²⁰ The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand^(A) and of the seven golden lampstands^(B) is this: The seven stars are the angels^[a] of the seven churches,^(C) and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.^(D)

²⁴ After John’s messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind?

²⁷ This is the one about whom it is written:

⁵² And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan^(A) village to get things ready for him;