JOHN to the seven churches which are in Asia: favour and peace be with you from him WHO IS, WHO WAS, WHO WILL BE; and from the seven spirits who are before his throne;

saying, "I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, what you shall see, write in a book, and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia; to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea."

write what you have seen, the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter.

I know thy works, thy labour, and thy patience, and that thou canst not bear those who are evil: thou hast tried those who say they are apostles, but are not; and hast found them lyars:

"I know thy works, thy tribulation and poverty (tho' thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of satan.

And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira, write, "THESE things saith the son of God, whose eyes are like a flame of fire, and his feet like fine brass; I know thy works,

but I say to the rest that are in Thyatira, who do not follow this doctrine, and have not been initiated in the depths, as they are called, of satan, I will put upon you no other burden, but what you have:

be watchful, and fortify the rest that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

thou hast a few persons in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.

you shall see I will make those of the synagogue of satan, who say they are Jews, and are not, but do lye: you shall see I will make them come, and throw themselves at your feet, and they shall know that you are the objects of my love.

you say you are rich, and have increased your gain, and have need of nothing; but you do not consider that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.

out of the throne proceeded lightnings, and thundrings, and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God.

And I beheld, and saw before the throne, in the midst of the four animals, and in the midst of the elders, a lamb which seem'd to have been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

when he had taken the book, the four animals, and the four and twenty elders fell down before the lamb, every one of them having harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of the saints.

and every creature which is in heaven, on the earth, under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I, saying, "blessing, and honour, and glory, and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the lamb for ever and ever."

Then one of the elders spake, and said to me, who are those that are arrayed in white robes? and whence do they come?

my Lord, answer'd I, you can tell. and he said to me, these are they who came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the lamb.

therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall cover them, as a pavillion.

then I beheld, and heard an eagle flying thro' the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, wo, wo, wo to the inhabitants of the earth, by reason of the sound of the trumpets which the other three angels are yet to sound.

One wo is past, and now two woes are to follow.

saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates."

these are the two olive-trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the Lord of the earth.

the nations were enrag'd, but the time of thy vengeance is come, and the time when the dead are to be judged, when thou wilt reward thy servants the prophets, the saints, and those that fear thy name, small and great, and exterminate those who have corrupted the land."

then I heard a loud voice, which cry'd in the heaven, "the time of salvation, and power, the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ are now come: for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, is cast down.

all that dwell upon the earth will worship him, whose names are not written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the lamb, that was slain.

these are they who were not defiled with women: for they are virgins: these are they who follow the lamb wherever he goes: these were ransom'd from among men, being the first fruits unto God, and to the lamb.

in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without defect.

Then I heard a voice from heaven, saying to me, "write, blessed are the dead who die in the Lord; yes, from henceforth, saith the spirit, they shall rest from their labours; and the recompence of their labours shall follow them."

he also having a sharp sickle. and another angel came out from the altar, who presided over the fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, "stretch out thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are full ripe."

and they sung the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the lamb, saying, "great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou king of ages.

and I heard another from the altar say, "oh! Lord God almighty, true and just are thy judgments."

for they are the spirits of demons working miracles, which make a progress to the kings of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God almighty.

the meaning is very comprehensive. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.

they likewise signify seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; when he comes, he will continue but a short space.

the ten horns which you saw, are ten kings, who have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings for a while with the beast.

they will make war with the lamb, but the lamb, who is lord of lords, and king of kings, together with those that are called, chosen, and faithful, shall overcome them.

Then he said to me, the waters which you saw, where the prostitute has her seat, are the people, the multitude, nations, and provinces.

for all nations have drunk of the poisonous wine of her idolatry, the kings of the earth have submitted to her idolatries, and the merchants of the earth are grown rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

the merchants of the earth shall bewail and mourn over her, because there are none to purchase their cargo:

the fruits, the object of your delight, are departed from thee, all your delicacy and magnificence are lost, beyond the possibility of a recovery! the merchants

for just and right are his judgments; for he hath condemned the grand prostitute, who corrupted the earth with her licentiousness, and hath avenged the blood of his servants that were shed by her hand."

and he said unto me, "write, happy are they who are invited to the marriage-supper of the lamb." and he said to me, "thus I have delivered the real oracles of God."

then I fell at his seet to worship him: but he said to me, "forbear: I am the servant of God, as you and your brethren are, that bear testimony to Jesus: worship God: for to give testimony to Jesus, is the very design of prophecy."

that ye may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses, and of those that ride on them, the flesh of all that are free, and all that are slaves, both small and great."

but the rest of the dead shall not live again until the thousand years are finished. this is the first resurrection.

happy and holy are they that have part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God, and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

When the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

and shall go out to seduce the nations, which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to assemble them to battle: they will be as numerous as the sand of the sea.

the devil that seduced them, shall be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

"behold, I make all things new." and he said write: "for these words are true and authentic."

I did not see any temple there: for the Lord God almighty, and the lamb are its temple.

and nothing that is impure, no one that is guilty of any abomination, or a lye, shall ever enter there: but they alone who are written in the lamb's book of life.

in the midst of the area, surrounded by the river, was the tree of life, which had twelve fruit-seasons, yielding its fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

the angel then said, "these sayings are certain and true. the Lord God of the holy prophets has sent his angel to shew his servants what must shortly happen.

but he said to me, "forbear, I am the servant of God, as you are, and your brethren the prophets, and those who observe the words of this book: worship God."

blessed are they who wash their robes, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city."

"but without are the execrable, the poisoners, the licentious, the murderers, the idolaters, and all who are pleas'd with, or practise deceit.

"I declare to every one that hears the words of the prophecy of this book, if any one shall add to these things, God shall strike him with the plagues that are written in this book:

and if any one shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall exclude him from any interest in the tree of life, and in the holy city, and in the things which are written in this book."