1 t he revelation of Jesus Christ. God gave it to Him to disclose and make known to His bond servants certain things which must shortly and speedily come to pass in their entirety. And He sent and communicated it through His angel (messenger) to His bond servant John,

The things that are written in the Book are made known by Jesus Christ. God gave these things to Christ so He could show them to the servants He owns. These are things which must happen very soon. Christ sent His angel to John who is a servant owned by Him. Christ made these things known to John.

2 W ho has testified to and vouched for all that he saw '> in his visions], the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

John tells that the Word of God is true. He tells of Jesus Christ and all that he saw and heard of Him.

3 B lessed (happy, to be envied) is the man who reads aloud the word of this prophecy; and blessed (happy, to be envied) are those who hear and who keep themselves true to the things which are written in it, for the time is near.

The man who reads this Book and listens to it being read and obeys what it says will be happy. For all these things will happen soon. John Writes to the Seven Churches in Asia

4 J ohn to the seven assemblies (churches) that are in Asia: May grace (God’s unmerited favor) be granted to you and spiritual peace ( the peace of Christ’s kingdom) from Him Who is and Who was and Who is to come, and from the seven Spirits '> the sevenfold Holy Spirit] before His throne,

This is John writing to the seven churches in the country of Asia. May you have loving-favor and peace from God Who was and Who is and Who is to come. May you have loving-favor and peace from the seven Spirits who are before His throne.

5 A nd from Jesus Christ the faithful and trustworthy Witness, the Firstborn of the dead and the Prince (Ruler) of the kings of the earth. To Him Who ever loves us and has once loosed and freed us from our sins by His own blood,

May you have loving-favor and peace from Jesus Christ Who is faithful in telling the truth. Jesus Christ is the first to be raised from the dead. He is the head over all the kings of the earth. He is the One Who loves us and has set us free from our sins by His blood.

6 A nd formed us into a kingdom (a royal race), priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the power and the majesty and the dominion throughout the ages and forever and ever. Amen (so be it).

Christ has made us a holy nation of religious leaders who can go to His God and Father. He is the One to receive honor and power forever! Let it be so.

7 B ehold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth shall gaze upon Him and beat their breasts and mourn and lament over Him. Even so. Amen (so be it).

See! He is coming in the clouds. Every eye will see Him. Even the men who killed Him will see Him. All the people on the earth will cry out in sorrow because of Him. Yes, let it be so.

8 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, says the Lord God, He Who is and Who was and Who is to come, the Almighty (the Ruler of all).

The Lord God says, “I am the First and the Last, the beginning and the end of all things. I am the All-powerful One Who was and Who is and Who is to come.” What God Wanted to Show John of Christ

9 I , John, your brother and companion (sharer and participator) with you in the tribulation and kingdom and patient endurance in Jesus Christ, was on the isle called Patmos, on account of the Word of God and the testimony (the proof, the evidence) for Jesus Christ.

I, John, am your Christian brother. I have shared with you in suffering because of Jesus Christ. I have also shared with you His holy nation and we have not given up. I was put on the island called Patmos because I preached the Word of God and told about Jesus Christ.

10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a great voice like the calling of a war trumpet,

I was under the Spirit’s power on the Lord’s Day when I heard a loud voice behind me like the loud sound of a horn.

11 S aying, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last. Write promptly what you see (your vision) in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia —to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.

It said, “(I am the First and the Last.) Write in a book what you see and send it to the seven churches. They are in the cities of Ephesus and Smyrna and Pergamum and Thyatira and Sardis and Philadelphia and Laodicea.”

12 T hen I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands,

I turned around to see who was speaking to me. As I turned, I saw seven lights made of gold.

13 A nd in the midst of the lampstands like a Son of Man, clothed with a robe which reached to His feet and with a girdle of gold about His breast.

Among the lights stood One Who looked like the Son of Man. He had on a long coat that came to His feet. A belt of gold was around His chest.

14 H is head and His hair were white like white wool, as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire.

His head and His hair were white like white wool. They were as white as snow. His eyes were like fire.

15 H is feet glowed like burnished (bright) bronze as it is refined in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters.

His feet were like shining brass as bright as if it were in a fire. His voice sounded like powerful rushing water.

16 I n His right hand He held seven stars, and from His mouth there came forth a sharp two-edged sword, and His face was like the sun shining in full power at midday.

He held seven stars in His right hand. A sharp sword that cuts both ways came out of His mouth. His face was shining as bright as the sun shines at noon.

17 W hen I saw Him, I fell at His feet as if dead. But He laid His right hand on me and said, Do not be afraid! I am the First and the Last,

When I saw Him, I fell down at His feet like a dead man. He laid His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.

18 A nd the Ever-living One. I died, but see, I am alive forevermore; and I possess the keys of death and Hades (the realm of the dead).

I am the Living One. I was dead, but look, I am alive forever. I have power over death and hell.

19 W rite therefore the things you see, what they are and what is to take place hereafter.

So write the things you have seen and the things that are and the things that will happen later.

20 A s to the hidden meaning (the mystery) of the seven stars which you saw on My right hand and the seven lampstands of gold: the seven stars are the seven angels (messengers) of the seven assemblies (churches) and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

This is what the seven stars and the seven lights made of gold mean that you saw in My right hand. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches. The seven lights are the seven churches.