Blessed [is] the one who reads aloud and [blessed are] those who hear the words of the prophecy and observe the things written in it, because the time [is] near!

[This book is from] John [and is being sent] to the seven churches that are in Asia [Note: This refers to the province of Asia Minor, a part of present-day Turkey]. May there be unearned favor and peace to you from God, the One who is [in the present], who was [in the past] and who will come [in the future], and from the seven spirits that are in front of God's throne [Note: Because the number "seven" was regarded as the number of perfection by the Jews, it is thought that this refers to the Holy Spirit].

Behold! he is coming with clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they also who pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth shall lament bitterly, smiting their bosoms, because of him: even so! Amen.

I John, your brother and partner with you in persecution, Kingdom, and patient endurance in Jesus, was on the island that is called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

And you have the power of waiting, and have undergone trouble because of my name, without weariness.

Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

But this thou hast, because thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans; which deeds I also hate.

But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to throw a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.

Yet I have a few things against thee, because thou hast suffered that woman Jezabel, calling herself a prophetess, to teach, and to lead my servants into error, to commit whoredom, and eat the idol sacrifices.

Be on the watch, and make strong the rest of the things which are near to death; because as judged by me your works have not come up to God's measure.

Thou hast a few names even in Sardis who did not defile their garments, and they shall walk with me in white, because they are worthy.

I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it; because thou hast but little strength, yet hast thou kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

Because you kept my command to endure, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, which is to come on the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.

So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth.

Because you say, 'I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing;' and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked;

[Because of that], I advise you to buy from me gold, refined by fire, so that you will become rich; and white clothing to wear, so that you can cover yourself and not be seen as shamefully naked; and eye drops for your eyes, so that you can see. [Note: The foregoing all refer to taking measures for becoming more spiritual].

"Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive the glory, the honor, and the power, for you created all things, and because of your desire they existed, and were created."

And I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open the scroll, or to look in it.

And they sung a new song, saying, Worthy art thou to take the book, and to open the seals thereon; because thou hast been slaughtered, and hast redeemed us for God by thy blood, out of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation;

And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony that they held,

because the great day of their anger has come, and who can stand it?"

because of this are they before the throne of God, and they do service to Him day and night in His sanctuary, and He who is sitting upon the throne shall tabernacle over them;

Because the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will feed them, as a shepherd, and lead them unto living fountains of waters; and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes.

The name of the star is called "Wormwood." One third of the waters became wormwood. Many people died from the waters, because they were made bitter.

I saw, and I heard an eagle, flying in mid heaven, saying with a loud voice, "Woe. Woe. Woe for those who dwell on the earth, because of the other voices of the trumpets of the three angels, who are yet to sound."

He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and smoke went up out of the shaft, like the smoke from a great furnace. The sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke from the pit.

Through these three Curses a third of mankind perished--because of the fire, and the smoke, and the sulphur that issued from their mouths;

For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails: because their tails are like snakes, and have heads, and with them they give wounds.

But the exterior court of the temple leave out, and measure it not; because it is given to the Gentiles: and they shall trample under foot the holy city forty-two months.

For three and a half days those from every people, tribe, nation, and language will look at their corpses, because they will not permit them to be placed in a tomb.

Those who dwell on the earth rejoice over them, and they will be glad. They will give gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.

saying: "We give you thanks, Lord God, the Almighty, the one who is and who was; because you have taken your great power, and reigned.

and {who was pregnant} and was crying out [because she] was having birth pains, and was in torment to give birth.

And I heard a great voice saying in the heaven, Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ; because the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accused them before our God day and night.

And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they loved not their life even unto death.

Therefore rejoice, heavens, and you who dwell in them. Woe to the land and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has but a short time."

And the dragon cast out of his mouth water after the woman, as it had been a river, because she should have been caught of the flood.

They worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?"

He deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs he was granted to do in front of the beast; saying to those who dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast who had been wounded by the sword and yet lived.

Here is wisdom. He who has knowledge let him get the number of the beast; because it is the number of a man: and his number is Six hundred and sixty-six.

Saying with a loud voice, Have fear of God and give him glory; because the hour of his judging is come; and give worship to him who made heaven and earth and the sea and the fountains of water.

And another angel followed, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because all nations have been made to drink of the wine of the wrath of her whoredom.

Then I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write this: 'Blessed are the dead, those who die in the Lord from this moment on!'" "Yes," says the Spirit, "so they can rest from their hard work, because their deeds will follow them."

And anther angel came forth out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat upon the cloud, Put in thy sickle, and reap: for the hour is come for thee to reap; because the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.

And another angel came from the altar, who had power over the fire, and he called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, "Put forth your sharp sickle, and gather the bunches of grapes from the earth's vine, because its grapes are fully ripe."

AND I saw another sign in the heaven, great and wonderful, seven angels having the seven last plagues because by them is the wrath of God completely executed.

Who should not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? because thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee, because thy righteous judgments are made evident.

I heard the angel of the waters saying, "You are righteous, who is and who was, the Holy One, because you have judged these things.

Because they have shed the blood of your people and prophets, you have given them blood to drink; they deserve it."

The fifth poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was darkened. They gnawed their tongues because of the pain,

and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores. They did not repent of their works.

Great hailstones, about the weight of a talent, came down out of the sky on people. People blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, for this plague is exceedingly severe.

And I saw the woman overcome as with the wine of the blood of the saints, and the blood of those put to death because of Jesus. And when I saw her, I was overcome with a great wonder.

The beast that you saw existed once, but is no longer, and is going to crawl out of the bottomless pit and then proceed to its destruction. Those living on earth, whose names were not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, will be surprised when they see the beast because it was, is no longer, and will come again.

They shall make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: because he is Lord of lords, and King of kings and they that are with him, are called, and elect, and faithful.

Because God has put it in their hearts to do his purpose, and to be of one mind, giving their kingdom to the beast, till the words of God have effect and are complete.

Because all nations have drunk of the wine of the rage of her whoredom, and the kings of the earth have committed whoredom with her, and the merchants of the earth have been enriched by the excess of her profligate luxury.

because her sins did follow -- unto the heaven, and God did remember her unrighteousness.

As much as she hath glorified herself, and rioted in luxury, so much torment and sorrow give her: because she hath said in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.

Therefore in one hour shall all her plagues come, death, and mourning, and famine: and she shall be consumed with fire; because mighty is the Lord God, who judgeth her.

They will stand a long way off for fear of her torture, saying, 'Alas! Alas for the great city, for Babylon the mighty city, because in a single day your judgment has overtaken you!'

And the merchants of the earth wept and wailed over her: because no man buyeth their merchandise any more:

The merchants of these things, who were made rich by her, far off shall stand because of the fear of her torment, weeping, and sorrowing,

and saying, Woe, woe, the great city, that was arrayed with fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and gilded in gold, and precious stone, and pearls -- because in one hour so much riches were made waste!

because in a single hour a wealth so vast has been destroyed!' All ship pilots and all who travel by sea, sailors and seafaring men, stood a long way off

And they put dust on their heads, and were sad, weeping and crying, and saying, Sorrow, sorrow for the great town, in which was increased the wealth of all who had their ships on the sea because of her great stores! for in one hour she is made waste.

Be glad over her, heaven, and you saints, and Apostles, and prophets; because she has been judged by God on your account.

and never shall the light of a lamp shine in thee any more; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard in thee no more: because thy merchants were the grandees of the earth; because all nations were deluded by thy magical incantation.

because true and righteous are his judgments; for he hath judged the great harlot, that corrupted the earth with her whoredom, and hath avenged the blood of his servants shed by her hand.

and I heard as the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, 'Alleluia! because reign did the Lord God -- the Almighty!

Let us rejoice and exult, and give him glory: because the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his bride hath made herself ready.

I bowed down at his feet to worship him, but he told me, "Don't do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who rely on what Jesus is saying. Worship God, because what Jesus is saying is the spirit of prophecy!"

And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them, and the souls of those who have been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus, and because of the word of God, and who did not bow before the beast, nor his image, and did not receive the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand, and they did live and reign with Christ the thousand years;

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, because the first heaven and the first earth had disappeared, and the sea was gone.

And God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more; nor shall mourning, nor crying, nor toil be any more: because the former things are passed away.

And He who is sitting upon the throne said, 'Lo, new I make all things; and He saith to me, 'Write, because these words are true and stedfast;'

But the place for cowards, and unbelievers, and disgusting people [i.e., because of their terrible sins], and murderers, and sexually immoral people, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, will be the lake that burns with fire and sulphur. This is the second death."

And I saw no Temple there; because the Lord God, the Ruler of all, and the Lamb are its Temple.

The city doesn't need any sun or moon to give it light, because the glory of God gave it light, and the lamb was its lamp.

Its gates will never be shut at the end of the day because there will be no night there.

And there shall be no night there, and they have no need of a lamp, or the light of the sun; because the Lord God illumines them: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

And he said to me, Let not the words of this prophet's book be kept secret, because the time is near.

Those who wash their robes are blessed because [then] they will have the right to [eat from] the tree of life, and will [be able to] enter the city through the gates.