Revelationchapter 1

A.Blessed Is He Who Reads This Prophecyvv. 1-3

1 This 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, 2 who testifies to everything he saw. This is the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed 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.

B.Grace From Him Who Is, Who Was, and Who Is to Comevv. 4-8

4 John, 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, 5 and 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, 6 who has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and power forever and ever! Amen. 7 Behold, 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.

C.On Patmos: The Son of Man Among the Lampstandsvv. 9-20

9 I, 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. 10 On the Lord’s day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11 saying, “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.” 12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was One like the Son of Man, dressed in a long robe, with a golden sash around His chest. 14 The hair of His head was white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were like a blazing fire. 15 His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and His voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 He 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. 17 When 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, 18 the Living One. I was dead, and behold, now I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of Death and of Hades. 19 Therefore write down the things you have seen, and the things that are, and the things that will happen after this. 20 This 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.

Commentary on this chapter: read the Exposition

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Chapter summary

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'The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show unto his servants, even the things which must shortly come to pass,' with the first of seven beatitudes attached: 'Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of the prophecy' (1:3). Daniel 7 and Zechariah 12 are fused at once: 'Behold, he cometh with the clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they that pierced him.' John, on Patmos, in the Spirit on the Lord's day, turns to see one like unto a son of man among seven golden candlesticks: hair white as white wool, eyes as a flame of fire, a sharp two-edged sword out of his mouth. 'I am the first and the last, and the Living one; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades' (1:17-18).

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary and John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament.

Context

Apocalyptic · John — Revelation overview

A. 1–3 Blessed Is He Who Reads This Prophecy
B. 4–8 Grace From Him Who Is, Who Was, and Who Is to Come
C. 9–20 On Patmos: The Son of Man Among the Lampstands

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

Revelation 224 verses
- Revelation 22:6Then the angel said to me, “These words are faithful and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent His angel to show His servants what must soon take place.”
- Revelation 22:10Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of prophecy in this book, because the time is near.
- Revelation 22:13I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
- Revelation 22:16“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star.”
- Read Revelation 22 →
Daniel 103 verses
- Daniel 10:5I lifted up my eyes, and behold, there was a certain man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist.
- Daniel 10:6His body was like beryl, his face like the brilliance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of polished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude.
- Daniel 10:8So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision. No strength remained in me; my face grew deathly pale, and I was powerless.
- Read Daniel 10 →
Revelation 23 verses
- Revelation 2:1“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of Him who holds the seven stars in His right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.
- Revelation 2:12To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of the One who holds the sharp, double-edged sword.
- Revelation 2:16Therefore repent! Otherwise I will come to you shortly and wage war against them with the sword of My mouth.
- Read Revelation 2 →
Daniel 72 verses
- Daniel 7:9As I continued to watch, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took His seat. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.
- Daniel 7:13In my vision in the night I continued to watch, and I saw One like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into His presence.
- Read Daniel 7 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

Revelation 32 verses
- Revelation 3:1“To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of the One who holds the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation for being alive, yet you are dead.
- Revelation 3:10Because you have kept My command to persevere, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
- Read Revelation 3 →
Revelation 12 verses
- Revelation 1:16He 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.
- Revelation 1:20This 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.
- Read Revelation 1 →
Isaiah 441 verse
- Isaiah 44:6Thus says the LORD, the King and Redeemer of Israel, the LORD of Hosts: “I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God but Me.
- Read Isaiah 44 →
Galatians 11 verse
- Galatians 1:12I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.
- Read Galatians 1 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.