Prologue
(Daniel 12:1–13)

1The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him, in order to make known to his servants the things that must soon occur, and which he signified by sending his Angel to his servant John; 2he has offered testimony to the Word of God, and whatever he saw is the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3Blessed is he who reads or hears the words of this Prophecy, and who keeps the things that have been written in it. For the time is near.

John Greets the Seven Churches

4John, to the seven Churches, which are in Asia. Grace and peace to you, from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are in the sight of his throne, 5and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead, and the leader over the kings of the earth, who has loved us and has washed us from our sins with his blood, 6and who has made us into a kingdom and into priests for God and for his Father. To him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7Behold, he arrives with the clouds, and every eye shall see him, even those who pierced him. And all the tribes of the earth shall lament for themselves over him. Even so. Amen.

8“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord God, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.

John’s Vision on Patmos

9I, John, your brother, and a sharer in the tribulation and in the kingdom and in patient endurance for Christ Jesus, was on the island which is called Patmos, because of the Word of God and the testimony to Jesus. 10I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a great voice, like that of a trumpet, 11saying, “What you see, write in a book, and send it to the seven Churches, which are in Asia: to Ephesus, and to Smyrna, and to Pergamus, and to Thyatira, and to Sardis, and to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”

12And I turned around, so as to see the voice which was speaking with me. And having turned around, I saw seven golden lampstands. 13And in the midst of the seven golden lampstands was one resembling the Son of man, clothed to the feet with a vestment, and wrapped to the breast with a wide belt of gold. 14But his head and hair were bright, like white wool, or like snow; and his eyes were like a flame of fire; 15and his feet resembled shining brass, just as in a burning furnace; and his voice was like the voice of many waters. 16And in his right hand, he held the seven stars; and from his mouth went out a sharp two-edged sword; and his face was like the sun, shining with all its might.

17And when I had seen him, I fell at his feet, like one who is dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18And I am alive, though I was dead. And, behold, I live forever and ever. And I hold the keys of death and of Hell. 19Therefore, write the things which you have seen, and which are, and which must occur afterward: 20the mystery of the seven stars, which you have seen 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.”