Prologue
(Daniel 12:1–13)

1The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him, to show to his servants what things must be with speed; and he signified having sent by his angel to his servant John: 2Who bare witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, as much as he saw. 3Happy he reading, and they hearing the words of the prophecy, and keeping the things written in it, for the time is near.

John Greets the Seven Churches

4John to the seven churches which in Asia: Grace to you, and peace, from him who being, and who was, and who coming; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne. 5And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first born from the dead, and the chief of the kings of the earth. To him having loved us, and washed us from our sins in his blood, 6And he made us kings and priests to God and his Father; to him the glory and strength for the times of times. 7Behold, he comes with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they who goaded him: and all the tribes of the earth shall lament on account of him. Yes, Amen.

8I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, says the Lord, who being, and who was, and who coming, the Omnipotent Ruler.

John’s Vision on Patmos

9I John, and your brother, and partaker in pressure, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, I was in the island called Patmos, for the sake of the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10I was in the Spirit In the day pertaining to the Lord, and I heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, saying, 11I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send to the seven churches which 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 back to see the voice which spake with me. And having turned back, I saw seven gold chandeliers; 13And in the midst of the seven chandeliers one like to the Son of man, dressed in a garment descending to the feet, and girded at the breast with a golden girdle. 14And his head and hairs white as white wool, as snow, and his eyes as a flame of fire; 15And his feet as brass of Lebanon, as refined by fire in a furnace; and his voice as the voice of many waters. 16And having in his right hand seven stars: and going out of his mouth a sharp two-mouthed sword: and his sight as the sun shines in his power.

17And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he put his right hand upon me, saying to me, Be not afraid; I am the first and the last: 18And he living, and I was dead; and, behold, I am living for the times of times, Amen; and have the keys of hades and of death. 19Write the things thou hast seen, and which are, and which are about to be after these things; 20The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest upon my right hand, and the seven golden chandeliers. The seven stars are the messengers of the seven churches: and the seven chandeliers which thou sawest are the seven churches.