Revelation 1

Revelation · Chapter 1

Revelation 1:7

1The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:2Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.3Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.4John 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;5And 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,6And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.7Behold, 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.8I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.9I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.10I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,11Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.12And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;13And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.14His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;15And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.16And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.17And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:18I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.19Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;20The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
7Behold, 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.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.Behold, he cometh with the clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they that pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn over him. Even so, Amen.

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

Revelation 1:4-8Greeting to the seven churches

About Revelation 1This is "The Revelation of Jesus Christ," given to show "things which must shortly come to pass," sent by an angel "unto his servant John," with a blessing on "he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy." John greets "the seven churches which are in Asia" from him "that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood," and on Patmos, "in the Spirit on the Lord's day," he hears a voice telling him to write to the seven churches and sees "one like unto the Son of man" among seven golden candlesticks. John falls "at his feet as dead," but he says, "Fear not; I am the first and the last," and explains, "The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches." Revelation 1:1Revelation 1:3Revelation 1:4Revelation 1:5Revelation 1:9Revelation 1:10Revelation 1:11Revelation 1:12Revelation 1:13Revelation 1:17Revelation 1:20

Why this verse matters here"Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him." Daniel 7:13 saw "one like the Son of man" coming "with the clouds of heaven," and Zechariah 12:10 says "they shall look upon me whom they have pierced." Revelation 1:7Daniel 7:13Zechariah 12:10

Who, where and when in this chapter

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
BeholdἸδοὺIdouG2400
look!

ἰδού (idou) ἰδού, [in LXX chiefly for הִנֵּה,] prop. imperat. 2 aor. mid. of ὁράω, used as a demonstrative particle, with frequency much greater in LXX and NT than in cl. (see M, Pr., 11), lo, behold, see: Mat.10:16 11:8 13:3, Mrk.3:32, Luk.2:48, 1Co.15:51, Jas.5:9, Ju 14, Rev.1:7, al.; after genitive absol., Mat.1:20 2:1, 13 12:46, al.; καὶ ἰδού, Mat.2:9 (and freq.), Luk.1:20 10:25, Act.12:7, al.; in elliptical sentences, taking the place of copula or predicate (like הִנֵּה in Heb.), Mat.3:17, Luk.5:12 22:31, 47 Act.8:27, 36 al. (AS)

He is comingἔρχεταιerchetaiG2064
to come/go

ἔρχομαι (erchomai) ἔρχομαι, [in LXX very frequently for בּוֹא, also for הלךְ ni., אתה, etc., 34 words in all ;] 1. to come; (a) of persons, either as arriving or returning from elsewhere: Mat.8:9, Mrk.6:31, Luk.7:8, Jhn.4:27, Rom.9:9, al.; before ἀπό, Mrk.5:35 7:1, Jhn.3:2, al.; ἐκ, Luk.5:17, Jhn.3:31, al.; εἰς, Mrk.1:29, al.; διά before εἰς, Mrk.7:31; ἐν (Cremer, 263f., but see: ἐν), Rom.15:29, 1Co.4:21; ἐπί, with accusative, Mrk.6:53 11:13, Jhn.19:33, al.; κατά, with accusative, Luk.10:33 Act.16:7; παρά, with genitive, Luk.8:49; with accusative, Mat.15:29, Mrk.9:14, al.; with dative comm., incomm. (M, Pr., …

withμετὰmetaG3326
with/after

μετά (meta) μετά (before vowel μετ᾽; on the neglect of elision in certain cases, V. WH, App., 146 b), prep. with genitive, accusative (in poet, also with dative), [in LXX for אַחַד ,עִם ,אֵת, etc.]. I. C. genitive, 1. among, amid: Mrk.1:13, Luk.22:37 (LXX, ἐν) 24:5, Jhn.18:5, al.; διωγμῶν, Mrk.10:30. …

clouds,νεφελῶν,nephelōnG3507
cloud

νεφέλη (nephelē) νεφέλη, -ης, ἡ (νέφος), [in LXX chiefly for עָנָן, also for עָב, etc. ;] a cloud (single and specific as opposite to νεφος, a great indefinite mass of vapour): Mat.17:5 24:30 26:64, Mrk.9:7 13:26 14:62, Luk.9:34-35 12:54 21:37, Act.1:9, 1Th.4:17, Ju 12, Rev.1:7 10:1 11:12 14:14-16; of the pillar of cloud in the wilderness (Exo.14:19-20, Psa.105:39, al.): 1Co.10:1-2.† (AS)

andκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. …

will beholdὄψεταιopsetaiG3700G
to appear

ὀπτάνομαι (optanomai) ὀπτάνω [in LXX: 3Ki.8:8 (רָאָה ni.), Tob.12:19 * ;] late present as from ὤφθην (= ὁράω); mid., ὀπτάνομαι, to allow oneself to be seen, to appear. with dative, Act.1:3. (For exx. from π., see Deiss., LAE, 79, 2526; MM, ii, xviii.) † (AS)

HimαὐτὸνautonG0846
it/s/he

αὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

everyπᾶςpasG3956
all

πᾶς (pas) πᾶς, πᾶσα, πᾶν, genitive, παντός, πάσης, παντός, [in LXX chiefly for כֹּל ;] all, every. I. As adj., 1. with subst. anarth., all, every, of every kind: Mat.3:10 4:23, Mrk.9:49, Luk.4:37, Jhn.2:1o, Act.27:20, Rom.7:8, Rev.18:17, al. mult.; pl., all, Act.22:15, Rom.5:12, Heb.1:6, al.; of the highest degree, π. ἐξουσία (προθυμία, χαρά), Mat.28:18, Act.17:11, Phi 2:29, al.; also the whole (though in this sense more frequently with art.), Mat.2:3, Act.2:36, Rom.11:26. …

eyeὀφθαλμὸςophthalmosG3788
eye

ὀφθαλμός (ophthalmos) ὀφθαλμός, -οῦ, ὁ, [in LXX chiefly for עַיִן ;] the eye (as in cl., chiefly pl.): Mat.5:38, Mrk.9:47, Luk.6:41, Jhn.9:6, al.; τοὺς ὀ. ἐξορύθσσειν (figuratively), Gal.4:15; ἐπᾶραι, Luk.6:20, Jhn.6:5; ἀνοῖξα, Act.9:40; id., of restoring sight, Mat.20:33, Jhn.9:10, al.; ἐν ῥιπῇ ὀφθαλμοῦ, 1Co.15:52; by anthropom., of God, Heb.4:13, 1Pe.3:12; pleonastically (cf. Thackeray, Gr., 42f.), εἶδον οἱ ὀ. μοθ, Luk.2:30 (similarly, ib. 4:20 10:23, Jhn.12:40, 1Co.2:9, 1Jn.1:1, Rev.1:7). Metaphorical (as otherwise in cl.; see LS, see word); …

andκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. …

those whoοἵτινεςoitinesG3748
who/which

ὅστις (hostis, hētis) ὅστις, ἥτις, ὅ τι (also written ὅ, τι and ὅτι; see LS, see word; WH, §411; Tdf., Pr., 111), in NT scarcely ever except in nom. (M, Pr., 91), the only instance of the oblique cases being found in ἕως ὅτου (see: ἕως), relative of indef. reference (related to simple ὅς as Lat. quisquis to qui), whoever, anyone who; (a) of an indef. person or thing: in general statements, Mat.5:39, 41 13:12, and freq., Luk.14:27, Gal.5:4, al.; in relative sentences, Mat.7:26, Luk.15:7, Php.3:7, al.; πᾶς, with indic., Mat.7:24 10:32; ὅ ἄν (ἐάν), with subjc., Mat.12:50 13:12, Jhn.14:13, 1Co.16:2, Gal.5:10, al.; …

HimαὐτὸνautonG0846
it/s/he

αὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

pierced;ἐξεκέντησαν·exekentēsanG1574
to pierce

ἐκκεντέω (ekkenteō) ἐκ-κεντέω, -ῶ [in LXX chiefly for דָּקַר ;] 1. to prick out, put out (Arist.). 2. to pierce (Polyb., LXX): with accusative of person(s), Jhn.19:37 (LXX), Rev.1:7.† (AS)

andκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. …

will wailκόψονταιkopsontaiG2875
to cut/mourn

κόπτω (koptō) κόπτω [in LXX for כָּרַת, סָפַד, נָכָה hi., etc. ;] 1. to strike, smite. 2. to cut off: with accusative of thing(s), before ἀπό, Mat.21:8; ἐκ, Mrk.11:8. Mid., to beat one's breast with grief, to mourn, bewail: Mat.11:17 24:30; with accusative of person(s), Luk.8:52 23:27; before ἐπί, with accusative, Rev.1:7 18:9 (cf. ἀνα-, ἀπο-, ἐκ-, ἐν-, κατα-, προ-, προσ-κόπτω).† SYN.: θρηνέω, q.v (AS)

because ofἐπ᾽ep᾽G1909
upon/to/against

ἐπί (epi) ἐπί (before a smooth breathing ἐπ᾽, before a rough breathing ἐφ᾽), prep. with genitive, dative, accusative (accusative most frequently in NT), with primary sense of superposition, on, upon. I. C. genitive, 1. of place, answering the question, where? …

HimαὐτὸνautonG0846
it/s/he

αὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

allπᾶσαιpasaiG3956
all

πᾶς (pas) πᾶς, πᾶσα, πᾶν, genitive, παντός, πάσης, παντός, [in LXX chiefly for כֹּל ;] all, every. I. As adj., 1. with subst. anarth., all, every, of every kind: Mat.3:10 4:23, Mrk.9:49, Luk.4:37, Jhn.2:1o, Act.27:20, Rom.7:8, Rev.18:17, al. mult.; pl., all, Act.22:15, Rom.5:12, Heb.1:6, al.; of the highest degree, π. ἐξουσία (προθυμία, χαρά), Mat.28:18, Act.17:11, Phi 2:29, al.; also the whole (though in this sense more frequently with art.), Mat.2:3, Act.2:36, Rom.11:26. …

tribesφυλαὶphulaiG5443
tribe

φυλή (phulē) φυλή, ῆς, ἡ [in LXX chiefly for; מַטֶּה, also for שֵׁבֶט, מִשְׁפָּחָה, etc. ;] a body of men united by kinship or habitation, a clan or tribe: of the tribes of Israel, Mat.19:28, Luk.2:36 22:30, Act.13:21, Rom.11:1, Php.3:5, Heb.7:13-14, Jas.1:1, Rev.5:5 7:4-8 21:12; of the tribes of the earth, the peoples and nations, Mat.24:30, Rev.1:7 5:9 7:9 11:9 13:7 14:6.† (AS)

earth,γῆς,gēsG1093G
earth: planet

γῆ (gē) γῆ, γῆς, ἡ, [in LXX for אֲדָמָה ,אֶרֶץ, etc. ;] 1. the earth, world: Luk.21:35, Act.1:8, Heb.11:13, Rev.3:10, al.; opposite to οὐρανός, Mat.5:18 11:25, Mrk.13:27, al. 2. land; (a) opposite to sea or water: Mrk.4:1, Luk.5:3, Jhn.6:21, al.; (b) as subject to cultivation: Mat.13:5, Mrk.4:8, Luk.13:7, Heb.6:7, al.; (with) the ground: Mat.10:29, Mrk.8:6, Luk.24:5, Jhn.8:6, al.; (d) a region, country: Luk.4:25, Rom.9:28, Jas.5:17; γῆ Ἰσραήλ, Mat.2:20, 21; Χαλδαίων, Act.7:4; ἡ Ἰουδαία γῆ, Jhn.3:22; with genitive of person(s), Act.7:3. (AS)

YesναὶnaiG3483
yes

ναί (nai) ναί particle of affirmation, yea, verily, even so; in answer to a question: Mat.9:28 13:51 17:25 21:16, Jhn.11:27 21:15-16, Act.5:8 22:27, Rom.3:29; before λέγω ὑμῖν, Mat.11:9, Luk.7:26; repeated for emphasis, ναὶ ναί (opposite to oὒ oὔ): Mat.5:37; ἤτω ὑμῶν τὸ ναὶ ναί, Jas.5:12; ν. καὶ οὔ, 2Co.1:18-19; ἵνα ᾖ . . . τὸ ναὶ ναί, 2Co.1:17; τὸ ν., 2Co.1:20; in assent to an assertion: Mat.15:27, Mrk.7:28, Rev.14:13 16:7; in confirmation of a previous assertion: Mat.11:26, Luk.10:21 11:51 12:5, Php.4:3, Phm 20; in solemn asseveration Rev.1:7 22:20.† (AS)

Amen!ἀμήν.¶amēnG0281
amen

ἀμήν (amēn) ἀμήν, indecl. (Heb. אָמֵן, verbal adj. fr. אמן, to prop. ni., be firm), [in LXX: 1Ch.16:36, I Est.9:46, Neh.5:13 8:6, Tob.8:8 14:15, 3Ma.7:23, 4Ma.18:24 (elsewhere ''א is rendered ἀληθινός, Isa.65:16; ἀληθῶς, Je 35 (28):6; γένοιτο, Num.5:22, Deu.27:15ff., 3Ki.1:36, Psa.40 (41):13 71 (72):19 105 (106):48, Jer.11:5)*.] 1. As adj. (cf. Is, l.with), ὁ ἀ., Rev.3:14. 2. As adv., (a) in solemn assent to the statements or prayers of another (Nu, Ne, etc., ll. with): ὁ ἀ., 1Co.14:16; (b) similarly, at the end of one's own prayer or ascription of praise: Rom.1:25 15:33, Gal.1:5, 1Ti.1:17; …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.