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Revelation 1-5
American Standard Version

1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God [a]gave him to show unto his [b]servants, even the things which must shortly come to pass: and he sent and signified [c]it by his angel unto his servant John; 2 who bare witness of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, even of all things that he saw. 3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written therein: for the time is at hand.

4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from him [d]who is and who was and who is to come; and from the seven Spirits that are before his throne; 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loveth us, and [e]loosed us from our sins [f]by his blood; 6 and he made us to be a kingdom, to be priests unto [g]his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion [h]for ever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, he cometh with the clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they that pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn over him. Even so, Amen.

8 I am the Alpha and the Omega, saith the Lord God, [i]who is and who was and [j]who is to come, the Almighty.

9 I John, your brother and partaker with you in the tribulation and kingdom and [k]patience which are in Jesus, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet 11 saying, What thou seest, write in a book and send it to the seven churches: unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamum, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. 12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And having turned I saw seven golden [l]candlesticks; 13 and in the midst of the [m]candlesticks one like unto a son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about at the breasts with a golden girdle. 14 And his head and his hair were white as white wool, white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 15 and his feet like unto burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace; and his voice as the voice of many waters. 16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. 17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as one dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying, Fear not; I am the first and the last, 18 and the Living one; and I [n]was dead, and behold, I am alive [o]for evermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. 19 Write therefore the things which thou sawest, and the things which are, and the things which shall come to pass hereafter; 20 the mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest [p]in my right hand, and the seven golden [q]candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven [r]candlesticks are seven churches.

2 To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:

These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, he that walketh in the midst of the seven golden [s]candlesticks: 2 I know thy works, and thy toil and [t]patience, and that thou canst not bear evil men, and didst try them that call themselves apostles, and they are not, and didst find them false; 3 and thou hast [u]patience and didst bear for my name’s sake, and hast not grown weary. 4 But I have this against thee, that thou didst leave thy first love. 5 Remember therefore whence thou art fallen, and repent and do the first works; or else I come to thee, and will move thy [v]candlestick out of its place, except thou repent. 6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh, to him will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the [w]Paradise of God.

8 And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write:

These things saith the first and the last, who [x]was dead, and lived again: 9 I know thy tribulation, and thy poverty (but thou art rich), and the [y]blasphemy of them that say they are Jews, and they are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Fear not the things which thou art about to suffer: behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; [z]and ye shall have [aa]tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life. 11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write:

These things saith he that hath the sharp two-edged sword: 13 I know where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s throne is; and thou holdest fast my name, and didst not deny my faith, even in the days [ab]of Antipas my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwelleth. 14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there some that hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication. 15 So hast thou also some that hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans in like manner. 16 Repent therefore; or else I come to thee quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh, to him will I give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and upon the stone a new name written, which no one knoweth but he that receiveth it.

18 And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write:

These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet are like unto burnished brass: 19 I know thy works, and thy love and faith and ministry and [ac]patience, and that thy last works are more than the first. 20 But I have this against thee, that thou sufferest [ad]the woman Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess; and she teacheth and seduceth my [ae]servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 And I gave her time that she should repent; and she willeth not to repent of her fornication. 22 Behold, I cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of [af]her works. 23 And I will kill her children with [ag]death; and all the churches shall know that I am he that searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto each one of you according to your works. 24 But to you I say, to the rest that are in Thyatira, as many as have not this teaching, who know not the deep things of Satan, as they are wont to say; I cast upon you none other burden. 25 Nevertheless that which ye have, hold fast till I come. 26 And he that overcometh, and he that keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the [ah]nations: 27 and he shall rule them with a rod of [ai]iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to shivers; as I also have received of my Father: 28 and I will give him the morning star. 29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.

3 And to the angel of the church in Sardis write:

These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars: I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and thou art dead. 2 Be thou watchful, and establish the things that remain, which were ready to die: for I have [aj]found no works of thine perfected before my God. 3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and didst hear; and keep it, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. 4 But thou hast a few names in Sardis that did not defile their garments: and they shall walk with me in white; for they are worthy. 5 He that overcometh shall thus be arrayed in white garments; and I will in no wise blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. 6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.

7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:

These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth and none shall shut, and that shutteth and none openeth: 8 I know thy works (behold, I have [ak]set before thee a door opened, which none can shut), that thou hast a little power, and didst keep my word, and didst not deny my name. 9 Behold, I give of the synagogue of Satan, of them that say they are Jews, and they are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and [al]worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. 10 Because thou didst keep the word of my [am]patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of [an]trial, that hour which is to come upon the whole [ao]world, to [ap]try them that dwell upon the earth. 11 I come quickly: hold fast that which thou hast, that no one take thy crown. 12 He that overcometh, I will make him a pillar in the [aq]temple of my God, and he shall go out thence no more: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God, and mine own new name. 13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.

14 And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God: 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So because thou art lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art the wretched one and miserable and poor and blind and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold refined by fire, that thou mayest become rich; and white garments, that thou mayest clothe thyself, and that the shame of thy nakedness be not made manifest; and eyesalve to anoint thine eyes, that thou mayest see. 19 As many as I love, I reprove and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21 He that overcometh, I will give to him to sit down with me in my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father in his throne. 22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.

4 After these things I saw, and behold, a door opened in heaven, and the first voice that I heard, a voice as of a trumpet speaking with me, one saying, Come up hither, and I will show thee the things which must [ar]come to pass hereafter. 2 Straightway I was in the Spirit: and behold, there was a throne set in heaven, and one sitting upon the throne; 3 and he that sat was to look upon like a jasper stone and a sardius: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, like an emerald to look upon. 4 And round about the throne were four and twenty thrones: and upon the thrones I saw four and twenty elders sitting, arrayed in white garments; and on their heads crowns of gold. 5 And out of the throne proceed lightnings and voices and thunders. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God; 6 and before the throne, as it were a [as]sea of glass like unto crystal; and in the midst [at]of the throne, and round about the throne, four living creatures full of eyes before and behind. 7 And the first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face as of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. 8 And the four living creatures, having each one of them six wings, are full of eyes round about and within: and they have no rest day and night, saying,

Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and [au]who is to come.

9 And when the living creatures shall give glory and honor and thanks to him that sitteth on the throne, to him that liveth [av]for ever and ever, 10 the four and twenty elders shall fall down before him that sitteth on the throne, and shall worship him that liveth [aw]for ever and ever, and shall cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

11 Worthy art thou, our Lord and our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power: for thou didst create all things, and because of thy will they were, and were created.

5 And I saw [ax]in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the back, close sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a great voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? 3 And no one in the heaven, or on the earth, or under the earth, was able to open the book, or to look thereon. 4 And I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open the book, or to look thereon: 5 and one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not; behold, the Lion that is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath overcome to open the book and the seven seals thereof. 6 And I saw [ay]in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the [az]seven Spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth. 7 And he came, and he [ba]taketh it out of the right hand of him that sat on the throne. 8 And when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having each one a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sing a new song, saying,

Worthy art thou to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and didst purchase unto God with thy blood men of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation, 10 and madest them to be unto our God a kingdom and priests; and they reign upon the earth.

11 And I saw, and I heard a voice of many angels round about the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; 12 saying with a great voice,

Worthy is the Lamb that hath been slain to receive the power, and riches, and wisdom, and might, and honor, and glory, and blessing.

13 And every created thing which is in the heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and on the sea, and all things that are in them, heard I saying,

Unto him that sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb, be the blessing, and the honor, and the glory, and the dominion, [bb]for ever and ever.

14 And the four living creatures said, Amen. And the elders fell down and [bc]worshipped.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 1:1 Or, gave unto him, to show unto his servants the things etc.
  2. Revelation 1:1 Greek bondservants.
  3. Revelation 1:1 Or, them
  4. Revelation 1:4 Or, who cometh
  5. Revelation 1:5 Many authorities, some ancient, read washed. Heb. 9:14; compare 7:14.
  6. Revelation 1:5 Greek in.
  7. Revelation 1:6 Or, God and his Father
  8. Revelation 1:6 Greek unto the ages of the ages. Many ancient authorities omit of the ages.
  9. Revelation 1:8 Or, he who
  10. Revelation 1:8 Or, who cometh
  11. Revelation 1:9 Or, stedfastness
  12. Revelation 1:12 Greek lampstands.
  13. Revelation 1:13 Greek lampstands.
  14. Revelation 1:18 Greek became.
  15. Revelation 1:18 Greek unto the ages of the ages.
  16. Revelation 1:20 Greek upon.
  17. Revelation 1:20 Greek lampstands.
  18. Revelation 1:20 Greek lampstands.
  19. Revelation 2:1 Greek lampstands.
  20. Revelation 2:2 Or, stedfastness
  21. Revelation 2:3 Or, stedfastness
  22. Revelation 2:5 Greek lampstand.
  23. Revelation 2:7 Or, garden: as in Gen. 2:8.
  24. Revelation 2:8 Greek became.
  25. Revelation 2:9 Or, reviling
  26. Revelation 2:10 Some ancient authorities read and may have.
  27. Revelation 2:10 Greek a tribulation of ten days.
  28. Revelation 2:13 The Greek text here is somewhat uncertain.
  29. Revelation 2:19 Or, stedfastness
  30. Revelation 2:20 Many authorities, some ancient, read thy wife.
  31. Revelation 2:20 Greek bondservants.
  32. Revelation 2:22 Many ancient authorities read their.
  33. Revelation 2:23 Or, pestilence. Septuagint Ex. 5:3, etc.
  34. Revelation 2:26 Or, Gentiles
  35. Revelation 2:27 Or, iron; as vessels of the potter, are they broken
  36. Revelation 3:2 Many ancient authorities read not found thy works.
  37. Revelation 3:8 Greek given.
  38. Revelation 3:9 The Greek word denotes an act of reverence, whether paid to a creature, or to the Creator.
  39. Revelation 3:10 Or, stedfastness
  40. Revelation 3:10 Or, temptation
  41. Revelation 3:10 Greek inhabited earth.
  42. Revelation 3:10 Or, tempt
  43. Revelation 3:12 Or, sanctuary
  44. Revelation 4:1 Or, come to pass. After these things straightway etc.
  45. Revelation 4:6 Or, glassy sea
  46. Revelation 4:6 Or, before. See 7:17; compare 5:6.
  47. Revelation 4:8 Or, who cometh
  48. Revelation 4:9 Greek unto the ages of the ages.
  49. Revelation 4:10 Greek unto the ages of the ages.
  50. Revelation 5:1 Greek on.
  51. Revelation 5:6 Or, between the throne with the four living creatures, and the elders
  52. Revelation 5:6 Some ancient authorities omit seven.
  53. Revelation 5:7 Greek hath taken.
  54. Revelation 5:13 Greek unto the ages of the ages.
  55. Revelation 5:14 See marginal note on 3:9.
Listen to Revelation 1-5
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Revelation 1-5
New International Version

Prologue

1 The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave(A) him to show his servants what must soon take place.(B) He made it known by sending his angel(C) to his servant John,(D) 2 who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God(E) and the testimony of Jesus Christ.(F) 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it,(G) because the time is near.(H)

Greetings and Doxology

4 John,

To the seven churches(I) in the province of Asia:

Grace and peace to you(J) from him who is, and who was, and who is to come,(K) and from the seven spirits[a](L) before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness,(M) the firstborn from the dead,(N) and the ruler of the kings of the earth.(O)

To him who loves us(P) and has freed us from our sins by his blood,(Q) 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests(R) to serve his God and Father(S)—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.(T)

7 “Look, he is coming with the clouds,”[b](U)
    and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;(V)
    and all peoples on earth “will mourn(W) because of him.”[c]
So shall it be! Amen.

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,”(X) says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come,(Y) the Almighty.”(Z)

John’s Vision of Christ

9 I, John,(AA) your brother and companion in the suffering(AB) and kingdom(AC) and patient endurance(AD) that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God(AE) and the testimony of Jesus.(AF) 10 On the Lord’s Day(AG) I was in the Spirit,(AH) and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,(AI) 11 which said: “Write on a scroll what you see(AJ) and send it to the seven churches:(AK) to Ephesus,(AL) Smyrna,(AM) Pergamum,(AN) Thyatira,(AO) Sardis,(AP) Philadelphia(AQ) and Laodicea.”(AR)

12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands,(AS) 13 and among the lampstands(AT) was someone like a son of man,[d](AU) dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet(AV) and with a golden sash around his chest.(AW) 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.(AX) 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace,(AY) and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.(AZ) 16 In his right hand he held seven stars,(BA) and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword.(BB) His face was like the sun(BC) shining in all its brilliance.

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet(BD) as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me(BE) and said: “Do not be afraid.(BF) I am the First and the Last.(BG) 18 I am the Living One; I was dead,(BH) and now look, I am alive for ever and ever!(BI) And I hold the keys of death and Hades.(BJ)

19 “Write, therefore, what you have seen,(BK) what is now and what will take place later. 20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand(BL) and of the seven golden lampstands(BM) is this: The seven stars are the angels[e] of the seven churches,(BN) and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.(BO)

To the Church in Ephesus

2 “To the angel[f] of the church in Ephesus(BP) write:

These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand(BQ) and walks among the seven golden lampstands.(BR) 2 I know your deeds,(BS) your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested(BT) those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.(BU) 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name,(BV) and have not grown weary.

4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.(BW) 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent(BX) and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand(BY) from its place. 6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans,(BZ) which I also hate.

7 Whoever has ears, let them hear(CA) what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious,(CB) I will give the right to eat from the tree of life,(CC) which is in the paradise(CD) of God.

To the Church in Smyrna

8 “To the angel of the church in Smyrna(CE) write:

These are the words of him who is the First and the Last,(CF) who died and came to life again.(CG) 9 I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich!(CH) I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not,(CI) but are a synagogue of Satan.(CJ) 10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you,(CK) and you will suffer persecution for ten days.(CL) Be faithful,(CM) even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.(CN)

11 Whoever has ears, let them hear(CO) what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.(CP)

To the Church in Pergamum

12 “To the angel of the church in Pergamum(CQ) write:

These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.(CR) 13 I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me,(CS) not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness,(CT) who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives.(CU)

14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you:(CV) There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam,(CW) who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols(CX) and committed sexual immorality.(CY) 15 Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.(CZ) 16 Repent(DA) therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.(DB)

17 Whoever has ears, let them hear(DC) what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious,(DD) I will give some of the hidden manna.(DE) I will also give that person a white stone with a new name(DF) written on it, known only to the one who receives it.(DG)

To the Church in Thyatira

18 “To the angel of the church in Thyatira(DH) write:

These are the words of the Son of God,(DI) whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze.(DJ) 19 I know your deeds,(DK) your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.

20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel,(DL) who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.(DM) 21 I have given her time(DN) to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling.(DO) 22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery(DP) with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds,(DQ) and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.(DR)

24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you,(DS) 25 except to hold on to what you have(DT) until I come.’(DU)

26 To the one who is victorious(DV) and does my will to the end,(DW) I will give authority over the nations(DX)— 27 that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter(DY) and will dash them to pieces like pottery’[g](DZ)—just as I have received authority from my Father. 28 I will also give that one the morning star.(EA) 29 Whoever has ears, let them hear(EB) what the Spirit says to the churches.

To the Church in Sardis

3 “To the angel[h] of the church in Sardis(EC) write:

These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits[i](ED) of God and the seven stars.(EE) I know your deeds;(EF) you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.(EG) 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent.(EH) But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief,(EI) and you will not know at what time(EJ) I will come to you.

4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes.(EK) They will walk with me, dressed in white,(EL) for they are worthy. 5 The one who is victorious(EM) will, like them, be dressed in white.(EN) I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life,(EO) but will acknowledge that name before my Father(EP) and his angels. 6 Whoever has ears, let them hear(EQ) what the Spirit says to the churches.

To the Church in Philadelphia

7 “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia(ER) write:

These are the words of him who is holy(ES) and true,(ET) who holds the key of David.(EU) What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8 I know your deeds.(EV) See, I have placed before you an open door(EW) that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.(EX) 9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan,(EY) who claim to be Jews though they are not,(EZ) but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet(FA) and acknowledge that I have loved you.(FB) 10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you(FC) from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world(FD) to test(FE) the inhabitants of the earth.(FF)

11 I am coming soon.(FG) Hold on to what you have,(FH) so that no one will take your crown.(FI) 12 The one who is victorious(FJ) I will make a pillar(FK) in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God(FL) and the name of the city of my God,(FM) the new Jerusalem,(FN) which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. 13 Whoever has ears, let them hear(FO) what the Spirit says to the churches.

To the Church in Laodicea

14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea(FP) write:

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness,(FQ) the ruler of God’s creation.(FR) 15 I know your deeds,(FS) that you are neither cold nor hot.(FT) I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’(FU) But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.(FV) 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire,(FW) so you can become rich; and white clothes(FX) to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness;(FY) and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.(FZ) So be earnest and repent.(GA) 20 Here I am! I stand at the door(GB) and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,(GC) I will come in(GD) and eat with that person, and they with me.

21 To the one who is victorious,(GE) I will give the right to sit with me on my throne,(GF) just as I was victorious(GG) and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear(GH) what the Spirit says to the churches.”

The Throne in Heaven

4 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open(GI) in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet(GJ) said, “Come up here,(GK) and I will show you what must take place after this.”(GL) 2 At once I was in the Spirit,(GM) and there before me was a throne in heaven(GN) with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper(GO) and ruby.(GP) A rainbow(GQ) that shone like an emerald(GR) encircled the throne. 4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders.(GS) They were dressed in white(GT) and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder.(GU) In front of the throne, seven lamps(GV) were blazing. These are the seven spirits[j](GW) of God. 6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass,(GX) clear as crystal.

In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures,(GY) and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back.(GZ) 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle.(HA) 8 Each of the four living creatures(HB) had six wings(HC) and was covered with eyes all around,(HD) even under its wings. Day and night(HE) they never stop saying:

“‘Holy, holy, holy

is the Lord God Almighty,’[k](HF)

who was, and is, and is to come.”(HG)

9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne(HH) and who lives for ever and ever,(HI) 10 the twenty-four elders(HJ) fall down before him(HK) who sits on the throne(HL) and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
    to receive glory and honor and power,(HM)
for you created all things,
    and by your will they were created
    and have their being.”(HN)

The Scroll and the Lamb

5 Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne(HO) a scroll with writing on both sides(HP) and sealed(HQ) with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel(HR) proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion(HS) of the tribe of Judah,(HT) the Root of David,(HU) has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

6 Then I saw a Lamb,(HV) looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures(HW) and the elders.(HX) The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes,(HY) which are the seven spirits[l](HZ) of God sent out into all the earth. 7 He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.(IA) 8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures(IB) and the twenty-four elders(IC) fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp(ID) and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers(IE) of God’s people. 9 And they sang a new song, saying:(IF)

“You are worthy(IG) to take the scroll
    and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
    and with your blood(IH) you purchased(II) for God
    persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.(IJ)
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests(IK) to serve our God,
    and they will reign[m] on the earth.”(IL)

11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand.(IM) They encircled the throne and the living creatures(IN) and the elders.(IO) 12 In a loud voice they were saying:

“Worthy is the Lamb,(IP) who was slain,(IQ)
    to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
    and honor and glory and praise!”(IR)

13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth(IS) and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:

“To him who sits on the throne(IT) and to the Lamb(IU)
    be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”(IV)

14 The four living creatures(IW) said, “Amen,”(IX) and the elders(IY) fell down and worshiped.(IZ)

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 1:4 That is, the sevenfold Spirit
  2. Revelation 1:7 Daniel 7:13
  3. Revelation 1:7 Zech. 12:10
  4. Revelation 1:13 See Daniel 7:13.
  5. Revelation 1:20 Or messengers
  6. Revelation 2:1 Or messenger; also in verses 8, 12 and 18
  7. Revelation 2:27 Psalm 2:9
  8. Revelation 3:1 Or messenger; also in verses 7 and 14
  9. Revelation 3:1 That is, the sevenfold Spirit
  10. Revelation 4:5 That is, the sevenfold Spirit
  11. Revelation 4:8 Isaiah 6:3
  12. Revelation 5:6 That is, the sevenfold Spirit
  13. Revelation 5:10 Some manuscripts they reign
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