Revelation, 1

1. A revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him so that he could tell his servants what is now to take place very soon; he sent his angel to make it known to his servant John,

1. The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants what must soon take place; and he made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,

2. and John has borne witness to the Word of God and to the witness of Jesus Christ, everything that he saw.

2. who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw.

3. Blessed is anyone who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed those who hear them, if they treasure the content, because the Time is near.

3. Blessed is he who reads aloud the words of the prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written therein; for the time is near.

4. John, to the seven churches of Asia: grace and peace to you from him who is, who was, and who is to come, from the seven spirits who are before his throne,

4. John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne,

5. and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the First-born from the dead, the highest of earthly kings. He loves us and has washed away our sins with his blood,

5. and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood

6. and made us a Kingdom of Priests to serve his God and Father; to him, then, be glory and power for ever and ever. Amen.

6. and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

7. Look, he is coming on the clouds; everyone will see him, even those who pierced him, and all the races of the earth will mourn over him. Indeed this shall be so. Amen.

7. Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, every one who pierced him; and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.

8. 'I am the Alpha and the Omega,' says the Lord God, who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.

8. "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

9. I, John, your brother and partner in hardships, in the kingdom and in perseverance in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos on account of the Word of God and of witness to Jesus;

9. I John, your brother, who share with you in Jesus the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

10. it was the Lord's Day and I was in ecstasy, and I heard a loud voice behind me, like the sound of a trumpet, saying,

10. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet

11. 'Write down in a book all that you see, and send it to the seven churches of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.'

11. saying, "Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Per'gamum and to Thyati'ra and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to La-odice'a."

12. I turned round to see who was speaking to me, and when I turned I saw seven golden lamp-stands

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

13. and, in the middle of them, one like a Son of man, dressed in a long robe tied at the waist with a belt of gold.

13. and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden girdle round his breast;

14. His head and his hair were white with the whiteness of wool, like snow, his eyes like a burning flame,

14. his head and his hair were white as white wool, white as snow; his eyes were like a flame of fire,

15. his feet like burnished bronze when it has been refined in a furnace, and his voice like the sound of the ocean.

15. his feet were like burnished bronze, refined as in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of many waters;

16. In his right hand he was holding seven stars, out of his mouth came a sharp sword, double-edged, and his face was like the sun shining with all its force.

16. in his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth issued a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.

17. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead, but he laid his right hand on me and said, 'Do not be afraid; it is I, the First and the Last; I am the Living One,

17. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand upon me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last,

18. I was dead and look -- I am alive for ever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and of Hades.

18. and the living one; I died, and behold I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.

19. Now write down all that you see of present happenings and what is still to come.

19. Now write what you see, what is and what is to take place hereafter.

20. The secret of the seven stars you have seen in my right hand, and of the seven golden lamp-stands, is this: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lamp-stands are the seven churches themselves.'

20. As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.