Prologue

1The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him, to shew to his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and He sent and signified it by his angel to his servant John, 2who bare witness to the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ, and to whatever He saw. 3Happy is he that readeth, and those that hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written therein: for the time is near.

John Greets the Seven Churches

4John to the seven churches in Asia---Grace and peace be to you, from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; 5and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the first-born from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6and hath made us kings and priests to his God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 7Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye shall see Him, even they that pierced Him: and all the tribes of the earth shall lament before Him. Even so, Amen!

8I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, saith the Lord, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.

John’s Vision on Patmos

9I John, who am also your brother, and companion in the affliction, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the island called Patmos, for the sake of the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10Here I was in the Spirit on the Lord's-day: and heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, 11saying, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last; and, What thou seest write in a book, and send it to the seven churches in Asia, to Ephesus, and to Smyrna, and to Pergamos, and to Thyatira, and to Sardis, and to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.

12And I turned to see the voice that spake to me: and when I turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 13and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like the Son of man, clothed with a long robe, and girded about the breasts with a golden girdle. 14His head and his hairs were white like white wool, as white as snow; and his eyes as a flame of fire; 15and his feet like fine brass, as if they were glowing in a furnace: and his voice as the sound of many waters: 16and He had in his right hand seven stars, and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun when he shineth in his strength.

17And when I saw Him, I fell at his feet as dead; and He laid his right hand upon me, and said to me, "Fear not, 18I am the first and the last, who live, though I was dead; and behold, I am alive for ever and ever, Amen, and have the keys of hades and of death. 19Write what thou hast seen, the things which are, and which are to be hereafter." 20As to the mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks; the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.