Prologue

1The REVELATION of Jesus Christ, which God gave him, to shew to his servants things which must shortly come to pass; this he signified by his angel whom he dispatch'd to his servant John: 2who publish'd the divine message, and gave his attestation to every thing that he saw concerning Jesus Christ. 3Happy is he that reads, and attends to the words of this prophecy, and observes the matter therein contain'd: for the time draws nigh.

John Greets the Seven Churches

4JOHN to the seven churches which are in Asia: favour and peace be with you from him WHO IS, WHO WAS, WHO WILL BE; and from the seven spirits who are before his throne; 5and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth: unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins by his own blood, 6who hath made us kings and priests to his God and father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 7See! he is coming on the clouds; and every eye shall see him, even they who pierced him: then all the tribes of the earth will smite their breasts at the sight: even so it will be.

8I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, saith the Lord, who is, and who was, and who will be, the almighty.

John’s Vision on Patmos

9I JOHN, who am your brother, and partake in the tribulation, in the reign, and in the patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony I gave of Jesus Christ. 10there I was in an exstacy on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a loud voice, like the sound of a trumpet, 11saying, "I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, what you shall see, write in a book, and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia; to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea."

12and I turned to see from whence the voice came that spake to me, and turning about, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 13and in the midst of the seven candlesticks, one who resembled the son of man, cloathed with a garment down to the foot, and girt below the breast with a girdle of gold. 14his head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; his feet were like fine brass, 15when glowing in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. 16in his right hand he held seven stars: out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and his countenance was as the sun shining in his full glory.

17as soon as I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead: but he laid his right hand upon me, and said, "Fear not; I am the first and the last: 18I am he that liveth; I was dead; but now you see I am alive for all eternity, amen; and I have the keys of the grave, and of death." 19write what you have seen, the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter. 20the conceal'd meaning of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and of the seven golden candlesticks, is this: the seven stars signify the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which you saw, signify the seven churches.