I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. 14:1
Trivia: What will happen to anyone who hurts God's two witnesses (Rev 11)?
1:1-31The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.
This is the revelation that God gave to Jesus Christ,
about things that will soon happen,
as delivered by an angel to John.
3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
Blessed are those who read the words of this prophecy,
because the end is near. [1]
1:4-64 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;
From John and the seven spirits to the seven churches in Asia,
5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
And from Jesus Christ,
who washed us in his own blood.
1:7-87 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
He's coming with clouds and everyone will see him, [2]
including those who killed him.
Everyone on earth will wail because of him.
8I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
The Lord says,
I'm alpha and omega, [3]
the beginning and the end.
1:9-209 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
I'm John, writing to you from the island of Patmos.
10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
I was in the spirit on the Lord's day,
when I heard a loud voice like a trumpet, saying
11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
I'm the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end.
Write what you see in a book,
and send it to the seven churches in Asia:
Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.
12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
I turned to see the voice
and saw seven golden candlesticks.
13And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
Among the candlesticks was someone
who looked like the Son of man,
with a long robe with a gold girdle across his chest.
14His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
His head and hair were as white as snow, [4]
and his eyes were like flames of fire.
15And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
His feet were like brass,
and his voice had the sound of many waters.
16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
He had seven stars in his right hand,
and a two-edged sword came out of his mouth.
17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
18I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
When I saw him, I fell down like I was dead.
And he said,
Don't be afraid. I'm the first and the last.
I was dead; now I'm alive forever. Amen.
I have the keys to hell and death.
19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;
Write what you've seen,
the things that are and the things that will be later.
20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
The seven stars that you saw are the seven churches.
And the seven candlesticks are the seven churches.
John believed that the things that he wrote about would happen soon, within his own lifetime. After nearly 2000 years, believers still believe that "the time is at hand" and that the events described in Revelation will "shortly come to pass."
Millions have lived and died without ever seeing Jesus descend from the sky. Such an event, if it ever occurred, could only be seen by all on a flat earth.
John's Jesus is surrounded by seven golden candlesticks. He has white hair, eyes of fire, and feet of brass. He holds seven stars in his hand and has a sword sticking out of his mouth. He has the keys of hell and death.
Don't worry. You'll know him when you see him.
