Revelation 1
1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ that God gave him to show his bondmen what must happen quickly. And he signified it, having sent by his agent to his bondman John
[This book tells the message] that God revealed to Jesus Christ. God revealed it to him in order that he might reveal to his servants the [things/events] that must happen soon. Jesus communicated [this message] to [me], his servant John, by sending his angel to me.
2 who testified the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ, as many things as he saw.
[As I write it, I], John, am truthfully reporting everything that I saw [and heard], the message from God that Jesus Christ [truthfully reported to me].
3 Blessed is he who reads, and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and who keep the things written in it, for the time is near.
[God is] pleased with those who read [this book to the congregations], and he will be pleased with those who listen carefully to it and obey what [he has commanded in this prophetic message that I] am writing. [So read this message to the congregations, listen carefully to it, and obey it], because [these things that Jesus has revealed] will happen soon.
4 John, to the seven congregations in Asia: Grace to you and peace from God, who is and who was and who is coming, and from the seven Spirits that are before his throne,
[I], John, am [writing this] to [you believers in] the seven congregations [that are located] in Asia [province]. [I pray that God the Father, God’s Spirit, and Jesus Christ] be kind to (OR, bless) you and cause you to have [inner] peace. [God the Father is] the one who exists, who has always existed, and who will always exist. The Spirit [of God, who] is in front of God’s throne, has [all kinds of power] (OR, The Spirit of God [is symbolized] by seven spirits who are in front of God’s throne).
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
Jesus Christ is the one who has faithfully told [people about God]. He is the first one (whom God has raised from the dead/who became alive again after being dead), in order [to show that God will raise us who trust in Jesus]. Jesus is the one who rules the kings of the earth. He is the one who loves us. He is the one who has erased the record our sins. He did that by shedding his blood [when he died on the cross].
6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him is the glory and the dominion into the ages of the ages. Truly. (aiōn g165)
He is [the one who] has caused us to become people whose lives God rules, and he has made us to be priests [who serve] God his Father. [As a result of this, we acknowledge that] Jesus Christ is eternally divine and eternally powerful. (Amen!/That is true!) (aiōn g165)
7 Behold, he comes with the clouds and every eye will see him, even the men who pierced him. And all the tribes of the earth will wail against him. Yea, Truly.
Listen carefully! Christ will surely come in the midst of the clouds [in order that he may judge the rebellious people of earth], and everyone [SYN] will see him [come]. Even those who [are responsible for] piercing [and killing] him [MTY] [will see him come. People from] all people-groups on earth will mourn because he [will punish them]. (Amen!/May it be so.)
8 I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord, the God who is and who was and who is coming, the Almighty.
The Lord God declares, “I am the one who created [everything], and I am the [one who will cause everything to] end [MET].” He is the one who exists, who has always existed, and who will always exist. He is the Almighty One.
9 I John, your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance in Christ Jesus, happened to be on the isle that is called Patmos because of the word of God, and because of the testimony of Jesus Christ.
I, John, your fellow believer, am suffering as you [are] because of our letting Jesus rule [our lives]. We are steadfastly enduring [trials] because of our relationship with him. I was punished by being sent/exiled to Patmos island because [of my proclaiming] God’s message and telling [people about] Jesus.
10 I became in spirit on the Lord's day and I heard behind me a great voice like a trumpet
[God’s] Spirit took control of me on one of the days [that we believers met to worship] the Lord.
11 saying, What thou see, write in a book and send to the seven congregations: to Ephesus, and to Smyrna, and to Pergamos, and to Thyatira, and to Sardis, and to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.
[At that time], I heard behind me someone [speaking to me as loudly and as clearly] [SIM] as a trumpet. He was saying [to me], “Write on a scroll what you see, and send it to seven congregations. Send it to [the congregations] in Ephesus [city], in Smyrna [city], in Pergamum [city], in Thyatira [city], in Sardis [city], in Philadelphia [city], and in Laodicea [city].”
12 And I turned there to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands.
[In this vision] I turned in order that I might see who had spoken to me [SYN]. When I turned,
13 And in the midst of the seven lampstands, resembling a son of man, he who was clothed down to the foot, and girded about with a golden belt at the breasts.
I saw seven golden lampstands. In the midst of the lampstands there was [someone] who looked like he came from heaven. He wore a robe that reached to his feet, and he wore a gold band around his chest.
14 And his head and hair were white as wool, white as snow, and his eyes as a flame of fire,
The hair on his head was white like white wool [or] like snow. His eyes were [shining brightly] [SIM], like a flame of fire.
15 and his feet resembling highly refined metal, as in a furnace having been fiery hot, and his voice as the sound of many waters,
His feet [looked] like brass that glows [as it is being] purified {as [people] purify it} in a furnace. [When he spoke], his voice [sounded] like the sound [made by] a huge waterfall (OR, a great/wide river of rushing water).
16 and having in his right hand seven stars, and a sharp two-edged sword coming out of his mouth. And the sight of him was as the sun shines in its strength.
In his right hand he held seven stars. A sword that had two sharp edges extended from his mouth. His face [shone as bright] as the sun shines [at midday] [MTY].
17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying, Fear not, I am the first and the last,
When I saw him, I fell down at his feet [and was unable to move or speak] [SIM], as though [I were] dead. But he put his right hand on me and said to me, “Don’t be afraid! I am the one who created [all things] and the [one who will cause all things to] end.
19 Therefore write the things that thou saw, and things that are, and things that are going to happen after these things.
So write the [vision] that you are seeing. Write about the [conditions] that exist now, and the [events] that are about to happen next.
20 The mystery of the seven stars that thou saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are agents of the seven congregations, and the seven lampstands that thou saw are the seven congregations.
The meaning of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and the seven golden lampstands [that you saw is this]: The seven stars [in my hand represent the leaders, who are like] angels, [who watch over] the seven congregations, and the [seven] lampstands [represent] the seven congregations.”
