4John to the seven assemblies in Asia: grace to you and peace from the one who is and who was and who is coming, and from the seven Spirits who are before his throne, [1:5] and from Jesus Christ — the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To the one loving us and having released us from our sins by his blood, [1:6] and having made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father — to him be the glory and the dominion into the ages of the ages. Amen. [1:7] Look — 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 over him. Yes — Amen. [1:8] Jesus said: 'I am the Alpha and the Omega,' says the Lord God, 'the one who is and who was and who is coming, the Almighty.'
REV 1:4-8
John Greets the Seven Churches
In the world it was spoken into
In the Roman province of Asia, the term (ekklēsia) would have evoked the image of a civic assembly, a gathering of citizens summoned for public deliberation. For John’s audience, this term was repurposed to describe local communities of Jesus-followers, who saw themselves as a counter-cultural assembly under Christ’s authority. The greeting of 'grace and peace' blends Greco-Roman and Jewish salutations, emphasizing divine favor and covenantal shalom. The description of God as 'who is and who was and who is coming' echoes Jewish apocalyptic language, affirming God’s eternal sovereignty amidst Roman imperial claims. The 'seven Spirits' likely symbolize the fullness of God’s presence, drawing on Jewish traditions of divine completeness. Jesus is hailed as the 'faithful witness' , a term already associated with martyrdom in early Christian circles, and as 'firstborn' , asserting His preeminence and authority over creation. The reference to Jesus as 'ruler of the kings of the earth' directly challenges Roman imperial ideology, positioning Him as the true sovereign.
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How other translations render this
REV 1:4
- KJV
- John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;
- BSB
- 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,
- Koinōnos
- John to the seven assemblies in Asia: grace to you and peace from the one who is and who was and who is coming, and from the seven Spirits who are before his throne,
REV 1:5
- KJV
- 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,
- BSB
- 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,
- Koinōnos
- and from Jesus Christ — the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To the one loving us and having released us from our sins by his blood,
REV 1:6
- KJV
- And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
- BSB
- 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.
- Koinōnos
- and having made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father — to him be the glory and the dominion into the ages of the ages. Amen.
REV 1:7
- KJV
- Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
- BSB
- 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.
- Koinōnos
- Look — 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 over him. Yes — Amen.
REV 1:8
- KJV
- I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
- BSB
- “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and was and is to come—the Almighty.
- Koinōnos
- Jesus said: 'I am the Alpha and the Omega,' says the Lord God, 'the one who is and who was and who is coming, the Almighty.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
REV 1:4
- churches:The word translated 'churches' referred to a called-out assembly or congregation, not necessarily a building or a formal institution, but a gathering of people.
REV 1:5
- witness:The term used here for 'witness' carried the strong implication of someone who testifies to the truth, even to the point of suffering or death for that testimony.
- firstborn:The word translated 'firstborn' in this context not only indicates order of birth but also carried a sense of preeminence, special status, and inheritance rights.
REV 1:8
- and:The word translated 'Almighty' literally means 'ruler of all' or 'all-powerful,' emphasizing God's absolute sovereignty and power over everything.