Prologue

1The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him, to show unto his servants the thing which it behooves speedily to come to pass; and he signified having sent by his angel to his servant John; 2who witnessed the word of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ, as to so many things as he saw. 3Blessed is the one reading, and those hearing the word of the prophecy, and keeping the things which have been written in it: for the time is at hand.

John Greets the Seven Churches

4John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you, and peace, from the one who is, and who was, and who is coming; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; 5and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstbegotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. To the one loving us with divine love, and having washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6and He made us a kingdom, priests unto God even his Father; to him be glory and dominion unto the ages of the ages; amen. 7Behold, he is coming with clouds; and every eye shall behold him, even those who pierced him, and all the tribes of the earth will wail at him; yes, Amen.

8I am Alpha and Omega, says the Lord God, who is and who was, and who is coming, the Almighty.

John’s Vision on Patmos

9I John, your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and in patience in Jesus, was in the island which is called Patmos, on account of the word of God, and on account of the testimony of Jesus. 10I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet 11saying, Write what you are seeing 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.

12And I turned to see the voice which was speaking with me; and having turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 13and in the midst of the candlesticks one like the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to his feet, and girded about the breast with a golden girdle. 14And his head and his hairs were as wool, white as snow; and his eyes were like a flame of fire; 15and his feet were like brass, as having been burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters, 16and having in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth is going forth a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance like the sun shines in his strength.

17And when I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man; and he laid his right hand on me, saying, Fear not; I am the first and the last: 18the living one, and I was dead; and, behold, I am alive unto the ages of the ages, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. 19Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which are about to take place after these; 20and the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven golden candlesticks are the seven churches.