Revelation 1 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

This is the unveiling of Jesus, The One — what God gave him to show the people who serve him, things that must happen soon. He sent it through his angel to his servant John,

who confirmed everything he saw — the message of God and the testimony of Jesus, The One.

Life is good for anyone who reads this prophecy out loud, and for those who hear it and take to heart what's written in it — because the time is close.

John, to the seven gathered communities in the province of Asia: Undeserved kindness and peace to you from the one who is, who was, and who is coming — and from the seven spirits before his throne —

and from Jesus, The One — the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To the one who loves us and has freed us from our failures through his blood —

and has made us a kingdom — priests serving his God and Father — to him be the glory and the power for all ages! Yes, let it be so!

Look! He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him — even those who pierced him. And all the peoples of the earth will beat their chests in grief because of him. Yes, let it be so!

"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God — "the one who is, who was, and who is coming — the Almighty."

I, John — your brother and partner in the suffering, the kingdom, and the endurance that come from being united with Jesus — was on the island called Patmos because of the message of God and the testimony of Jesus.

I was caught up by the Breath of God on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet blast

saying, "Write down what you see on a scroll and send it to the seven gathered communities — to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea."

I turned around to see whose voice was speaking to me. And when I turned, I saw seven golden lampstands,

and among the lampstands was someone who looked like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet, with a golden sash wrapped around his chest.

The hair on his head was white like wool — white as snow — and his eyes were like blazing fire.

His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of rushing waters.

In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining at full strength.

When I saw him, I collapsed at his feet like a dead man. But he placed his right hand on me and said, "Don't be afraid. I am the First and the Last,

and the Living One. I was dead, and look — I am alive for all ages! And I hold the keys to death and the grave.

So write down what you have seen—what is happening now, and what will happen after this.

Here is the secret meaning of the seven stars you saw in my right hand and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the messengers of the seven gathered communities, and the seven lampstands are the seven gathered communities themselves.