Revelation
Chapter 1
1 This is the unveiling of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him to show his servants what must soon happen; and he made it known through his angel to his servant John.
2 He testified about God’s word, Jesus Christ’s message, and everything he saw.
3 Happy is the one who reads, and those who listen to the words of this prophecy, and follow what is written in it, because the time is near.
4 John to the seven churches in Asia: May you have grace and peace from God, who is, who was, and who will come; and from the seven Spirits in front of his throne.
5 From Jesus Christ, the trustworthy witness, the first to rise from the dead, and the ruler of earth’s kings. He loved us and cleaned our sins with his blood.
6 God has made us rulers and priests to serve God and his Father; may glory and power be his forever and ever. Amen.
7 Look, he is coming with the clouds; everyone will see him, even those who hurt him; and all the people of the world will cry because of him. Yes, Amen.
8 I am the First and the Last, the start and the end, says God, who is, was, and will come, the All-Powerful.
9 I, John, who am also your brother, and share in your suffering, in God’s kingdom and in the patience Jesus Christ taught, was on the island called Patmos because of God’s message and to tell about Jesus Christ.
10 I was filled with the Spirit on God’s day and heard a loud voice behind me, like a trumpet.
11 Saying, “I am the Beginning and the End, the first and the last: and, what you see, write in a book, and send it to the seven churches in Asia; to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”
12 I turned to see who was speaking to me. When I turned, I saw seven gold lampstands.
13 In the middle of the seven lampstands was someone like the Son of Man, dressed in a long robe, with a golden belt around his chest.
14 His head and hair were white like wool, white as snow; and his eyes were like flames of fire.
15 His feet were like polished bronze glowing as if in a fire, and his voice was like the noise of many waters.
16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and a sharp double-edged sword came from his mouth. His face shone like the bright sun.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet like I was dead. But he put his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid; I am the first and the last.”
18 I am the one who lives, and was dead; look, I live forever, Amen; and I hold the keys to hell and death.
19 Write what you have seen, what is now, and what will happen later.
20 The secret of the seven stars you saw in my right hand and the seven gold lampstands is this: the seven stars are the messengers of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands you saw are the seven churches.