The Bible in Basic English BBE
Good News Translation GNT
1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave him so that his servants might have knowledge of the things which will quickly take place: and he sent and made it clear by his angel to his servant John;
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This book is the record of the events that Jesus Christ revealed. God gave him this revelation in order to show to his servants what must happen very soon. Christ made these things known to his servant John by sending his angel to him,
2 Who gave witness of the word of God, and of the witness of Jesus Christ, even of all the things which he saw.
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and John has told all that he has seen. This is his report concerning the message from God and the truth revealed by Jesus Christ.
3 A blessing be on the reader, and on those who give ear to the prophet's words, and keep the things which he has put in the book: for the time is near.
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Happy is the one who reads this book, and happy are those who listen to the words of this prophetic message and obey what is written in this book! For the time is near when all these things will happen.
4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from him who is and was and is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his high seat;
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From John to the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace be yours from God, who is, who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits in front of his throne,
5 And from Jesus Christ, the true witness, the first to come back from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who had love for us and has made us clean from our sins by his blood;
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and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first to be raised from death and who is also the ruler of the kings of the world. He loves us, and by his sacrificial death he has freed us from our sins
6 And has made us to be a kingdom and priests to his God and Father; to him let glory and power be given for ever and ever. So be it.
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and made us a kingdom of priests to serve his God and Father. To Jesus Christ be the glory and power forever and ever! Amen.
7 See, he comes with the clouds, and every eye will see him, and those by whom he was wounded; and all the tribes of the earth will be sorrowing because of him. Yes, so be it.
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Look, he is coming on the clouds! Everyone will see him, including those who pierced him. All peoples on earth will mourn over him. So shall it be!
8 I am the First and the Last, says the Lord God who is and was and is to come, the Ruler of all.
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"I am the first and the last," says the Lord God Almighty, who is, who was, and who is to come.
9 I, John, your brother, who have a part with you in the trouble and the kingdom and the quiet strength of Jesus, was in the island which is named Patmos, for the word of God and the witness of Jesus.
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I am John, your brother, and as a follower of Jesus I am your partner in patiently enduring the suffering that comes to those who belong to his Kingdom. I was put on the island of Patmos because I had proclaimed God's word and the truth that Jesus revealed.
10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and a great voice at my back, as of a horn, came to my ears,
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On the Lord's day the Spirit took control of me, and I heard a loud voice, that sounded like a trumpet, speaking behind me.
11 Saying, What you see, put in a book, and send it to the seven churches; to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamos and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.
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It said, "Write down what you see, and send the book to the churches in these seven cities: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea."
12 And turning to see the voice which said these words to me, I saw seven gold vessels with lights burning in them;
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I turned around to see who was talking to me, and I saw seven gold lampstands,
13 And in the middle of them one like a son of man, clothed with a robe down to his feet, and with a band of gold round his breasts.
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and among them there was what looked like a human being, wearing a robe that reached to his feet, and a gold band around his chest.
14 And his head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
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His hair was white as wool, or as snow, and his eyes blazed like fire;
15 And his feet like polished brass, as if it had been burned in a fire; and his voice was as the sound of great waters.
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his feet shone like brass that has been refined and polished, and his voice sounded like a roaring waterfall.
16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword: and his face was like the sun shining in its strength.
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He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came out of his mouth. His face was as bright as the midday sun.
17 And when I saw him, I went down on my face at his feet as one dead. And he put his right hand on me, saying, Have no fear; I am the first and the last and the Living one;
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When I saw him, I fell down at his feet like a dead man. He placed his right hand on me and said, "Don't be afraid! I am the first and the last.
18 And I was dead, and see, I am living for ever, and I have the keys of death and of Hell.
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I am the living one! I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever. I have authority over death and the world of the dead.
19 Put in writing, then, the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will be after these;
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Write, then, the things you see, both the things that are now and the things that will happen afterward.
20 The secret of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and of the seven gold vessels with burning lights. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven lights are the seven churches.
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Here is the secret meaning of the seven stars that you see in my right hand, and of the seven gold lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.