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¹ The things that are written in the Book are made known by Jesus Christ. God gave these things to Christ so He could show them to the servants He owns. These are things which must happen very soon. Christ sent His angel to John who is a servant owned by Him. Christ made these things known to John. ² John tells that the Word of God is true. He tells of Jesus Christ and all that he saw and heard of Him. ³ The man who reads this Book and listens to it being read and obeys what it says will be happy. For all these things will happen soon.

John Writes to the Seven Churches in Asia

⁴ This is John writing to the seven churches in the country of Asia. May you have loving-favor and peace from God Who was and Who is and Who is to come. May you have loving-favor and peace from the seven Spirits who are before His throne. ⁵ 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. ⁶ Christ has made us a holy nation of religious leaders who can go to His God and Father. He is the One to receive honor and power forever! Let it be so. ⁷ See! He is coming in the clouds. Every eye will see Him. Even the men who killed Him will see Him. All the people on the earth will cry out in sorrow because of Him. Yes, let it be so.

⁸ The Lord God says, "I am the First and the Last, the beginning and the end of all things. I am the All-powerful One Who was and Who is and Who is to come."

What God Wanted to Show John of Christ

⁹ I, John, am your Christian brother. I have shared with you in suffering because of Jesus Christ. I have also shared with you His holy nation and we have not given up. I was put on the island called Patmos because I preached the Word of God and told about Jesus Christ. ¹⁰ I was under the Spirit's power on the Lord's Day when I heard a loud voice behind me like the loud sound of a horn. ¹¹ It said, "(*I am the First and the Last.) Write in a book what you see and send it to the seven churches. They are in the cities of Ephesus and Smyrna and Pergamum and Thyatira and Sardis and Philadelphia and Laodicea."

¹² I turned around to see who was speaking to me. As I turned, I saw seven lights made of gold. ¹³ Among the lights stood One Who looked like the Son of Man. He had on a long coat that came to His feet. A belt of gold was around His chest. ¹⁴ His head and His hair were white like white wool. They were as white as snow. His eyes were like fire. ¹⁵ His feet were like shining brass as bright as if it were in a fire. His voice sounded like powerful rushing water. ¹⁶ He held seven stars in His right hand. A sharp sword that cuts both ways came out of His mouth. His face was shining as bright as the sun shines at noon. ¹⁷ When I saw Him, I fell down at His feet like a dead man. He laid His right hand on me and said, "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. ¹⁸ I am the Living One. I was dead, but look, I am alive forever. I have power over death and hell. ¹⁹ So write the things you have seen and the things that are and the things that will happen later. ²⁰ This is what the seven stars and the seven lights made of gold mean that you saw in My right hand. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches. The seven lights are the seven churches.