Revelation 1:5

New Living Translation

and from Jesus Christ. He is the faithful witness to these things, the first to rise from the dead, and the ruler of all the kings of the world. All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us.

Parallel Translations

New American Standard Bible (1995)
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood—

Simplified Cowboy Version
and with Jesus Christ, the one who's seen it all, who rose from the grave, and rules over all kings.All the honor goes to Christ who has set us free from our sins with his own blood.

Bible in Basic English
And from Jesus Christ, the true witness, the first to come back from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who had love for us and has made us clean from our sins by his blood;

Darby Translation
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and has washed us from our sins in his blood,

World English Bible
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood;

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first begotten from the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth:

Weymouth's New Testament
and from Jesus Christ, the truthful witness, the first of the dead to be born to Life, and the Ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins with His own blood,

King James Version (1611)
And from Iesus Christ, who is the faithful witnesse, and the first begotten of the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth: vnto him that loued vs, and washed vs from our sinnes in his owne blood,

Literal Translation
even from Jesus Christ the Faithful Witness, the First-born out of the dead, and the Ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him loving us and washing us from our sins by His blood,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and from Iesus Christ which is a faithfull witnes, and first begotten of the deed: & LORDE ouer ye kinges of the earth. Vnto him that loued vs and wesshed vs fro synnes in his awne bloud,

Mace New Testament (1729)
and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth: unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins by his own blood,

Amplified Bible
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful and trustworthy Witness, the Firstborn of the dead, and the Ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who [always] loves us and who [has once for all] freed us [or washed us] from our sins by His own blood (His sacrificial death)—

American Standard Version
and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loveth us, and loosed us from our sins by his blood;

Revised Standard Version
and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
and from Iesus Christ which is a faythfull witnes and fyrst begotte of the deed: and Lorde over the kinges of the erth. Vnto him that loved vs and wesshed vs fro synnes in his awne bloud

Update Bible Version
and from Jesus Christ, [who is] the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him that loves us, and loosed us from our sins by his blood;

Webster's Bible Translation
And from Jesus Christ, [who is] the faithful witness, [and] the first-begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. To him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

Young's Literal Translation
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first-born out of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth; to him who did love us, and did bathe us from our sins in his blood,

New Century Version
and from Jesus Christ. Jesus is the faithful witness, the first among those raised from the dead. He is the ruler of the kings of the earth. He is the One who loves us, who made us free from our sins with the blood of his death.

New English Translation
and from Jesus Christ—the faithful witness, the firstborn from among the dead, the ruler over the kings of the earth. To the one who loves us and has set us free from our sins at the cost of his own blood

Berean Standard Bible
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,

Contemporary English Version
May kindness and peace be yours from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness. Jesus was the first to conquer death, and he is the ruler of all earthly kings. Christ loves us, and by his blood he set us free from our sins.

Complete Jewish Bible
and from Yeshua the Messiah, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the earth's kings. To him, the one who loves us, who has freed us from our sins at the cost of his blood,

English Standard Version
and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood

Geneva Bible (1587)
And from Iesus Christ, which is that faithful witnes, and that first begotten of the dead, & that Prince of the Kings of the earth, vnto him that loued vs, & washed vs from our sinnes in his blood,

George Lamsa Translation
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first to arise from the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth unto him who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

Christian Standard Bible®
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 set us free from our sins by His blood,

Hebrew Names Version
and from Yeshua the Messiah, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the eretz. To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood;

International Standard Version
and from Jesus Christ, the witness, the faithful one,[fn] the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To the one who loves us and has freed[fn] us from our sins by his blood[xr]

Etheridge Translation
and from Jeshu Meshiha who is the faithful Witness, the First-born of the dead, and Head of the kings of the earth, who hath loved us, and released [fn] us from our sins by his blood,

Murdock Translation
and from Jesus the Messiah, the Witness, the Faithful, the First-born of the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth; who hath loved us, and released us from our sins by his blood;

New King James Version
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed [fn] us from our sins in His own blood,

New Life Bible
May you have loving-favor and peace from Jesus Christ Who is faithful in telling the truth. Jesus Christ is the first to be raised from the dead. He is the head over all the kings of the earth. He is the One Who loves us and has set us free from our sins by His blood.

English Revised Version
and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loveth us, and loosed us from our sins by his blood;

New Revised Standard
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and from - Jesus Christ, - The Faithful Witness, The Firstborn of the Dead, and The Ruler of the Kings of the Earth. Unto him that loveth us, and loosed us out of our sins with his blood, -

Douay-Rheims Bible
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the first begotten of the dead and the prince of the kings of the earth, who hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood

King James Version
And 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,

Lexham English Bible
and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To the one who loves us and released us from our sins by his blood

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And from Iesus Christe, which is a faythfull witnesse, and first begotten of the dead, and Lorde ouer the kynges of the earth: Unto hym that loued vs, and wasshed vs from our sinnes in his owne blood,

Easy-to-Read Version
and from Jesus Christ. Jesus is the faithful witness. He is first among all who will be raised from death. He is the ruler of the kings of the earth. Jesus is the one who loves us and has made us free from our sins with his blood sacrifice.

New American Standard Bible
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood—

Good News Translation
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first to be raised from death and who is also the ruler of the kings of the world. He loves us, and by his sacrificial death he has freed us from our sins

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
that is a feithful witnesse, the firste bigetun of deed men, and prince of kingis of the erthe; which louyde vs, and waischide vs fro oure synnes in his blood,

Contextual Overview

³ God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near. ⁴ This letter is from John to the seven churches in the province of Asia. Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come; from the sevenfold Spirit before his throne; ⁵ and from Jesus Christ. He is the faithful witness to these things, the first to rise from the dead, and the ruler of all the kings of the world. All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us. ⁶ He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen. ⁷ Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see him— even those who pierced him. And all the nations of the world will mourn for him. Yes! Amen! ⁸ "I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end," says the Lord God. "I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

who is: Revelation 3:14, Psalms 89:36, Psalms 89:37, Isaiah 55:4, John 3:11, John 3:32, John 8:14-16, John 18:37, 1 Timothy 6:13, 1 John 5:7-10

and the first: Acts 26:23, 1 Corinthians 15:20-23, Colossians 1:18

and the prince: Revelation 11:15, Revelation 17:14, Revelation 19:16, Psalms 72:11, Psalms 89:27, Proverbs 8:15, Proverbs 8:16, Daniel 2:2, Daniel 7:14, Matthew 28:18, Ephesians 1:20-22, 1 Timothy 6:15

him: Deuteronomy 7:8, Deuteronomy 23:5, John 13:1, John 13:34, John 15:9, Romans 8:37, Galatians 2:20, Ephesians 2:4, Ephesians 5:2, Ephesians 5:25-27, 1 John 4:10

washed: Revelation 7:14, Zechariah 13:1, John 13:8-10, Acts 20:28, 1 Corinthians 6:11, Hebrews 9:14, 1 Peter 1:19, 1 John 1:7

Reciprocal: Exodus 29:4 - wash them Exodus 29:44 - sanctify also Exodus 30:19 - General Exodus 38:8 - the laver Exodus 40:7 - General Leviticus 4:20 - an atonement Leviticus 4:35 - and the priest shall make Leviticus 8:6 - washed Leviticus 8:22 - the ram of consecration Leviticus 13:58 - be washed Leviticus 14:6 - dip them Leviticus 14:8 - wash himself Leviticus 14:14 - General Leviticus 15:13 - wash Leviticus 16:4 - therefore Leviticus 16:24 - wash Leviticus 17:11 - I have Numbers 6:24 - The Lord Numbers 19:2 - a red heifer Numbers 19:19 - shall sprinkle Deuteronomy 18:2 - the Lord Deuteronomy 23:11 - wash himself Deuteronomy 26:19 - high above 2 Samuel 12:13 - The Lord 2 Chronicles 4:6 - but the sea Job 25:4 - how can Psalms 51:2 - Wash Psalms 51:7 - and Psalms 65:3 - transgressions Psalms 68:13 - the wings Psalms 72:15 - daily Proverbs 30:12 - not Song of Solomon 3:10 - the midst Isaiah 6:5 - mine eyes Isaiah 43:10 - and my servant Isaiah 63:9 - in his Jeremiah 17:26 - sacrifices of Jeremiah 29:23 - even I Jeremiah 33:8 - General Jeremiah 42:5 - The Lord be Ezekiel 16:9 - washed Ezekiel 36:25 - filthiness Daniel 2:37 - a king Daniel 2:47 - a Lord Daniel 9:25 - the Prince Daniel 12:1 - the great Malachi 3:2 - like fullers' Matthew 1:21 - for Matthew 20:28 - and to Luke 10:37 - He that John 1:29 - which John 11:36 - Behold John 13:5 - to wash John 14:2 - if John 14:6 - the truth John 19:34 - came Acts 3:13 - hath Acts 5:31 - a Prince Acts 10:36 - he is Romans 1:7 - Grace Romans 4:25 - Who was Romans 8:29 - that he might Romans 8:35 - shall separate Romans 11:36 - to whom Romans 13:1 - there Romans 16:27 - God 1 Corinthians 15:3 - Christ 2 Corinthians 13:14 - The grace Galatians 1:1 - raised Galatians 1:4 - gave Galatians 3:13 - redeemed Philippians 2:9 - God Colossians 1:14 - whom 2 Thessalonians 2:16 - which 1 Timothy 2:6 - gave Titus 2:14 - gave Hebrews 1:6 - And again Hebrews 2:8 - hast Hebrews 8:12 - General Hebrews 9:12 - by his Hebrews 10:22 - our bodies 1 Peter 4:11 - to whom 1 John 3:5 - to 1 John 3:16 - perceive 1 John 5:6 - blood Revelation 3:7 - he that is true Revelation 19:11 - Faithful

Cross-References

Genesis 1:8
God called the space "sky." And evening passed and morning came, marking the second day.

Genesis 1:13
And evening passed and morning came, marking the third day.

Genesis 1:19
And evening passed and morning came, marking the fourth day.

Genesis 1:23
And evening passed and morning came, marking the fifth day.

Genesis 1:31
Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day.

Genesis 8:22
As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night."

Psalms 19:2
Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known.

Psalms 74:16
Both day and night belong to you; you made the starlight and the sun.

Psalms 104:20
You send the darkness, and it becomes night, when all the forest animals prowl about.

Isaiah 45:7
I create the light and make the darkness. I send good times and bad times. I, the Lord , am the one who does these things.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And from Jesus Christ,.... Who, though the second Person in the Trinity, is mentioned last, because many things were to be said of him; and who is described in all his offices: in his prophetic office,

the faithful witness; as he is of his Father, of his mind and will, with respect to doctrine and worship; of his truth and faithfulness in his promises; and of his love, grace, and mercy, to his chosen; and of himself, of his true deity, proper sonship, and perfect equality with the Father; of his Messiahship, and of salvation through his obedience, sufferings, and death; and of all truth in general, to which he has bore a faithful testimony several ways, in his ministry, by his miracles, at his death, and by the shedding of his blood to seal it; by his Spirit since, and by the ministers of his word: he is described in his priestly office by

the first begotten of the dead: being the first that rose from the dead by his own power, and to an immortal life; for though some few were raised before him, yet not by themselves, nor to live for ever, but to die again. Moreover, he is the firstfruits of the resurrection, the pledge and earnest of it, as well as the efficient cause and exemplar of it. This character supposes that he died, as he did, for the sins of his people; and that he rose again from the dead, as he did, for their justification; and that he rose first as their head and representative, and opened the way of life for them. And he is described in his kingly office, for it follows,

and the Prince of the kings of the earth: which is not to be understood figuratively of the saints, who have power over sin, Satan, and the world, through the efficacious grace of Christ, and of whom he is Prince or King; but literally of the kings and princes of this world, over whom Christ is King and Lord, who receive their crowns and kingdoms from him, and rule by him, and are accountable to him, as they one day must be. Next follows a doxology, or an ascription of glory to him,

unto him that hath loved us; his own, his people, his church, his chosen, and who are given him by his Father; these he has loved with an everlasting and unchangeable love, with a love of complacency and delight, which passes knowledge, and will never end: and which he has shown in espousing their persons, undertaking their cause, assuming their nature, and in nothing more than in giving himself for them as a propitiatory sacrifice, or in dying and shedding his precious blood for them, as is next expressed:

and washed us from our sins in his own blood; which shows that these persons were loved before washed; they were not first washed, and then loved, but first loved, and then washed. Love was the cause of washing, and not washing the cause of love; hence it appears that they were in themselves filthy, and unclean through sin; and that they could not cleanse themselves by anything they could do; and that such was the love of Christ to them, that he shed his precious blood for them, which is a fountain opened, to wash in for sin, and which cleanses from all sin. This is to be understood, not of the sanctification of their natures, which is the work of the Spirit, but of atonement for their sins, and justification from them by the blood of Christ, whereby they are so removed, that they are all fair, and without spot. It is afterwards said, that these same persons are made priests; and it may be observed, that the priests were always washed, before they performed their service, as such n. The Alexandrian copy and the Syriac and Arabic versions read, "and hath loosed us from our sins in", or "by his blood"; that is, from the guilt of them, which was bound upon them.

n Misn. Yoma, c. 3. sect. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness - See the notes on Revelation 1:2. He is faithful in the sense that he is one on whose testimony there may be entire reliance, or who is entirely worthy to be believed. From him “grace and peace” are appropriately sought, as one who hears such a testimony, and as the first-begotten from the dead, and as reigning over the kings of the earth. Thus, grace and peace are invoked from the infinite God in all his relations and operations: as the Father, the Source of all existence; as the Sacred Spirit, going forth in manifold operations upon the hearts of people; and as the Son of God, the one appointed to bear faithful testimony to the truth respecting God and future events.

And the first-begotten of the dead - The same Greek expression - πρωτότοκος prōtotokos - occurs in Colossians 1:18. See it explained in the notes on that passage. Compare the notes at 1 Corinthians 15:20.

And the prince of the kings of the earth - Who has over all the kings of the earth the pre-eminence which kings have over their subjects. He is the Ruler of rulers; King of kings. In Revelation 17:14; Revelation 19:16, the same thought is expressed by saying that he is the “King of kings.” No language could more sublimely denote his exalted character, or his supremacy. Kings and princes sway a scepter over the million of the earth, and the exaltation of the Saviour is here expressed by supposing that all those kings and princes constitute a community over which he is the head. The exaltation of the Redeemer is elsewhere expressed in different language, but the idea is one that everywhere prevails in regard to him in the Scriptures. Compare Matthew 28:18; Matthew 11:27; John 17:2; Ephesians 1:20-22; Philippians 2:9-11; Colossians 1:15-18. The word “prince” - ὁ ἄρχων ho archōn - means properly, “ruler, leader, the first in rank.” We often apply the word “prince” to an heir to a throne who is not invested with absolute sovereignty. The word here, however, denotes that he actually exercises dominion over the rulers of the earth. As this is an authority which is claimed by God (compare Isaiah 10:5 ff; Isaiah 45:1 ff; Psalms 47:2; Psalms 99:1; Psalms 103:9; Daniel 4:34), and which can only pertain to God, it is clear that in ascribing this to the Lord Jesus it is implied that he is possessed of divine attributes. As much of the revelations of this book pertained to the assertion of power over the princes and rulers of this world, there was a propriety that, in the commencement, it should be asserted that he who was to exert that power was invested with the prerogative of a ruler of the nations, and that he had this right of control.

Unto him that loved us - This refers undoubtedly to the Lord Jesus, whose love for people was so strong that nothing more was necessary to characterize him than to speak of him as the one “who loved us.” It is manifest that the division in the verses should have been made here, for this commences a new subject, not having any special connection with what precedes. In Revelation 1:4, and the first part of this verse, the writer had invoked grace from the Father, the Spirit, and the Saviour. In the latter clause of the verse there commences an ascription of praise to the Redeemer; an ascription to him particularly, because the whole book is regarded as a revelation from him Revelation 1:1; because he was the one who especially appeared to John in the visions of Patmos; and because he was to be the great agent in carrying into execution the purposes revealed in this book.

And washed us from our sins in his own blood - He has removed the pollution of sin from our souls by his blood; that is, his blood has been applied to cleanse us from sin. Blood can be represented as having a cleansing power only as it makes an expiation for sin, for considered literally its effect would be the reverse. The language is such as would be used only on the supposition that he had made an atonement, and that it was by the atonement that we are cleansed; for in what sense could it be said of a martyr that he “had washed us from our sins in his blood?” How could this language be used of Paul or Polycarp; of Ridley or Cranmer? The doctrine that the blood of Christ cleanses us from sin, or purifies us, is one that is common in the Scriptures. Compare 1 John 1:7; Hebrews 9:14. The specific idea of washing, however - representing that blood as washing sin away - is one which does not elsewhere occur. It is evidently used in the sense of “cleansing” or “purifying,” as we do this by “washing,” and as the blood of Christ accomplishes in respect to our souls, what washing with water does in respect to the body.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Revelation 1:5. The faithful witness — The true teacher, whose testimony is infallible, and whose sayings must all come to pass.

The first-begotten of the dead — Colossians 1:18.

The prince of the kings — ο αρχων, The chief or head, of all earthly potentates; who has them all under his dominion and control, and can dispose of them as he will.

Unto him that loved us — This should begin a new verse, as it is the commencement of a new subject. Our salvation is attributed to the love of God, who gave his Son; and to the love of Christ, who died for us. See John 3:16.

Washed us from our sins — The redemption of the soul, with the remission of sins, and purification from unrighteousness, is here, as in all the New Testament, attributed to the blood of Christ shed on the cross for man.