Revelation 1 The Voice (VOICE) Prologue 1 This is the revelation of Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King: an account

of visions and a heavenly journey. God granted this to Him so He would show His followers the realities that are already breaking into the world and soon will b e fulfilled. Through His heavenly messenger, He revealed to His servant John sig ns and insight into these mysteries. 2 John, in turn, gave witness to the word o f God and to the glorious truth revealed about Jesus, the Anointed One, the Chos en Ruler, by carefully describing everything he saw. 3 Blessings come to those who read and proclaim these words aloud; blessings com e to those who listen closely and put the prophetic words recorded here into pra ctice. The finale is approaching. 4 I, John, to the seven churches in Asia: May you experience God s favor and rest in the peace that comes from the One who i s, the One who was, and the One who is coming; from the seven Spirits, the Perfe ct Spirit, constantly before God s throne; 5 and from Jesus the Anointed, the Witn ess who is true and faithful, the first to emerge from death s cold womb, the chos en Ruler over all the kings and rulers of the earth. To the One who loves us and liberated us from the grip of our evil deeds through His very own blood 6 and who established us to be His kingdom and priests for G od, His Father. May glory and power be His throughout all the ages. Amen. 7 Look! He is coming with the clouds, in glory. He will capture every eye, Even of those who pierced Him through. All the nations of the earth will be pierced with grief when He appears. Yes, may all this be done according to His plan. Amen. Lord God: 8 I am the Alpha and the Omega, [the very beginning and the very end,] [a] the One who is, the One who was, and the One who is coming: the All Powerful . 9 I, John, your brother who shares with you this journey in persecution and the establishment of the Kingdom and endurance in Jesus, was on the island called Pa tmos because of the ministry of the word of God and my testimony about Jesus. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord s Day (the first day of the week), and I heard a voice behind me. It sounded like the blast of a trumpet. A Voice: [b] Make s [which hia, and 11 [I am the Alpha and the Omega, the very beginning and the very end.] a book of what you see, write it down, and send it to the seven churche are in Asia][c]: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelp Laodicea.

12 When I turned around to see what sort of voice this was that was addressing m e, I saw seven golden lampstands. 13 And among the lampstands, I saw One like th e Son of Man right in front of me dressed in a long robe. Across His chest was d raped a golden sash. 14 His head and hair were pure white, white as wool and whi te as snow; His eyes blazed like a fiery flame; 15 His feet gleamed like brightl y polished bronze, purified to perfection in a furnace; His voice filled the air and sounded like a roaring waterfall. 16 He held seven stars in His right hand, from His mouth darted a sharp double-edged sword, and His face shone a brillian t light, like the blinding sun. The Son of Man is none other than the risen Jesus shining in glory, moving among

the lampstands. 17 When I saw Him, I fell at His feet. It was as though I were dead. But He reac hed down and placed His right hand on me. The One: This is not the time for fear; I am the First and the Last, 18 and I am the living One. I entered the realm of the dead; but see, I am alive now and fo r all the ages even ages to come. [Amen.][d] I possess the keys to open the prison of death and hades. 19 Now write down all you have seen all that is and all that will be. 20 Regarding the mystery of the seven stars you saw in My right hand and of the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the heavenly messengers who preside over the se ven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches themselves.