Revelation · Majority Standard Bible
Revelation 1 Majority Standard Bible
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 This 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,
1 This is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things which must happen soon, which he sent and made known by 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.
2 who testified to God’s word and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, about everything that he saw.
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.
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.
4 John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from God who is and was and is to come, and from the seven spirits before His throne,
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 from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has washed us from our sins by His blood,
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 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.
6 and he made us to be a Kingdom, priests to his God and Father—to him be the glory and the dominion 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.
7 Behold, 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,” says the Lord God, who is and was and is to come—the Almighty.
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
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 Christ.
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 On the Lord’s day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,
10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, like a trumpet
11 saying, “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”
11 saying, “What you see, write in a book and send to the seven assemblies: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”
12 And there I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands,
12 I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. Having turned, I saw seven golden lamp stands.
13 and among the seven lampstands was One like the Son of Man, dressed in a long robe, with a golden sash around His chest.
13 And among the lamp stands was one like a son of man, clothed with a robe reaching down to his feet, and 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.
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 polished bronze refined in a furnace, and His voice was like the roar of many waters.
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 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.
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. But He placed His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last,
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 the Living One. I was dead, and behold, now I am alive forever and ever. Amen. And I hold the keys of Death and of Hades.
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.
19 Therefore write down the things you have seen, the things that are, and the things that will happen after this.
19 Write therefore the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will happen hereafter.
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.
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 of the seven assemblies. The seven lamp stands are seven assemblies.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
John
The servant of Jesus Christ who received the revelation, writing from the island of Patmos to the seven churches of Asia. The text names him only as John; the Orthodox Church,…
Cited in the guide: Revelation 1:1; Revelation 1:4; Revelation 1:9
Places
Patmos
A place of Roman banishment. The exiled apostle John recorded the visions of Revelation here, addressed to seven churches on the nearby mainland.
Cited in the guide: Revelation 1:9
Cross references (20)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Revelation 22:6; Revelation 22:16; Amos 3:7; Galatians 1:12; Daniel 2:28–29
- 2 John 19:35; 1 Corinthians 1:6; 1 John 1:1; Revelation 1:19; John 21:24
- 3 Luke 11:28; Revelation 22:10; Romans 13:11; Proverbs 8:34; 1 Peter 4:7
- 4 Isaiah 11:2; John 1:1; Hebrews 13:8; Psalm 90:2; Revelation 5:6
- 5 Psalm 89:27; Hebrews 9:14; 1 John 1:7; Revelation 17:14; Colossians 1:18
- 6 Revelation 5:10; Revelation 20:6; Exodus 19:6; 1 Peter 2:5–9; Isaiah 61:6
- 7 Matthew 24:30; Zechariah 12:10; Daniel 7:13; John 19:37; Mark 14:62
- 8 Isaiah 44:6; Revelation 22:13; Isaiah 43:10; Isaiah 48:12; Revelation 21:6
- 9 Acts 14:22; Revelation 3:10; John 16:33; Revelation 1:2; Revelation 13:10
- 10 Revelation 21:10; 2 Corinthians 12:2–4; Revelation 4:1–2; Revelation 17:3; Revelation 10:3–8
- 11 Revelation 3:1; Jeremiah 30:2; Colossians 4:15–16; Habakkuk 2:2; Revelation 2:12
- 12 Zechariah 4:2; Exodus 25:37; Revelation 1:20–2:1; Revelation 1:13; Ezekiel 43:5–6
- 13 Daniel 7:13; Daniel 10:5–6; Daniel 10:16; Exodus 28:6–8; Revelation 15:6
- 14 Daniel 10:6; Daniel 7:9; Revelation 2:18; Revelation 19:12; Matthew 28:3
- 15 Ezekiel 43:2; Daniel 10:6; Revelation 14:2; Revelation 19:6; Psalm 93:4
- 16 Hebrews 4:12; Revelation 2:12; Revelation 19:15; Revelation 2:16; Ephesians 6:17
- 17 Isaiah 44:6; Daniel 10:8–10; Revelation 22:13; Daniel 8:17–18; Isaiah 48:12
- 18 Romans 6:9; Hebrews 7:25; Romans 14:8–9; Psalm 68:20; Revelation 3:7
- 19 Revelation 4:1–11; Revelation 1:11–2:3
- 20 Revelation 2:1; Revelation 3:1; Revelation 1:16; Zechariah 4:2; Revelation 3:7
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
And the prophet, too, indicates the same, saying, "instead of fathers, children have been born unto thee." For the Lord, having been born "the First-begotten of the dead," and receiving into His bosom the ancient fathers, has regenerated them into the life of God, He having been made Himself the beginning of those that live, as Adam became the beginning …
For which reason also the Apostle John writes to the seven churches, showing in that way that he writes to the totality of the one Church; and in the Proverbs of Solomon it is said aforetime, prefiguring this, "Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath strengthened her seven pillars." For the city of God was barren in all nations before …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
"The Lord rained down fire from the Lord;" and "A sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of Thy Kingdom;" and "Which is and was and is to come, the Almighty" --all which are clearly spoken of the Son, with all the other passages of the same force, none of which is an afterthought, or added later to the Son or …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
On this account also does John declare in the Apocalypse, "And His voice as the sound of many waters." For the Spirit [of God] is truly [like] many waters, since the Father is both rich and great.
The Apocalypse is a book of St. John the Evangelist; and he writes "to seven Churches." Be ye hungered; own ye these baskets.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)