Revelation 1:3

Blessed (makario). As in Matthew 5:3 . This endorses the book as a whole. He that readeth (o anaginwskwn). Present active singular articular participle of anaginwskw (as in Luke 4:16 ). Christians in their public worship followed the Jewish custom of public reading of the Scriptures ( 2 Corinthians 3:14 ). The church reader (anagnwsth, lector) gradually acquired an official position. John expects this book to be read in each of the seven churches mentioned ( 2 Corinthians 1:4 ) and elsewhere. Today the public reading of the Bible is an important part of worship that is often poorly done. They that hear (oi akouonte). Present active plural articular participle of akouw (the audience). And keep (kai throunte). Present active participle of threw, a common Johannine word ( 1 John 2:4 , etc.). Cf. Matthew 7:24 . "The content of the Apocalypse is not merely prediction; moral counsel and religious instruction are the primary burdens of its pages" (Moffatt). Written (gegrammena). Perfect passive participle of grapw. For the time is at hand (o gar kairo eggu). Reason for listening and keeping. On kairo see Matthew 12:1 , time of crisis as in 1 Corinthians 7:29 . How near eggu (at hand) is we do not know any more than we do about en tacei (shortly) in 1 Corinthians 1:1 .