Revelation 1:1-6

Prologue

1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God a gave him b to show to his servants 1 the things that must soon take place. c He made it known by sending his angel to his servant 2 John, 2 d who bore witness to the word of God and to e the testimony of Jesus Christ, even f to all that he saw. 3 g Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, h for the time is near.

Greeting to the Seven Churches

4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from i him j who is and k who was and who is to come, and from l the seven spirits who are before his throne,

5 and from Jesus Christ m the faithful witness, n the firstborn of the dead, and o the ruler of kings on earth. To p him who loves us and q has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us r a kingdom, r priests to s his God and Father, to him be t glory and u dominion forever and ever. Amen.

  1. Cross References
    John 17:7 - 8
    Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you.
    John 8:26
    I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.
    John 14:10
    Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.
  2. Cross References
    Revelation 22:6
    And he said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.
  3. Cross References
    Revelation 22:16
    "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star."
  4. Cross References
    John 19:35
    He who saw it has borne witness - his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth - that you also may believe.
  5. Cross References
    Revelation 6:9
    When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne.
    Revelation 12:17
    Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.
    Revelation 19:10
    Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, "You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God." For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
    1 Corinthians 1:6
    Even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you -
  6. Cross References
    Revelation 1:11
    Saying, "Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.
    Revelation 1:19
    Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this.
  7. Cross References
    Revelation 22:7
    "And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."
    Luke 11:28
    But he said, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!
    John 8:51
    Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.
    1 John 2:3
    And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.
  8. Cross References
    Revelation 22:10
    And he said to me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.
    1 John 2:18
    Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.
    Romans 13:11
    Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.
  9. Cross References
    Revelation 1:8
    "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."
    Revelation 4:8
    And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!
    Hebrews 13:8
    Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
  10. Cross References
    Exodus 3:14
    God said to Moses, " I am who I am." And he said, "Say this to the people of Israel, ' I am has sent me to you.'
  11. Cross References
    John 1:1
    In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
  12. Cross References
    Revelation 3:1
    And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: 'The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. "'I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.
    Revelation 4:5
    From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God.
    Revelation 5:6
    And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
  13. Cross References
    Revelation 3:14
    And to the angel of the church in Laodicea writ...
    John 18:37
    Then Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" J...
    1 Timothy 6:13
    I charge you in the presence of God, who gives ...
    Revelation 2:13
    'I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne i...
    Psalms 89:37
    Like the moon it shall be established forever, ...
    Isaiah 55:4
    Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a ...
  14. Cross References
    Colossians 1:18
    And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.
    Psalms 89:27
    And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.
    Acts 26:23
    That the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.
    1 Corinthians 15:20
    But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
  15. Cross References
    Revelation 17:14
    They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.
    Revelation 19:16
    On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.
    Psalms 89:27
    And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.
  16. Cross References
    John 13:34
    A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
    John 15:9
    As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.
  17. Cross References
    1 Peter 1:18 - 19
    Knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold.
  18. Cross References
    Revelation 5:10
    And you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.
    Revelation 20:6
    Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.
    1 Peter 2:9
    But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
  19. Cross References
    Revelation 5:10
    And you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.
    Revelation 20:6
    Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.
    1 Peter 2:9
    But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
  20. Cross References
    Romans 15:6
    That together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
  21. Cross References
    Romans 11:36
    For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
  22. Cross References
    1 Peter 4:11
    Whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies - in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.