from FIs 11:2; Rev 3:1; 4:5; 5:6; 8:2the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, ARev 3:14; 19:11the faithful witness, the B1 Cor 15:20; Col 1:18firstborn of the dead, and the CRev 17:14; 19:16ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who DRom 8:37loves us and released us from our sins 1Or inby His blood— 6 and He has made us to be a ARev 5:10; 20:6kingdom, ARev 5:10; 20:6priests to 1Or God and His FatherBRom 15:6His God and Father—CRom 11:36to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 ADan 7:13; 1 Thess 4:17Bᴇʜoʟᴅ, Hᴇ ɪs coᴍɪɴɢ wɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ cʟoᴜᴅs, and BZech 12:10-14; John 19:37every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will CLuke 23:28mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.

8 “I am AIs 41:4; Rev 21:6; 22:13the Alpha and the Omega,” says the BRev 4:8; 11:17Lord God, “CRev 1:4who is and who was and who 1Or is comingis to come, the Almighty.”

9 ARev 1:1I, John, your BActs 1:15brother and CMatt 20:23; Acts 14:22; 2 Cor 1:7; Phil 4:14fellow partaker in the tribulation and D2 Tim 2:12; Rev 1:6kingdom and 1Or steadfastnessE2 Thess 3:5; Rev 3:10perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos FRev 1:2because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 I was 1Or in spiritAMatt 22:43; Rev 4:2; 17:3; 21:10in the Spirit on BActs 20:7the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice CRev 4:1like the sound of a trumpet, 11 saying, “ARev 1:2, 19Write in a 1Or scrollbook what you see, and send it to the BRev 1:4, 20seven churches: to CRev 2:1Ephesus and to DRev 2:8Smyrna and to ERev 2:12Pergamum and to FActs 16:14; Rev 2:18, 24Thyatira and to GRev 3:1, 4Sardis and to HRev 3:7Philadelphia and to ICol 2:1; Rev 3:14Laodicea.”

12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw AEx 25:37; 37:23; Zech 4:2; Rev 1:20; 2:1seven golden lampstands; 13 and ARev 2:1in the middle of the lampstands I saw one BEzek 1:26; Dan 7:13; 10:16; Rev 14:14like 1Or the Son of Mana son of man, CDan 10:5clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and DRev 15:6girded across His chest with a golden sash. 14 His head and His ADan 7:9hair were white like white wool, like snow; and BDan 7:9; 10:6; Rev 2:18; 19:12His eyes were like a flame of fire. 15 His AEzek 1:7; Dan 10:6; Rev 2:18feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His BEzek 1:24; 43:2; Rev 14:2; 19:6voice was like the sound of many waters. 16 In His right hand He held ARev 1:20; 2:1; 3:1seven stars, and out of His mouth came a BIs 49:2; Heb 4:12; Rev 2:12, 16; 19:15sharp two-edged sword; and His CMatt 17:2; Rev 10:1face was like DJudg 5:31the sun 1Lit shinesshining in its strength.

17 When I saw Him, I ADan 8:17; 10:9, 10, 15fell at His feet like a dead man. And He BDan 8:18; 10:10, 12placed His right hand on me, saying, “CMatt 14:27; 17:7Do not be afraid; DIs 41:4; 44:6; 48:12; Rev 2:8; 22:13I am the first and the last, 18 and the ALuke 24:5; Rev 4:9fliving One; and I 1Lit becameBRom 6:9; Rev 2:8; 10:6; 15:7was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have CJob 38:17; Matt 11:23; 16:19; Rev 9:1; 20:1the keys of death and of Hades. 19  “Therefore ARev 1:11write BRev 1:12-16the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place CRev 4:1after these things. 20  “As for the ARom 11:25mystery of the BRev 1:16; 2:1; 3:1seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the CEx 25:37; 37:23; Zech 4:2; Rev 1:12; 2:1seven golden lampstands: the BRev 1:16; 2:1; 3:1seven stars are the angels of DRev 1:4, 11the seven churches, and the seven EMatt 5:14flampstands are the seven churches.