1The revelation of Or Revelation of, or A revelation of Jesus Christ that God gave Him to show His slaves Ac 2:18; Rm 6:19; 1Pt 2:16; Rv 22:6 what must quickly Or soon take place. Dn 2:28-29,45; Rv 22:6 He sent it and signified it Made it known through symbols through His angel Gn 24:7; Mt 1:24; Ac 12:11 to His slave John, Jn 21:7; Rv 22:8

2who testified to God’s word and to the testimony Or witness about Jesus Christ, 1Co 1:6; Rv 12:17; 19:10; 20:4 in all he saw. Lit as many as he saw

3The one who reads this is blessed, Rv 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7,14 and those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep Or follow, or obey what is written in it are blessed, because the time is near!

4John:

5and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, Ps 89:37; Jn 18:37; Rv 2:13; 3:14 the firstborn from the dead Ps 89:27; Ac 26:23; Rm 8:29; 1Co 15:20-23; Col 1:18 and the ruler of the kings of the earth. Ps 89:27; Rv 17:14; 19:16

6and made us a kingdom, Other mss read kings and priests Or made us into (or to be) a kingdom of priests ; Ex 19:6 Ex 19:6; 1Pt 2:9; Rv 5:10; 20:6 to His God and Father — the glory and dominion are His forever and ever. Amen. Rm 11:36; 1Pt 4:11; Jd 25; Rv 7:12

7Look! He is coming with the clouds, Is 19:1; Zch 12:10; Jn 19:34-37

8“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” Is 44:6; Rv 21:6; 22:13 says the Lord God, “the One who is, who was, and who is coming, the Almighty.”

9I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation, Jn 16:33; Ac 14:22; Rm 5:3; 2Tm 2:12; Rv 2:9 kingdom, Mt 25:34; Jms 2:5 and endurance Rm 5:3-4; 8:25; 15:4; Col 1:11; 2Th 1:4; Heb 10:36; 12:1; Jms 1:3-4; Rv 2:3; 3:10; 13:10; 14:12 that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of God’s word and the testimony about Jesus. Lit the witness of Jesus Rv 1:2; 6:9; 12:17; 19:10; 20:4

10I was in the Spirit Or in spirit ; lit I became in the Spirit John was brought by God’s Spirit into a realm of spiritual vision. 1Kg 18:12; Ezk 3:12; 2Co 12:2; Rv 4:2; 17:3; 21:10 on the Lord’s day, Sunday and I heard a loud voice behind me like a trumpet Ex 19:16,19; 20:18; Ps 47:5

11saying, “Write Ex 34:27; Dt 31:19; Hab 2:2; Is 8:1; 30:8; Jr 30:2; 36:2,28; Rv 2:1,8,12,18; 3:1,7,14; 14:3; 19:9; 21:5 on a scroll Or book what you see and send it to the seven churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”

12I turned to see whose voice Ex 20:18 it was that spoke to me. When I turned I saw seven gold lampstands, Ex 25:37; 37:23; 2Ch 4:20; Zch 4:2

13and among the lampstands was One like the Son of Man, Or like a son of man Dn 7:13; 10:16; Rv 14:14 dressed in a long robe Dn 10:5 and with a gold sash wrapped around His chest. Rv 15:6

14His head and hair were white like wool — white as snow Is 1:18; Dn 7:9 — and His eyes like a fiery flame. Dn 10:6; Rv 2:18; 19:12

15His feet were like fine bronze as it is fired in a furnace, Ezk 1:7; Dn 10:6; Rv 2:18 and His voice like the sound of cascading Lit many waters. Ezk 1:24; 43:2; Rv 14:2; 19:6

16He had seven stars in His right hand; a sharp double-edged sword came from His mouth, Is 49:2; Heb 4:12; Rv 2:12,16; 19:15 and His face was shining like the sun at midday. Lit like the sun shines in its power Mt 17:2; Rv 10:1

17When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. Gn 17:3; Jdg 6:22-23; 13:20; Jb 42:5-6; Is 6:5; Ezk 1:28; Dn 8:17; Mt 17:6; Lk 1:12; 5:8 He laid His right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last, Is 41:4; 44:6; 48:12; Rv 2:8; 22:13

20The secret Mt 13:35; Rm 16:25 of the seven stars you saw in My right hand and of the seven gold lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels Or messengers of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands Other mss add that you saw are the seven churches. Mt 5:14-15