Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Today we begin the last book in the
canon of the New Testament, the book of Revelation.
And today we read chapters 1 through 5. Chapter
1. The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God
gave him to show his servants things which must
shortly take place. And he sent and signified
it by his angel to his servant John. who bore
witness to the word of God and to the testimony
of Jesus Christ to all things that he saw. Blessed
is he who reads and those who hear the words
of this prophecy and keep those things which
are written in it, for the time is near. John,
to the seven churches which are in Asia, grace
to you and peace from him who is and who was
and who is to come, and from the seven spirits
who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ,
the faithful witness, the firstborn from the
dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth,
to him who loved us and washed us from our sins
in his own blood, and has made us kings and priests,
to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion
forever and ever. Amen. Behold, he is coming
with clouds, and every eye will see him, even
they who pierced him, and all the tribes of the
earth will mourn because of him. Even so, Amen.
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and
the end. says the Lord, who is and who was and
who is to come, the Almighty. I, John, both your
brother and companion in the tribulation and
kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on
the island that is called Patmos, for the word
of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I
heard behind me a loud voice as of a trumpet,
saying, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first
and the last, and what you 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. Then I turned to see the voice that
spoke to me, and having turned I saw seven golden
lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands
one like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment
down to the feet, and girded about the chest
with a golden band. His head and hair were were
white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes
like a flame of fire. His feet were like fine
brass, as if refined in a furnace, and his voice
as the sound of many waters. He had in his right
hand seven stars. Out of his mouth went a sharp,
two -edged sword, and his countenance was like
the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw
him, I fell at his feet as dead. But he laid
his right hand on me, saying to me, Do not be
afraid. I am the first and the last. I am he
who lives and was dead. And behold, I am alive
forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades
and of death. Write the things which you have
seen and the things which are and the things
which will take place after this. The mystery
of the seven stars which you saw in my right
hand and the seven golden lampstands. The seven
stars. are the angels of the seven churches,
and the seven lampstands which you saw are the
seven churches. Chapter 2 To the angel of the
church of Ephesus write, These things says he
who holds the seven stars in his right hand,
who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands.
I know your works, your labor, your patience,
and that you cannot bear those who are evil.
And you have tested those who say they are apostles
and are not, and have found them liars. And you
have persevered and have patience, and have labored
for my name's sake, and have not become weary.
Nevertheless, I have this against you, that you
have left your first love. Remember therefore
from where you have fallen. Repent and do the
first works, or else I will come to you quickly
and remove your lampstand from its place, unless
you repent. But this you have. that you hate
the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit
says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I
will give to eat from the tree of life, which
is in the midst of the paradise of God. And to
the angel of the church in Smyrna, write, These
things says the first and the last, who was dead
and came to life. I know your works, tribulation,
and poverty, but you are rich, and I know the
blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and
are not. but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not
fear any of those things which you are about
to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw
some of you into prison, that you may be tested,
and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful
until death, and I will give you the crown of
life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes
shall not be hurt by the second death. And to
the angel of the church in Pergamos, write, These
things says he who has the sharp two -edged sword.
I know your works and where you dwell, where
Satan's throne is, and you hold fast to my name,
and did not deny my faith even in the days in
which Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was
killed among you where Satan dwells. But I have
a few things against you, because you have there
those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught
Balak to put a stumbling block before the children
of Israel. to eat things sacrificed to idols
and to commit sexual immorality. Thus, you also
have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans,
which thing I hate. Repent, or else I will come
to you quickly and will fight against them with
the sword of my mouth. He who has an ear, let
him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
To him who overcomes, I will give some of the
hidden manna to eat, and I will give him a white
stone, and on the stone a new name. written which
no one knows except him who receives it. And
to the angel of the church in Thyatira, write,
These things says the Son of God, who has eyes
like a flame of fire, and his feet like fine
brass. I know your works, love, service, faith,
and your patience. And as for your works, the
last are more than the first. Nevertheless, I
have a few things against you, because you allow
that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess,
to teach and seduce my servants to commit sexual
immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.
And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality,
and she did not repent. Indeed, I will cast her
into a sickbed and those who commit adultery
with her into great tribulation, unless they
repent of their deeds. I will kill her children
with death, and all the churches shall know that
I am here He who searches the minds and hearts.
And I will give to each one of you according
to your works. Now to you I say, and to the rest
in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine,
who have not known the depth of Satan, as they
say, I will put on you no other burden. But hold
fast what you have till I come. And he who overcomes
and keeps my works until the end, to him I will
give power over the nations. He shall rule them
with a rod of iron. They shall be dashed to pieces
like the potter's vessels, as I also have received
from my Father, and I will give him the morning
star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit says to the churches. Chapter 3 And to
the angel of the church in Sardis write, These
things says he. who has the seven spirits of
God and the seven stars. I know your works, that
you have a name, that you are alive, but you
are dead. Be watchful and strengthen the things
which remain that are ready to die. For I have
not found your works perfect before God. Remember,
therefore, how you have received and heard. Hold
fast and repent. Therefore, if you will not watch,
I will come upon you as a thief, and you will
not know what hour I will come upon you. You
have a few names, even in Sardis, who have not
defiled their garments. And they shall walk with
me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes
shall be clothed in white garments. And I will
not blot out his name from the book of life,
but I will confess his name before my father
and before his angels. He who has an ear, let
him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia,
write, These things says he who is holy, he who
is true. He who has the key of David, he who
opens and no one shuts and shuts and no one opens.
I know your works. See, I have set before you
an open door and no one can shut it. For you
have a little strength, have kept my word and
have not denied my name. Indeed, I will make
those of the synagogue of Satan who say they
are Jews and are not, but lie. Indeed, I will
make them come and worship before your feet and
to know that I have loved you. Because you have
kept my command to persevere, I also will keep
you from the hour of trial, which shall come
upon the whole world, to test those who dwell
on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly. Hold
fast what you have, that no one may take your
crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar
in the temple of my God, and he shall go out
no more. I will write on him the name of my God
and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem,
which comes down out of heaven from my God. and
I will write on him my new name. He who has an
ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the
churches. And to the angel of the church of the
Laodiceans, write, These things says the Amin,
the faithful and true witness, the beginning
of the creation of God. I know your works, that
you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you
were cold or hot, so then, because you are lukewarm,
and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out
of my mouth. Because you say, I am rich, have
become wealthy, and have need of nothing, and
do not know that you are wretched, miserable,
poor, blind, and naked, I counsel you to buy
from me gold refined in the fire, that you may
be rich, and white garments that you may be clothed,
that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed,
and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you
may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.
Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand
at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice
and opens the door, I will come into him and
dine with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes,
I will grant to sit with me on my throne, as
I also overcame and sat down with my father on
his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what
the Spirit says to the churches. Chapter 4 After
these things I looked, and behold, a door standing
open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard
was like a trumpet, speaking with me, saying,
Come up here, and I will show you things which
must take place after this. Immediately I was
in the spirit, and behold, a throne set in heaven,
and one sat on the throne. And he who sat there
was like a jasper and a sargeous stone in appearance.
And there was a rainbow around the throne. in
appearance like an emerald. Around the throne
were 24 thrones, and on the thrones I saw 24
elders sitting, clothed in white robes, and they
had crowns of gold on their heads. And from the
throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and
voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before
the throne, which are the seven spirits of God.
Before the throne there was a sea of glass like
crystal. And in the midst of the throne and around
the throne were four living creatures, full of
eyes in front and in back. The first living creature
was like a lion, the second living creature like
a calf. The third living creature had a face
like a man, and the fourth living creature was
like a flying eagle. The four living creatures,
each having six wings, were full of eyes around
and within, and they do not rest day or night,
saying, Chapter 5 And I saw in the right hand
of him who sat on the throne a scroll, written
inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals.
Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a
loud voice, Who is worthy to open the scroll
and to lose its seals? And no one in heaven or
on earth or under the earth was able to open
the scroll or to look at it. So I wept much,
because no one was found worthy to open and read
the scroll or to look at it. But one of the elders
said to me, Do not weep. Behold, the lion of
the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has prevailed
to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.
And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the
throne and of the four living creatures, and
in the midst of the elders, stood a lamb as though
it had been slain, having seven horns and seven
eyes, which are the seven spirits of God, sent
out into all the earth. Then he came and took
the scroll out of the right hand of him who sat
on the throne. Now when he had taken the scroll,
the four living creatures and the twenty -four
elders fell down before the Lamb, each having
a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which
are the prayers of the saints. And they sang
a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the
scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain
and have redeemed us to God by your blood, out
of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
and have made us kings and priests to our God,
and we shall reign on the earth. Then I looked,
and I heard the voice of many angels around the
throne, the living creatures and the elders.
And the number of them was ten thousand times
ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying
with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb who is
slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom,
and strength and honor and glory and blessing.
And every creature which is in heaven and on
the earth and under the earth, and such as are
in the sea, And all that are in them I heard
saying, Blessing and honor and glory and power
be to him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
forever and ever. Then the four living creatures
said, Amen. And the twenty -four elders fell
down and worshipped him who lives forever and
ever. I hope you enjoyed today's reading as much
as I did. And I look forward to seeing you again
tomorrow to continue on our journey. God bless
you and have a great day.