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About this book: Revelation

Revelation is a vision given to John on the island of Patmos, written as a letter, a prophecy and an apocalypse, a style full of symbols that its first readers would have recognized. It opens with Christ speaking to seven churches, praising, correcting and promising. John is then taken into heaven, where God is worshiped on the throne and the Lamb who was slain is found worthy to open the scroll. Seals, trumpets and bowls follow, along with visions of conflict between God's people and the powers that oppose him, including the dragon, the beast and Babylon. The book ends with Christ's victory, the defeat of evil, a new heaven and earth, and God dwelling with his people. Christians read its images in different ways, some focusing on the first century, some on history and some on the end, but nearly all agree on its central message: the Lamb wins, so his followers can endure and worship faithfully.

Author
John, who was exiled on Patmos; traditionally identified with the apostle John, though some scholars propose another John.
Date
Most scholars place it in the 90s AD under Domitian; a minority argue for the late 60s.
Audience
Seven churches in the Roman province of Asia, facing pressure, compromise and persecution.

Themes

The Lamb who is worthyFaithful endurance under pressureGod's justice over evilWorship of the one on the throneNew creation and God with his people

Outline

  1. 1:1–3:22Christ and the seven churches
  2. 4:1–5:14The throne and the Lamb
  3. 6:1–11:19Seals and trumpets
  4. 12:1–14:20The dragon, the beast and the Lamb's people
  5. 15:1–19:21The bowls, Babylon's fall and Christ's return
  6. 20:1–20:15The thousand years and final judgment
  7. 21:1–22:21New heaven, new earth and the invitation

Key verses

About this chapterJohn identifies his book as a revelation of Jesus Christ, given to show his servants what must soon take place, and blesses those who read and heed it. Writing to seven churches in Asia, he greets them with grace from the eternal God, the seven spirits and Jesus, the faithful witness and ruler of kings, who freed believers by his blood. While on the island of Patmos on the Lord's day, John hears a loud voice and sees the risen Christ among seven golden lampstands, radiant, with eyes like fire and a voice like rushing waters. Overwhelmed, John falls as though dead, but Christ lays his hand on him, says he holds the keys of death and Hades, and commands him to write what he sees.

John identifies his book as a revelation of Jesus Christ, given to show his servants what must soon take place, and blesses those who read and heed it. Writing to seven churches in Asia, he greets them with grace from the eternal God, the seven spirits and Jesus, the faithful witness and ruler of kings, who freed believers by his blood. While on the island of Patmos on the Lord's day, John hears a loud voice and sees the risen Christ among seven golden lampstands, radiant, with eyes like fire and a voice like rushing waters. Overwhelmed, John falls as though dead, but Christ lays his hand on him, says he holds the keys of death and Hades, and commands him to write what he sees.

Themes

  • Christ revealed
  • Blessing for those who heed
  • The risen Lord

Key verses

Audio Bible · Revelation 1

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Revelation 1

Berean Standard Bible20 verses · 3 min read

1This is the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants what must soon come to pass. He made it known by sending His angel to His servant John, 2who testifies to everything he saw. This is the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear and obey what is written in it, because the time is near. 4John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from Him who is and was and is to come, and from the seven spirits before His throne, 5and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has released us from our sins by His blood, 6who has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and power forever and ever! Amen. 7Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him—even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen. 8“I am the Alpha and the Omega, ” says the Lord God, who is and was and is to come—the Almighty. 9I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance that are in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and my testimony about Jesus. 10On the Lord’s day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11saying, “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.” 12Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands, 13and among the lampstands was One like the Son of Man, dressed in a long robe, with a golden sash around His chest. 14The hair of His head was white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were like a blazing fire. 15His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and His voice was like the roar of many waters. 16He held in His right hand seven stars, and a sharp double-edged sword came from His mouth. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest. 17When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. But He placed His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last, 18the Living One. I was dead, and behold, now I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of Death and of Hades. 19Therefore write down the things you have seen, the things that are, and the things that will happen after this. 20This is the mystery of the seven stars you saw in My right hand and of the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Verses in Revelation 1

Chapters of Revelation

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