Revelation 1
1 [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.
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him, to point out unto his servants the things which must needs come to pass with speed, —and he shewed them by signs, sending through his messenger, unto his servant John;
2 [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].
who bare witness as to the word of God, and the witness of Jesus Christ, —whatsoever things he saw.
3 [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.
Happy! he that readeth, and they who hear, the words of the prophecy, and keep the things, therein, written; for, the season, is, near.
4 [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).
John, unto the Seven Assemblies which are in Asia, Favour to you, and peace, from—Him who Is, and who Was, and who is Coming, and from—The Seven Spirits which are before his throne,
5 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].
and from—Jesus Christ, —The Faithful Witness, The Firstborn of the Dead, and The Ruler of the Kings of the Earth. Unto him that loveth us, and loosed us out of our sins with his blood, —
6 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)
and he hath made us [to be] a kingdom—priests unto his God and Father, Unto him, be the glory, and the dominion, unto the ages. Amen. (aiōn g165)
7 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.)
Lo! he cometh with the clouds, and every eye shall see him, such also as pierced him; and all the tribes of the land shall smite themselves for him. Yea! Amen.
8 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.
I, am, the A, and, the Z, saith the Lord, —the, God who Is, and who Was, and who is Coming, The Almighty.
9 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.
I, John, your brother, and partaker with you in the tribulation and kingdom and endurance in Jesus, came to be in the isle that is called Patmos, because of the word of God, and the witness of Jesus.
10 [God’s] Spirit took control of me on one of the days [that we believers met to worship] the Lord.
I came to be, in Spirit, in the Lord’s Day, and heard, behind me, a loud voice, as of a trumpet,
11 [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].”
saying—What thou seest, write in a scroll, and send unto the Seven Assemblies, —unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamum, —and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, —and unto Laodicea.
12 [In this vision] I turned in order that I might see who had spoken to me [SYN]. When I turned,
And I turned round, to see the Voice which was speaking with me, and, having turned, I saw Seven Lamps of gold;
13 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.
and, in the midst of the lamps, One like unto a Son of Man: —clothed with a robe, reaching to the feet, and girt about at the breasts with a girdle of gold,
14 The hair on his head was white like white wool [or] like snow. His eyes were [shining brightly] [SIM], like a flame of fire.
And his head and hair, white, like white wool—like snow, and, his eyes, like a flame of fire,
15 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).
And, his feet, like unto glowing copper, as if in a furnace refined, and, his voice, like a sound of many waters,
16 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].
And, having in his right hand, seven stars, and, out of his mouth, a sharp, two-edged sword, going forth; and, his whole appearance, as when, the sun, shineth in its strength.
17 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.
And, when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead, and he laid his right hand upon me, saying—Do not fear! I, am the First, and the Last,
19 So write the [vision] that you are seeing. Write about the [conditions] that exist now, and the [events] that are about to happen next.
Write, therefore—what things thou hast seen and what they are; and what things are about to come to pass, after these things:
20 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.”
The sacred secret of the seven stars, which thou sawest upon my right hand, and the seven lamps of gold: —The seven stars, are, messengers of the seven assemblies, and, the seven lamps, are, seven assemblies
