Prologue (Daniel 12:1–13)
1 UDB This book has the things that Jesus Christ showed to me, John. God showed these things to Jesus in order that he might pass them on to his servants. These things will happen soon. Jesus communicated these things by sending his angel to me, his servant John. BSB BSB: 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 UDB As a witness, I, John, reported everything I saw and heard about the word of God and the true accounts that were given about Jesus Christ. BSB BSB: who testifies to everything he saw. This is the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
3 UDB God will do good to anyone who reads these words and to any who hear them when they are being read aloud. He will do good to those who listen carefully to them and obey them, for the time when these things will happen is approaching quickly. BSB BSB: 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.
John Greets the Seven Churches 4 UDB I, John, am writing this letter to the seven groups of believers in the province of Asia. May God be kind to you and give you peace, for he is the one who has always existed, who exists now, and who will always exist in the future. May the seven spirits who are sitting in front of his throne do these things for you, too. BSB 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,
5 UDB May Jesus Christ—who has faithfully told us the truth about God—also be kind to you and give you peace. For he is the first one whom God raised from the dead, and he is the one who rules the kings of the earth. He is the one who loves us and who has freed us from the guilt of our sins by his blood when he died on the cross. BSB 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,
6 UDB He is the one who has begun to rule over his kingdom; he has set us apart to be priests who worship God his Father as he commanded. It is Jesus Christ whom we must honor and praise forever. This is the truth. BSB 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.
7 UDB Look! Christ is coming in the clouds. Everyone will see him, including those who killed him by nailing him to a cross. All the tribes on the earth will be in sorrow and grief when they see him coming. That is the truth! BSB 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.
8 UDB The Lord God declares, "I am the Alpha—the one who began all things, and I am the Omega—the one who will cause all things to end. I am the one who exists, who has always existed, and who will always exist. I am the One who rules over everything and everyone." BSB BSB: “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and was and is to come—the Almighty.
John’s Vision on Patmos 9 UDB I, John, your fellow believer, am suffering as you are because Jesus rules over us. We share together the call to suffer for our faith. We are part of his reign and rule over all things, and we are patiently enduring every trial and test that comes. I was imprisoned and sent to the Island of Patmos because I kept telling people about God's message and the truth about Jesus. BSB BSB: 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 UDB On the day of the week that we worship the Lord with other believers, God's Spirit took control of me. Then I heard behind me someone speaking. His voice was like a trumpet that was being played. BSB BSB: On the Lord’s day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,
11 UDB He said to me, "Write on a scroll what you see, and send it to seven groups of believers. Send it to the believers in the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea." BSB BSB: 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 UDB When I heard these words, I turned to see who was speaking. Then I saw seven golden lampstands. BSB BSB: Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands,
13 UDB In the middle of the lampstands there was someone who looked like a human being. He wore a robe that reached to his feet and a golden sash around his chest. BSB BSB: and among the lampstands was One like the Son of Man, dressed in a long robe, with a golden sash around His chest.
14 UDB The hair on his head was as white as wool or freshly fallen snow. His eyes were like a brilliant flame. BSB BSB: The hair of His head was white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were like a blazing fire.
15 UDB His feet looked like gleaming bronze. When he spoke, his voice had the volume and depth of a great river of rushing water. BSB BSB: His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and His voice was like the roar of many waters.
16 UDB He was holding seven stars in his right hand. A sword with two sharp edges was coming out of his mouth. His face shone as bright as the sun at midday. BSB BSB: 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 UDB When I saw him, I fell down at his feet as though I were dead. But he put his right hand on me and said to me, "Do not be afraid! I am the First One who began all things and the Last One who causes all things to end. BSB BSB: 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 UDB I am alive, even though I died once, and indeed, I am alive forever! I have power over death and I control the place of the dead. BSB BSB: 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 UDB So write down what you have seen. And write down what is happening now. And write down what will happen in the future. BSB BSB: Therefore write down the things you have seen, the things that are, and the things that will happen after this.
20 UDB The meaning of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars represent the angels who watch over the seven groups of believers in Asia, and the seven lampstands represent the seven groups that are there. BSB BSB: 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.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.