Historical

Prologue

1 The revelation of^[a] Jesus Christ that God gave him to show his servants^(A) what must soon take place.^(B) He made it known by sending his angel^(C) to his servant John,^{(D) 2} who testified to the word of God and to the testimony^[b] of Jesus Christ,^(E) whatever he saw.^{[c] 3} Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy,^(F) and blessed are those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep^[d] what is written in it, because the time is near.

⁴ John: To the seven churches in Asia. Grace and peace^(G) to you from^[e] the one who is, who was, and who is to come,^(H) and from the seven spirits^[f](I) before his throne, ⁵ and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness,^(J) the firstborn from the dead^(K) and the ruler of the kings of the earth.^(L)

To him who loves us and has set us free^[g] from our sins by his blood,^{(M) 6} and made us a kingdom,^[h] priests^[i](N) to his God and Father – to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.^(O)

⁸ ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’^(S) says the Lord God, ‘the one who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.’

John’s Vision of the Risen Lord

⁹ I, John, your brother and partner in the affliction,^(T) kingdom,^(U) and endurance^(V) that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.^{(W) 10} I was in the Spirit^[n](X) on the Lord’s day, and I heard a loud voice behind me like a trumpet^{(Y) 11} saying, ‘Write^(Z) on a scroll^[o] what you see and send it to the seven churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.’

¹² Then I turned to see whose voice^(AA) it was that spoke to me. When I turned I saw seven golden lampstands,^{(AB) 13} and among the lampstands was one like the Son of Man,^[p](AC) dressed in a robe^(AD) and with a golden sash wrapped round his chest.^{(AE) 14} The hair of his head was white as wool – white as snow^(AF) – and his eyes like a fiery flame.^{(AG) 15} His feet were like fine bronze as it is fired in a furnace,^(AH) and his voice like the sound of cascading^[q] waters.^{(AI) 16} He had seven stars in his right hand; a sharp double-edged sword came from his mouth,^(AJ) and his face was shining like the sun at full strength.^(AK)

¹⁷ When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man.^(AL) He laid his right hand on me and said, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am the First and the Last,^{(AM) 18} and the Living One.^(AN) I was dead, but look – I am alive for ever and ever,^(AO) and I hold the keys^(AP) of death and Hades. ¹⁹ Therefore write what you have seen,^(AQ) what is, and what will take place after this. ²⁰ The mystery^(AR) of the seven stars you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels^[r] of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands^[s] are the seven churches.^(AS)

The Letters to the Seven Churches

The Letter to Ephesus

2 ‘Write to the angel^[t] of the church in Ephesus: Thus says the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand and who walks among the seven golden lampstands:^{(AT) 2} I know your works, your labour, and your endurance,^(AU) and that you cannot tolerate evil people. You have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not,^(AV) and you have found them to be liars.^{(AW) 3} I know that you have persevered and endured hardships for the sake of my name,^(AX) and you have not grown weary. ⁴ But I have this against you: You have abandoned the love you had at first.^{(AY) 5} Remember then how far you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.^(AZ) Otherwise, I will come to you^[u] and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. ⁶ Yet you do have this: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

⁷ ‘Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers, I will give^(BA) the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in^[v] the paradise of God.^(BB)

The Letter to Smyrna

⁸ ‘Write to the angel of the church in Smyrna: Thus says the First and the Last,^(BC) the one who was dead and came to life: ⁹ I know your^[w] affliction and poverty, but you are rich. I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.^{(BD) 10} Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil^(BE) is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will experience affliction for ten days.^(BF) Be faithful to the point of death,^(BG) and I will give you the crown^[x] of life.^(BH)

¹¹ ‘Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will never be harmed by the second death.^(BI)

The Letter to Pergamum

¹² ‘Write to the angel of the church in Pergamum: Thus says the one who has the sharp, double-edged sword:^{(BJ) 13} I know^[y] where you live – where Satan’s throne is. Yet you are holding on to my name and did not deny your faith in me,^[z](BK) even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness^(BL) who was put to death among you, where Satan lives. ¹⁴ But I have a few things against you. You have some there who hold to the teaching of Balaam,^(BM) who taught Balak to place a stumbling block^[aa] in front of the Israelites: to eat meat sacrificed to idols^(BN) and to commit sexual immorality.^{(BO) 15} In the same way, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.^{[ab] 16} So repent! Otherwise, I will come to you quickly^(BP) and fight against them with the sword of my mouth.^(BQ)

¹⁷ ‘Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers, I will give some of the hidden manna.^[ac](BR) I will also give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name^(BS) is inscribed that no one knows except the one who receives it.

The Letter to Thyatira

¹⁸ ‘Write to the angel of the church in Thyatira: Thus says the Son of God,^(BT) the one whose eyes are like a fiery flame and whose feet are like fine bronze:^{(BU) 19} I know your works – your love, faithfulness,^[ad] service, and endurance.^(BV) I know that your last works are greater than the first. ²⁰ But I have this against you: You tolerate the woman Jezebel,^(BW) who calls herself a prophetess and teaches and deceives my servants to commit sexual immorality and to eat meat sacrificed to idols.^{(BX) 21} I gave her time to repent,^(BY) but she does not want to repent of her sexual immorality.^{(BZ) 22} Look, I will throw her into a sick-bed^(CA) and those who commit adultery with her^(CB) into great affliction.^(CC) Unless they repent of her^[ae] works, ²³ I will strike her children dead.^[af](CD) Then all the churches will know that I am the one who examines minds and hearts,^(CE) and I will give to each of you according to your works.^{(CF) 24} I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who haven’t known ‘the so-called secrets^[ag](CG) of Satan’^(CH) #– #as they say – I am not putting any other burden on you.^{(CI) 25} Only hold on to what you have until I come.^{(CJ) 26} The one who conquers and who keeps my works to the end: I will give him authority over the nations –

²⁸ just as I have received this from my Father. I will also give him the morning star.^(CM)

²⁹ ‘Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.

The Letter to Sardis

3 ‘Write to the angel^[aj] of the church in Sardis: Thus says the one who has the seven spirits of God^(CN) and the seven stars:^(CO) I know your works;^(CP) you have a reputation^[ak] for being alive, but you are dead.^{(CQ) 2} Be alert^(CR) and strengthen^[al] what remains, which is about to die,^[am] for I have not found your works complete before my God. ³ Remember, then, what you have received and heard; keep it, and repent. If you are not alert, I will come^[an] like a thief, and you have no idea at what hour I will come upon you.^{(CS) 4} But you have a few people^[ao] in Sardis who have not defiled^[ap] their clothes,^(CT) and they will walk with me in white, because they are worthy.

⁵ ‘In the same way, the one who conquers^(CU) will be dressed in white clothes,^(CV) and I will never erase his name from the book of life^(CW) but will acknowledge his name before my Father and before his angels.^(CX)

⁶ ‘Let anyone who has ears to hear listen^(CY) to what the Spirit says^(CZ) to the churches.

The Letter to Philadelphia

⁷ ‘Write to the angel of the church in Philadelphia: Thus says the Holy One, the true one,^(DA) the one who has the key of David, who opens and no one will close, and who closes and no one opens:^{(DB) 8} I know your works. Look, I have placed before you an open door that no one can close because you have but little power; yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.^{(DC) 9} Note this: I will make those from the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews and are not, but are lying – I will make them come and bow down at your feet,^(DD) and they will know that I have loved you.^{(DE) 10} Because you have kept my command to endure, I will also keep you from the hour of testing^(DF) that is going to come on the whole world to test those who live on the earth.^{(DG) 11} I am coming soon.^(DH) Hold on to what you have,^(DI) so that no one takes your crown.^(DJ)

¹² ‘The one who conquers I will make a pillar^(DK) in the temple of my God, and he will never go out again. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God – the new Jerusalem,^(DL) which comes down out of heaven from my God – and my new name.^(DM)

¹³ ‘Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.

The Letter to Laodicea

¹⁴ ‘Write to the angel of the church in Laodicea: Thus says the Amen,^(DN) the faithful and true witness, the originator^[aq](DO) of God’s creation: ¹⁵ I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. ¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit^[ar] you out of my mouth. ¹⁷ For you say, “I’m rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,”^(DP) and you don’t realise that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. ¹⁸ I advise you to buy from me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich,^(DQ) white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed,^(DR) and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see. ¹⁹ As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline.^(DS) So be zealous and repent. ²⁰ See! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.^(DT)

²¹ ‘To the one who conquers I will give the right to sit with me on my throne,^(DU) just as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.

²² ‘Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.’

The Throne Room of Heaven

4 After this I looked, and there in heaven was an open door. The first voice that I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet^(DV) said, ‘Come up here,^(DW) and I will show you what must take place after this.’^(DX)

² Immediately I was in the Spirit,^(DY) and there was a throne in heaven^(DZ) and someone was seated on it. ³ The one seated^[as] there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian stone.^(EA) A rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald surrounded the throne.^(EB)

⁴ Round the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones sat twenty-four elders^(EC) dressed in white clothes,^(ED) with golden crowns on their heads.^(EE)

⁵ Flashes of lightning and rumblings and peals of thunder came from the throne.^(EF) Seven fiery torches were burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God.^{(EG) 6} Something like a sea of glass, similar to crystal, was also before the throne.^(EH)

Four living creatures covered with eyes in front and behind were round the throne on each side. ⁷ The first living creature was like a lion; the second living creature was like an ox; the third living creature had a face like a man; and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.^{(EI) 8} Each of the four living creatures had six wings;^(EJ) they were covered with eyes around and inside. Day and night^(EK) they never stop,^[at] saying,

⁹ Whenever the living creatures give glory, honour, and thanks to the one seated on the throne, the one who lives for ever and ever,^{(EM) 10} the twenty-four elders fall down before the one seated on the throne^(EN) and worship the one who lives for ever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne and say,

The Lamb Takes the Scroll

5 Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides, sealed with seven seals.^{(ER) 2} I also saw a mighty angel^(ES) proclaiming with a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals? ’ ³ But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or even to look in it. ⁴ I wept and wept because no one was found worthy to open^[av] the scroll or even to look in it. ⁵ Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep. Look, the Lion from the tribe of Judah,^(ET) the Root of David,^(EU) has conquered^(EV) so that he is able to open the scroll and^[aw] its seven seals.’

⁶ Then I saw one like a slaughtered lamb^(EW) standing in the midst of the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God^(EX) sent into all the earth. ⁷ He went and took the scroll out of the right hand of the one seated on the throne.

The Lamb Is Worthy

⁸ When he took the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp^(EY) and golden bowls^(EZ) filled with incense,^(FA) which are the prayers of the saints. ⁹ And they sang a new song:^(FB)

¹¹ Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels around the throne, and also of the living creatures and of the elders. Their number was countless thousands, and thousands of thousands.^{(FE) 12} They said with a loud voice,

¹³ I heard every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth,^(FF) on the sea, and everything in them say,^(FG)

¹⁴ The four living creatures said, ‘Amen,’ and the elders fell down and worshipped.