The Glory And Honor That Jesus H

John, to the seven churches in the province of Asia. May a blessing be

granted you and peace from him who is and was and ever shall be, and

from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ who is

the faithful witness, the first of the dead to be restored to life and

the ruler of the kings of the earth.



I, John, your brother who shares with you the distress, the dominion,

and the patient end rance which we have through our faith in Jesus,

found myself in the island called Patmos because of my loyalty to God's

message and to the testimony of Jesus. On the Lord's Day I was under the

influence of the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a

trumpet calling, "Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven

churches."



Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me; and on turning

around I saw seven golden lamps and in the midst of the lamps One, like

a Son of man, clothed in a long robe and with a belt of gold around his

breast. His head and hair were white as wool, white as snow; his eyes

were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze melted in

the furnace, his voice was like the sound of many waters. In his right

hand he held seven stars; a sharp, two-edged sword came out from his

mouth, and his face shone like the sun in its full strength.



When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead; but he laid his

hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last, I

was dead but now I am alive for evermore. Therefore write down what you

see and what is now and shall be hereafter. As for the secret meaning of

the seven stars which you have seen in my right hand and of the seven

golden lamps--the seven stars represent the angels of the seven

churches, and the seven lamps represent the seven churches."



After this I saw a door opening into heaven. And the voice like a

trumpet which I had previously heard talking with me, said: "Come up

here, and I will show you what must take place in the future." At once I

found myself under the influence of the Spirit, and there stood a throne

in heaven whose appearance was like a diamond or ruby and One was

sitting on the throne. Encircling the throne was a rainbow which looked

like an emerald; also around the throne were twenty-four other thrones,

and on these thrones were seated twenty-four elders, clothed in white

robes with golden crowns upon their heads. From the throne came flashes

of lightning and voices and peals of thunder, while in front of the

throne were seven flaming torches, which were the seven spirits of God.



In front of the throne there appeared to be a sea of glass which looked

like crystal. In the space about the throne and encircling it were four

living creatures, and day and night they never ceased chanting:



"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,

Who was and is and ever shall be."



Then I saw, lying at the right hand of him who was seated on the throne,

a book sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel saying in a

loud voice: "Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?" But

no one was worthy, either in heaven or on the earth or under the earth

to open the book or look into it. So I began to weep bitterly because no

one was found worthy to open the book or look into it; but one of the

elders said to me: "Weep not; behold the Lion of Judah's tribe, the

Scion of David--he has won the right to open the book and its seven

seals."



Then in the space between the throne and the four living creatures I saw

a Lamb standing among the elders. He seemed to have been slain, but he

had seven horns and seven eyes. And he came and took the book out of the

right hand of him who was seated on the throne. And when he took the

book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down

before the Lamb, each with his harp, and with his golden bowls full of

incense which represent the prayers of the saints. They were singing

this new song: "Thou art worthy to take the book and open its seals, for

thou wast slain and by thy blood thou hast ransomed for God, men from

every tribe and language and people and nation; thou hast made them a

kingdom and priests for our God, and they shall reign on the earth."



And I looked and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and

of the living creatures and of the elders, numbering ten thousand times

ten thousand and thousands of thousands, crying aloud, "Worthy is the

Lamb that has been slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and

might and honor and glory and blessing." And I heard every creature in

heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea and all things

that are in them crying, "To him who is seated on the throne and to the

Lamb, be blessing and honor and praise and dominion forever and ever!"

Then the four living creatures said, "Amen," and the elders fell down

and worshipped.