Revelation 1 GNV
Summary: John identifies himself as the recipient of a revelation from Jesus Christ, sent by an angel while John was exiled on the island of Patmos "on the Lord's day," and greets seven churches in Asia with a doxology to Christ as "the ruler of kings on earth," who "freed us from our sins by his blood" (v. 5). John describes being in the Spirit and turning to see a vision of the risen Christ among seven golden lampstands, robed and with hair white as wool, eyes like flame, feet like burnished bronze, a voice like rushing waters, a sharp two-edged sword from his mouth, and a face like the sun shining in full strength. Christ identifies himself as "the first and the last, and the living one," who died and is alive forevermore, holding the keys of Death and Hades, and explains that the seven lampstands are the seven churches and the seven stars in his hand are their angels.
1The Reuelation of Iesus Christ, which God gaue vnto him, to shewe vnto his seruants things which must shortly be done: which he sent, and shewed by his Angel vnto his seruant Iohn,
2Who bare record of ye word of God, and of the testimonie of Iesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.
3Blessed is he that readeth, and they that heare the wordes of this prophecie, and keepe those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
4Iohn, to the seuen Churches which are in Asia, Grace be with you, and peace from him, Which is, and Which was, and Which is to come, and from the seuen Spirits which are before his Throne,
5And from Iesus Christ, which is that faithful witnes, and that first begotten of the dead, and that Prince of the Kings of the earth, vnto him that loued vs, and washed vs from our sinnes in his blood,
6And made vs Kings and Priests vnto God euen his Father, to him I say be glory, and dominion for euermore, Amen.
7Beholde, he commeth with cloudes, and euery eye shall see him: yea, euen they which pearced him thorowe: and all kinreds of the earth shall waile before him, Euen so, Amen.
8I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, Which is, and Which was, and Which is to come, euen the Almightie.
9I Iohn, euen your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdome and patience of Iesus Christ, was in the yle called Patmos, for the worde of God, and for the witnessing of Iesus Christ.
10And I was rauished in spirit on the Lordes day, and heard behinde me a great voyce, as it had bene of a trumpet,
11Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, that first and that last: and that which thou seest, write in a booke, and send it vnto the seuen Churches which are in Asia, vnto Ephesus, and vnto Smyrna, and vnto Pergamus, and vnto Thyatira, and vnto Sardis, and vnto Philadelphia, and vnto Laodicea.
12Then I turned backe to see the voyce, that spake with me: and when I was turned, I sawe seuen golden candlestickes,
13And in the middes of the seuen candlestickes, one like vnto the Sonne of man, clothed with a garment downe to the feete, and girded about the pappes with a golden girdle.
14His head, and heares were white as white wooll, and as snowe, and his eyes were as a flame of fire,
15And his feete like vnto fine brasse, burning as in a fornace: and his voyce as the sounde of many waters.
16And he had in his right hand seuen starres: and out of his mouth went a sharpe two edged sword: and his face shone as the sunne shineth in his strength.
17And when I saw him, I fell at his feete as dead: then he laid his right hand vpon me, saying vnto me, Feare not: I am that first and that last,
18And am aliue, but I was dead: and beholde, I am aliue for euermore, Amen: and I haue the keyes of hell and of death.
19Write the things which thou hast seene, and the things which are, and the things which shall come hereafter.
20The misterie of the seuen starres which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seuen golden candlestickes, is this, The seuen starres are the Angels of the seuen Churches: and the seuen candlestickes which thou sawest, are the seuen Churches.
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