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The Revelation of St. John the Divine

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

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- Chapter 1 -

(Daniel 12:1–13)
1
This is the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants what must soon (a) come to pass. He made it known by sending His angel to His servant John,
2
who testifies to everything he saw. This is the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
3
Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear and obey what is written in it, because the time is near.

John Greets the Seven Churches

4
John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia:(b) Grace and peace to you from Him who is and was and is to come, and from the seven Spirits (c) before His throne,
5
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has released us from our sins by His blood,
6
who has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and power forever and ever! Amen.
7
Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him—even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen.
8
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,(d)” says the Lord God, who is and was and is to come—the Almighty.

John’s Vision on Patmos

9
I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance that are in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and my testimony about Jesus.
10
On the Lord’s day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,
11
saying,(e) “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”
12
Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands,
13
and among the lampstands was One like the Son of Man,(f) dressed in a long robe, with a golden sash around His chest.
14
The hair of His head was white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were like a blazing fire.
15
His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and His voice was like the roar of many waters.
16
He held in His right hand seven stars, and a sharp double-edged sword came from His mouth. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest.
17
When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. But He placed His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last,
18
the Living One. I was dead, and behold, now I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of Death and of Hades.
19
Therefore write down the things you have seen, and the things that are, and the things that will happen after this.
20
This is the mystery of the seven stars you saw in My right hand and of the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

Footnotes

(a)1:1 Or suddenly or quickly
(b)1:4 Literally in Asia; Asia was a Roman province in what is now western Turkey.
(c)1:4 Or the sevenfold Spirit
(d)1:8 TR the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End
(e)1:11 TR saying, “I am Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and,
(f)1:13 Or one like a son of man; see Daniel 7:13.
(Daniel 12:1–13)
1
This is the Revelation of Jesus Christ,(a) which God gave him to show to his servants the things which must happen soon, which he sent and made known by his angel(b) to his servant, John,
2
who testified to God’s word and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, about everything that he saw.
3
Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written in it, for the time is near.

John Greets the Seven Churches

4
John, to the seven assemblies that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from God, 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 firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood—
6
and he made us to be a Kingdom, priests (c) to his God and Father—to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
7
Behold,(d) he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, including those who pierced him. All the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. Even so, Amen.
8
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, (e) ” says the Lord God,(f) “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

John’s Vision on Patmos

9
I John, your brother and partner with you in the oppression, Kingdom, and perseverance in Christ Jesus, was on the isle that is called Patmos because of God’s Word and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
10
I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, like a trumpet
11
saying,(g) “What you see, write in a book and send to the seven assemblies: (h) to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”
12
I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. Having turned, I saw seven golden lamp stands.
13
And among the lamp stands was one like a son of man,(i) clothed with a robe reaching down to his feet, and with a golden sash around his chest.
14
His head and his hair were white as white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire.
15
His feet were like burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace. His voice was like the voice of many waters.
16
He had seven stars in his right hand. Out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest.
17
When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. He laid his right hand on me, saying, “Don’t be afraid. I am the first and the last,
18
and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades. (j)
19
Write therefore the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will happen hereafter.
20
The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lamp stands is this: The seven stars are the angels (k) of the seven assemblies. The seven lamp stands are seven assemblies.

Footnotes

(a)1:1 “Christ” means “Anointed One”.
(b)1:1 or, messenger (here and wherever angel is mentioned)
(c)1:6 ℘ Exodus 19:6; Isaiah 61:6
(d)1:7 “Behold”, from “ἰδοὺ”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
(e)1:8 TR adds “the Beginning and the End”
(f)1:8 TR omits “God”
(g)1:11 TR adds “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last.”
(h)1:11 TR adds “which are in Asia”
(i)1:13 ℘ Daniel 7:13
(j)1:18 or, Hell
(k)1:20 or, messengers (here and wherever angels are mentioned)
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