Revelation 1: One Like a Son of Man
Exiled on Patmos, John turns to a voice like a trumpet and sees the glorified Christ walking among the seven golden lampstands.
Revelation 1 (WEB)
1 This is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things which must happen soon, which he sent and made known by his angel to his servant, John,
2 who testified to God’s word, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, about everything that he saw.
3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written in it, for the time is at hand.
4 John, to the seven assemblies that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from God, who is and who was and who is to come; and from the seven Spirits who are before his throne;
5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood;
6 and he made us to be a Kingdom, priests to his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, including those who pierced him. All the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. Even so, Amen.
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
9 I John, your brother and partner with you in oppression, Kingdom, and perseverance in Christ Jesus, was on the isle that is called Patmos because of God’s Word and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, like a trumpet
11 saying, “What you see, write in a book and send to the seven assemblies: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”
12 I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. Having turned, I saw seven golden lamp stands.
13 And among the lamp stands was one like a son of man, clothed with a robe reaching down to his feet, and with a golden sash around his chest.
14 His head and his hair were white as white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire.
15 His feet were like burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace. His voice was like the voice of many waters.
16 He had seven stars in his right hand. Out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. He laid his right hand on me, saying, “Don’t be afraid. I am the first and the last,
18 and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever more. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades.
19 Write therefore the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will happen hereafter;
20 the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lamp stands. The seven stars are the angelsof the seven assemblies. The seven lamp stands are seven assemblies.
Revelation 1 (KJV)
1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.
3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;
5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;
20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
Revelation 1 (ASV)
1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show unto his servants, even the things which must shortly come to pass: and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John;
2 who bare witness of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, even of all things that he saw.
3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written therein: for the time is at hand.
4 John to the seven churches that 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 that are before his throne;
5 and from Jesus Christ, who isthe faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loveth us, and loosed us from our sins by his blood;
6 and he made us to be a kingdom, to be priests unto his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
7 Behold, he cometh with the clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they that pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn over him. Even so, Amen.
8 I am the Alpha and the Omega, saith the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.
9 I John, your brother and partaker with you in the tribulation and kingdom and patiencewhich arein Jesus, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.
10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet
11 saying, What thou seest, write in a book and send it to the seven churches: unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamum, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And having turned I saw seven golden candlesticks;
13 and in the midst of the candlesticks one like unto a son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about at the breasts with a golden girdle.
14 And his head and his hair were white as white wool, white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
15 and his feet like unto burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace; and his voice as the voice of many waters.
16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as one dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying, Fear not; I am the first and the last,
18 and the Living one; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.
19 Write therefore the things which thou sawest, and the things which are, and the things which shall come to pass hereafter;
20 the mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks are seven churches.
Summary
The book announces itself as the revelation of Jesus Christ, given by God to show his servants what must soon take place, sent through an angel to John. A blessing rests on all who read, hear, and keep its words, for the time is near. John greets the seven churches in Asia with grace and peace from the eternal God, the sevenfold Spirit, and Jesus Christ—the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, the ruler of earth's kings, who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom of priests. He declares that Jesus is coming with the clouds, and that God is the Alpha and the Omega. Exiled on Patmos for the word of God, John is in the Spirit on the Lord's day when a trumpet-like voice tells him to write to the seven churches. Turning, he sees one like a son of man among seven golden lampstands—white-haired, eyes like fire, feet like burnished brass, holding seven stars, with a sharp sword from his mouth. John falls as though dead, but Christ lays his hand on him, declaring himself the first and the last, the living one who holds the keys of death and Hades.
Main Characters
- Jesus Christ — The faithful witness and firstborn of the dead, seen as the glorified Son of Man among the lampstands, who holds the keys of death and Hades and tells John not to be afraid.
- John — The servant and brother exiled on Patmos for the word of God, who receives the vision and is commissioned to write to the seven churches.
- The seven churches — The congregations in Asia—Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea—to whom John is told to send what he sees.
Key Verse
Revelation 1:8 (WEB)
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Lessons Learned
- Revelation is first about Jesus—his glory, his rule, and his nearness to his people.
- A blessing rests on those who read, hear, and keep the words of this prophecy.
- The risen Christ walks among his churches and holds their leaders and their lives in his hand.
- Because Jesus holds the keys of death and Hades, his people need not be afraid.
- Jesus loves and frees his people. He is the one “who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood” (Revelation 1:5, WEB). The book's terrors rest on this foundation of love.
- Christ is present with his churches. John sees him “among the lamp stands” (Revelation 1:13, WEB), walking in the midst of his people, not distant from their struggle.
- The glorified Christ inspires holy awe. John “fell at his feet like a dead man” (Revelation 1:17, WEB). A true sight of Jesus humbles us before it comforts us.
- Jesus holds power over death. He says, “I have the keys of Death and of Hades” (Revelation 1:18, WEB). The living one who died now reigns over the grave itself.
- How does the opening verse frame the whole book as being about Jesus rather than merely about the future?
- What titles and descriptions of Jesus stand out to you in verses 5-6, and what do they tell us about him?
- Why do you think John falls down as though dead, and how does Jesus respond to him?
- What comfort would it give a suffering church to know Jesus walks among the lampstands and holds the keys of death?
- Where in your own life do you most need to hear Jesus say, “Don’t be afraid… I have the keys of Death and of Hades”?
- Verse 1 names the book “the Revelation of Jesus Christ,” an unveiling of him. Help the group set their expectations: this is not mainly a timeline but a portrait of the risen Lord, given to encourage his servants in hard times.
- Jesus is the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, the ruler of the kings of the earth, who loves us, freed us by his blood, and made us a kingdom of priests (1:5-6). Each title answers a fear and grounds the church's identity in his finished work.
- Confronted with Christ's blazing glory, John collapses; the sight is overwhelming. Yet Jesus lays his right hand on him and says, “Don’t be afraid” (1:17). Awe and comfort meet: the One who is fearsome to enemies is tender to his own.
- For believers facing exile, prison, and death, knowing Jesus stands among them and holds death's keys reframes everything. Their suffering is not outside his control, and the grave is not the end. Encourage the group to find courage in his nearness.
- This is a personal-application question. Invite members to name a fear—of death, loss, or the future—and to hear Christ's words spoken to them. As leader, keep the tone gentle and hopeful, anchoring each fear in the living One who conquered the grave.