| Berean Study Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1This is the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants what must soon come to pass. He made it known by sending His angel to His servant John, | 1This is a revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants the events that must soon take place. He sent an angel to present this revelation to his servant John, |
| 2who testifies to everything he saw. This is the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. | 2who faithfully reported everything he saw. This is his report of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. |
| 3Blessed 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. | 3God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near. John’s Greeting to the Seven Churches |
| 4John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from Him who is and was and is to come, and from the seven Spirits before His throne, | 4This letter is from John to the seven churches in the province of Asia. Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come; from the sevenfold Spirit before his throne; |
| 5and 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, | 5and from Jesus Christ. He is the faithful witness to these things, the first to rise from the dead, and the ruler of all the kings of the world. All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us. |
| 6who has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and power forever and ever! Amen. | 6He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen. |
| 7Behold, 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. | 7Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see him— even those who pierced him. And all the nations of the world will mourn for him. Yes! Amen! |
| 8“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and was and is to come—the Almighty. | 8“I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.” Vision of the Son of Man |
| 9I, 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. | 9I, John, am your brother and your partner in suffering and in God’s Kingdom and in the patient endurance to which Jesus calls us. I was exiled to the island of Patmos for preaching the word of God and for my testimony about Jesus. |
| 10On the Lord’s day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, | 10It was the Lord’s Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit. Suddenly, I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet blast. |
| 11saying, “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.” | 11It said, “Write in a book everything you see, and send it to the seven churches in the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.” |
| 12Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands, | 12When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. |
| 13and among the lampstands was One like the Son of Man, dressed in a long robe, with a golden sash around His chest. | 13And standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. |
| 14The hair of His head was white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were like a blazing fire. | 14His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were like flames of fire. |
| 15His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and His voice was like the roar of many waters. | 15His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. |
| 16He 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. | 16He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance. |
| 17When 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, | 17When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. |
| 18the Living One. I was dead, and behold, now I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of Death and of Hades. | 18 I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave. |
| 19Therefore write down the things you have seen, and the things that are, and the things that will happen after this. | 19 “Write down what you have seen—both the things that are now happening and the things that will happen. |
| 20This 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. | 20 This is the meaning of the mystery of the seven stars you saw in my right hand and the seven gold lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. |
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