The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”
Who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.
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, because the time is near. He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.
John,
To the seven churches in the province of Asia:
Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. See, the stone I have set in front of Joshua! There are seven eyes on that one stone, and I will engrave an inscription on it,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will remove the sin of this land in a single day.
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.” “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God, you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
And has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. Who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.
“Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him" So shall it be! Amen. “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.
I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” Who has done this and carried it through, calling forth the generations from the beginning? I, the Lord—with the first of them and with the last—I am he.” Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:“‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’who was, and is, and is to come.”
I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. If we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us;
On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”
I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, “Then make its seven lamps and set them up on it so that they light the space in front of it.
And among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. Above the vault over their heads was what looked like a throne of lapis lazuli, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. Out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues.They were dressed in clean, shining linen and wore golden sashes around their chests.
The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. “As I looked,“thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. His body was like topaz, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude.
His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze. And I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters, and the land was radiant with his glory.
In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver. About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions.
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him.This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking. While he was speaking to me, I was in a deep sleep, with my face to the ground. Then he touched me and raised me to my feet. Who has done this and carried it through,calling forth the generations from the beginning? I, the Lord—with the first of them and with the last—I am he.”
I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.
Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”
The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. “For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty and people seek instruction from his mouth. “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. He asked me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it, with seven channels to the lamps. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. So that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.
