1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him, to show to his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel to his servant John:

2 Who bore record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

3 Blessed is he that reads, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be to 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;

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. To him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

6 And has made us kings and priests to God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

7 Behold, he comes 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.

8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, said the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

9 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.

10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What you see, write in a book, and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia; to Ephesus, and to Smyrna, and to Pergamos, and to Thyatira, and to Sardis, and to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.

12 And I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;

13 And in the middle of the seven candlesticks one like to the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the breasts with a golden girdle.

14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;

15 And his feet like to fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shines in his strength.

17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand on me, saying to me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

18 I am he that lives, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for ever more, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

19 Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;

20 The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which you saw are the seven churches.

The . . . Christ. The Divine title of the Book.

The Revelation = Revelation. Greek. apokalupsis, whence our "Apocalypse". App-106and App-197.

Jesus Christ. App-98.

unto = to.

shew = point out. First occurrence Mat 4:8. Compare Rev 22:6. servants, servant. App-190. The word is peculiarly appropriated to Israel throughout O.T., and in this Book is used (fourteen times) as the proper title of those who are its subjects. Contrast "servants" and "sons", Rom 8:14-17. Gal 1:4, Gal 1:1-7. 1Jn 3:1.

things, &c. = what things must needs come to pass. See Dan 2:29 (Septuagint)

shortly = with (Greek. en) speed.

sent = having sent. App-174.

record = witness. See p. 1511. The verb Occurs only here and Rev 22:16, Rev 22:20 in Rev.

the word of God. Thus a direct prophetic communication, as 1Sa 9:27. 1Ki 12:22. 1Ch 17:3. Yet Compare Rev 1:9; Rev 6:9; Rev 19:13; Rev 20:4.

word. App-121.

testimony = witness. See Joh 1:7 and p. 1511.

and, &c. Not merely "heard" but saw in vision.

all things that = whatsoever things.

saw. App-133.

Blessed = Happy. Greek. makarios, by which the Septuagint renders the Hebrew ’ashrey. See App-63. First of seven occurance in Rev. (fifty in N.T.)

this = the.

prophecy. Occurs seven times (App-10) in Rev.

keep. See Luk 2:19, Luk 2:51. Occurs eleven times in Rev.

those = the.

therein = in (Greek. en) it.

time. Greek. kairos. Compare App-195.

seven. See App-10and App-197.

churches. Greek. ekklesia. App-120and App-186.

in. App-104.

Asia. Not Europe, and consequently not Christendom.

Grace. App-184.

from. App-104.

Him. . . come. Greek paraphrase of "Jehovah". See App-4.

Which = Who, and so throughout Revelation.

Spirits. App-101.

faithful. App-150. Compare Isa 55:4.

Witness. Greek. martus. See Rev 3:14 and p. 1511.

First Begotten. See Rom 8:29. Heb 1:6. Compare Psa 2:7. Act 13:33. 1Co 15:20. Col 1:18.

of the dead. App-139. The texts omit ek.

Prince = Ruler. See Joh 12:31.

kings, &c. See Rev 6:16 and Psa 89:27, Psa 89:37.

earth. App-129.

loved. The texts read "loveth". App-135.

washed. The texts read "loosed". App-95.:1; note 2, p 138.

from. Greek. ek. App-104.

sins. App-128. Elsewhere in Rev 18:4, Rev 18:5.

in = by. Greek. en. App-104.

hath. Omit.

kings and priests = (to be) a kingdom (so all texts) and (to be) priests. See Rev 5:10; Rev 20:6. Exo 19:6 (Septuagint "a royal priesthood")

Father. See App-98.

glory = the glory. See p. 1511.

dominion = the dominion. App-172.

for ever, &c. App-151. a. First of fourteen occurances: (including Rev 14:11).

Amen = even (the) Amen: See Rev 3:14.

Behold. App-133.

with. App-104.

clouds = the clouds.

eye. Figure of speech Synecdoche (App-6), for person.

see. App-133.

they, &c. Allusion to Zec 12:10.

pierced. Compare Joh 19:34.

kindreds = tribes, as Mat 19:28; Mat 24:30; &c. Greek. phule.

because of. Greek. epi. App-104. See Zec 12:10.

Even so = Yea.

Alpha and Omega = The Alpha and the Omega. See Rev 1:17; Rev 22:13.

the . . . ending. The texts omit.

LORD. The texts read "LORD God" (see App-4).

LORD. App-98.

Almighty App-98. The Greek word occurs nine (App-10) times in Rev. Only once elsewhere ( 2Co 6:18) in N.T.

who also am. Omit.

companion = partaker, as Rom 11:17. Php 1:1, Php 1:7; &c.

tribulation = the tribulation. Here; Rev 2:9, Rev 2:10, Rev 2:22; Rev 7:14.

in the. The texts omit.

kingdom and patience. With this "kingdom" the "tribulation" is specially connected. Figure of speech Hendiatris (App-6). See Act 14:22.

patience. Occurs seven times in Rev. Compare Luk 21:19. 2Th 3:5.

of. The texts read "in" (Greek. en).

Jesus. App-98.

Christ. The texts omit.

was = came to be.

Patimos. An island (mod. Patino) about thirty miles south-west of Samos.

for. App-104. Rev 1:2. Nothing to indicate that John had been "banished".

for. The texts omit.

Christ. The texts omit.

Spirit. App-101. See Rev 4:2; Rev 17:3; Rev 21:10.

on = in (Greek. en).

the Lord’s day = the day of the Lord ( Isa 2:12, &c), the Hebrew terms for which are equivalent to the Greek he kuriake hemera, the Lord’s day. Occurances: 1Th 5:2. 2Th 2:2 (with texts). 2Pe 3:16. Not our Sunday.

trumpet. In O.T. connected with war and the day of the Lord. See Zep 1:14-16; &c. This verse (10) is the key to understanding the book of Revelation: John was taken "in the power of The Holy Spirit", from (A.D. 96) on to a time past this present time, to the future ("the day of the Lord"), and shown things both past and that are future.

I am . . . last: and. The texts omit.

seest. App-133.

in. Greek. eis.

book = roll, or scroll, as Rev 6:14.

send. App-174.

which . . . Asia. The texts omit.

unto. Greek. eis, as above.

voice. The Speaker (Figures of speech Metonymy of Effect, and Catachresis. App-6). See Rev 1:10.

spake = was speaking.

being = having.

candlesticks = larnpstands. Occurs seven times in Rev.

the. Omit.

Son of Man. See App-98and App-99.

about. Greek. pros.

paps = breasts.

His head. Read "And His head".

like. The texts read "as". Compare this and the following verses: with Eze 1:7. Dan 7:9; Dan 10:6.

fine brass. Only here and Rev 2:18.

as . . . burned = as glowing.

furnace. Only here; Rev 9:2. Mat 13:42, Mat 13:50.

voice . . . waters. See Rev 1:10; Rev 14:2; Rev 19:6. Eze 1:24; Eze 43:2.

voice. Same word as "sound". Greek. phone.

He had = having.

stars. See Rev 1:20.

out . . . sword. For the Figure compare Psa 55:21; Psa 57:4; Psa 59:7. The significance is seen in Isa 11:4; Isa 49:2. 2Th 2:8. See also Rev 2:12, Rev 2:16; Rev 19:15, Rev 19:21. Luk 19:27.

twoedged. Compare Heb 4:12.

sword. Greek. rhomphaia. Occurs only in Rev. (six times) and Luk 2:35.

countenance. Greek. opsis. Only here; Joh 7:24; Joh 11:44.

strength. App-172.1; Rev 176:1.

fell. Greek. pipto. See Rev 7:16 (light).

at. Greek. pros. App-104.

dead = one dead. App-139.

unto me. The texts omit.

I am . . . Last. Compare Isa 41:4; Isa 43:10; Isa 44:6; Isa 48:11, Isa 48:12.

I . . . liveth = And the Living One.

liveth, alive. App-170.

and. Read "and yet".

was = became.

dead. See App-139.

I am alive = Living (emph.) am I.

Amen. Omit.

hell. . . death. The texts read "death and of hell".

hell = grave. App-131. See Rev 20:13 (margin) 1Co 15:55. Revised Version transliterates the Greek word hades.

Write. The texts add "therefore".

hast seen = sawest, as Rev 1:2.

the . . . are = what thoy are, i.e. what they signify.

and = even.

shall be = are about to happen.

hereafter. Literally after (Greek. meta.) these things (Greek. tauta). Hebrew idiom; compare Gen 22:1. First of ten occurrences in Rev.

mystery = secret symbol. See App-193.

stars. Greek. aster, occurs fourteen times in Rev. (App-10)

in. Greek. epi.

are = represent, or signify.

the. Omit.

angels. App-120. Rev 1:2.

which . . . sawest. The texts omit.

the. Omit.