Revelation 1:4

Revelation 1:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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;
• New International Version (NIV)John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne,
• English Standard Version (ESV)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 who are before his throne,
• New King James Version (NKJV)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,

Context of Revelation 1:4

2who testified and gave supporting evidence to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to everything that he saw [in his visions]. 3Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and who keep the things which are written in it [heeding them and taking them to heart]; for the time [of fulfillment] is near. John, to the seven churches that are in [the province of] Asia: Grace [be granted] to you and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being], from Him Who is [existing forever] and Who was [continually existing in the past] and Who is to come, and from the seven Spirits that are before His throne, 5and from Jesus Christ, the faithful and trustworthy Witness, the Firstborn of the dead, and the Ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who [always] loves us and who [has once for all] freed us [or washed us] from our sins by His own blood (His sacrificial death)— 6and formed us into a kingdom [as His subjects], priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the power and the majesty and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Revelation 1:4 word by word

Ἰωάννης ταῖς ἑπτὰ ἐκκλησίαις ταῖς ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ· χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη ἀπὸ ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν καὶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἑπτὰ πνευμάτων ἃ ἐνώπιον τοῦ θρόνου αὐτοῦRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• JohnἸωάννηςIōannēs · JohnG2491
• to theὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• to theἐκκλησίαekklēsia · assemblyG1577
• sevenἑπτάhepta · sevenG2033
• which are inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• AsiaἈσίαAsia · AsiaG773
• Graceχάριςcharis · graceG5485
• unto youσύsu · youG4771
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• peaceεἰρήνηeirēnē · peaceG1515
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• him which isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• which is to comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• theπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• Spiritsπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• beforeἐνώπιονenōpion · beforeG1799
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• throneθρόνοςthronos · throneG2362

Cross-references for Revelation 1:4

• Revelation 1:1This is the revelation of Jesus Christ [His unveiling of the divine mysteries], which God [the Father] gave to Him to show to His bond-servants (believers) the things which must soon take place [in their entirety]; and He sent and communicated it by His angel (divine messenger) to His bond-servant John,
• Revelation 1:11saying, “Write on a scroll what you see [in this revelation], and send it to the seven churches—to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”
• Revelation 2:1“To the angel (divine messenger) of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of the One who holds [firmly] the seven stars [which are the angels or messengers of the seven churches] in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands (the seven churches):
• Revelation 3:1“To the angel (divine messenger) of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of Him who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: ‘I know your deeds; you have a name (reputation) that you are alive, but [in reality] you are dead.
• Acts 19:10This continued for two years, so that all the inhabitants of [the west coast province of] Asia [Minor], Jews as well as Greeks, heard the word of the Lord [concerning eternal salvation through faith in Christ].
• 1 Peter 1:1Peter, an apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative) of Jesus Christ, To those [elect—both Jewish and Gentile believers] who live as exiles, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia [Minor], and Bithynia, who are chosen
• Romans 1:7[I am writing] to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called to be saints (God’s people) and set apart for a sanctified life, [that is, set apart for God and His purpose]: Grace to you and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being] from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
• 1 Corinthians 1:3Grace to you and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being] from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
• 2 Corinthians 1:2Grace to you and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being] from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
• 1 Peter 1:2according to the foreknowledge of God the Father by the sanctifying work of the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ and to be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace [that special sense of spiritual well-being] be yours in increasing abundance [as you walk closely with God].
• Revelation 1:8“I am the Alpha and the Omega [the Beginning and the End],” says the Lord God, “Who is [existing forever] and Who was [continually existing in the past] and Who is to come, the Almighty [the Omnipotent, the Ruler of all].”
• Exodus 3:14God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “You shall say this to the Israelites, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”
• Psalms 90:2Before the mountains were born Or before You had given birth to the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are [the eternal] God.
• Psalms 102:25At the beginning You founded the earth; The heavens are the work of Your hands.
• Isaiah 41:4Who has performed and done this, Calling forth [and guiding the destinies of] the generations [of the nations] from the beginning? ‘I, the Lord—the first, and with the last [existing before history began, the ever-present, unchanging God]—I am He.’ ”
• Isaiah 57:15For the high and exalted One He who inhabits eternity, Whose name is Holy says this, “I dwell on the high and holy place, But also with the contrite and humble in spirit In order to revive the spirit of the humble And to revive the heart of the contrite [overcome with sorrow for sin].

Commentaries on Revelation 1:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4John to the seven Churches - The apostle begins this much in the manner of the Jewish prophets. They often name themselves in the messages which they receive from God to deliver to the people; e.g. "The vision of Isaiah, the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem." "The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah; to whom the word of the Lord came." "The word of the Lord came expressly unto Ezekiel, the priest." "The word of the Lord that came…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4John to the seven churches which are in Asia - The word “Asia” is used in quite different senses by different writers. It is used: (1)as referring to the whole eastern continent now known by that name; (2)either Asia or Asia Minor; (3)that part of Asia which Attalus III, king of Pergamos, gave to the Romans, namely, Mysia, Phrygia, Lycaonia, Lydia, Carla, Pisidia, and the southern coast - that is, all in the western, southwestern, and southern parts of…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-8Verses 4-8 There can be no true peace, where there is not true grace; and where grace goeth before, peace will follow. This blessing is in the name of God, of the Holy Trinity, it is an act of adoration. The Father is first named; he is described as the Jehovah who is, and who was, and who is to come, eternal, unchangeable. The Holy Spirit is called the seven spirits, the perfect Spirit of God, in whom there is a diversity of gifts and operations. The…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4To the seven churches do not mean there were only seven churches in the Roman province of Asia. Instead, these seven churches represent the entire group. "Grace and peace" is a typical Christian greeting (see study notes on 2 Corinthians 1:1–2; 2 Thessalonians 1:1–2). The order of these words is consistent in the New Testament, suggesting that peace follows from God's grace. from Him who is and was and is to come: God controlled the past, will control the…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. John--the apostle. For none but he (supposing the writer an honest man) would thus sign himself nakedly without addition. As sole survivor and representative of the apostles and eye-witnesses of the Lord, he needed no designation save his name, to be recognized by his readers. seven churches--not that there were not more churches in that region, but the number seven is fixed on as representing totality. These seven represent the universal Church of all…Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 1:4

• Asia
• Church
• God
• Holy Spirit
• I Am That I Am
• Jesus Continued
• Peace
• Seven
• Throne

In the dictionaries

• Asia
• Seven Churches
• Alpha
• Beginning
• Holy Ghost
• Jehovah
• Star
• Alliance
• Asia Minor
• Canon of the New Testament

Commentaries on Revelation 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings