Revelation

The 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:

1This book shows things that Jesus Christ made known. God gave this message to Jesus. It shows God's servants what must happen soon. Jesus sent his angel, a messenger from God, to his servant John.

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

2John told people everything he saw. He told them God's word and the true message about Jesus Christ.

3Blessed 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.

3God blesses the one who reads these words out loud. He blesses those who hear this message and obey what is written here. The time is very near.

4John 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;

4This letter is from John. It is for seven churches, groups of believers, in the land called Asia. May God be kind to you and give you peace. He is the one who is here now, who has always been, and who is coming. Peace also comes from the seven Spirits in front of his throne.

5And 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,

5Peace comes from Jesus Christ too. He always tells the truth. He was the first to rise from the dead and never die again. He rules over the kings of the earth. He loves us. He washed our sins away with his own blood.

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

6He made us into a kingdom. He made us priests, people who serve God, his Father. May Jesus have glory and power forever and ever. Amen, which means "yes, this is true."

7Behold, 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.

7Look! He is coming with the clouds. Every eye will see him. Even the people who stabbed him will see him. All the families of the earth will cry out loud because of him. Yes, it will happen. Amen.

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.

8"I am Alpha and Omega," says the Lord. "I am the beginning and the end." He is the one who is here now, who has always been, and who is coming. He is the Almighty, the one with all power.

NoteAlpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. Saying them together is a way of saying "the beginning and the end."

9I 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.

9I am John, your brother. I share the hard times with you. I also share God's kingdom and the patient waiting that comes from belonging to Jesus. I was on an island called Patmos. I was there because I told God's word and the truth about Jesus.

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

10On the Lord's day, God's Spirit took hold of me. I heard a loud voice behind me. It sounded like a trumpet, a loud horn.

11Saying, 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.

11The voice said, "I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last. Write down what you see in a book. Send it to the seven churches in Asia. Send it to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea."

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

12I turned around to see the voice that was talking to me. When I turned, I saw seven gold lampstands.

NoteThe King James Bible says "candlesticks." These are lampstands, stands that hold oil lamps, not candles.

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.

13Someone stood in the middle of the seven lampstands. He looked like the Son of man. He wore a long robe that went down to his feet. A gold band went around his chest.

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

14His head and his hair were white like wool. They were as white as snow. 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.

15His feet shone like fine brass heated in a very hot fire. His voice sounded like rushing water.

16And 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.

16He held seven stars in his right hand. A sharp sword with two edges came out of his mouth. His face shone like the sun at its brightest.

17And 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:

17When I saw him, I fell down at his feet like a dead man. He put his right hand on me. He said, "Do not be afraid. 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.

18"I am the one who is alive. I was dead. But look, I am alive forever and ever! Amen. I hold the keys to death and to the place of the dead."

NoteThe King James Bible says "hell" here. The word means the place where dead people are, not a place of punishment.

19Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;

19"So write down what you have seen. Write what is happening now. Write what will happen later."

20The 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.

20"Here is the hidden meaning of the seven stars in my right hand. Here is the meaning of the seven gold lampstands too. The seven stars are the angels, the messengers, of the seven churches. The seven lampstands are the seven churches."