American Standard Version
Revelation 1:18
18and the Living one; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.
Revelation 1:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
- English Standard Version (ESV)and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.
- New King James Version (NKJV)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.
Context of Revelation 1:18
16And 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. 17And 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, 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. 19Write therefore the things which thou sawest, and the things which are, and the things which shall come to pass hereafter; 20the 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.
Read all of Revelation 1Revelation 1:18 word by word
καὶ ὁ ζῶν, καὶ ἐγενόμην νεκρὸς καὶ ἰδοὺ ζῶν εἰμι εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων καὶ ἔχω τὰς κλεῖς τοῦ θανάτου καὶ τοῦ ᾅδου.Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Revelation 1:18
- Job 19:25But as for me I know that my Redeemer liveth, And at last he will stand up upon the earth:
- Psalms 18:46Jehovah liveth; and blessed be my rock; And exalted be the God of my salvation,
- John 14:19Yet a little while, and the world beholdeth me no more; but ye behold me: because I live, ye shall live also.
- Romans 6:9knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death no more hath dominion over him.
- 2 Corinthians 13:4for he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth through the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him through the power of God toward you.
- Galatians 2:20I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.
- Colossians 3:3For ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
- Hebrews 7:25Wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
- Romans 14:8For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; or whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.
- 2 Corinthians 5:14For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that one died for all, therefore all died;
- Hebrews 1:3who being the effulgence of his glory, and the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had made purification of sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
- Hebrews 12:2looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
- Revelation 4:9And when the living creatures shall give glory and honor and thanks to him that sitteth on the throne, to him that liveth for ever and ever,
- Revelation 5:14And the four living creatures said, Amen. And the elders fell down and worshipped.
- Hebrews 7:16who hath been made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life:
- Revelation 3:7And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth and none shall shut, and that shutteth and none openeth:
Commentaries on Revelation 1:18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18I am he that liveth, and was dead - I am Jesus the Savior, who, though the fountain of life, have died for mankind; and being raised from the dead I shall die no more, the great sacrifice being consummated. And have the keys of death and the grave, so that I can destroy the living and raise the dead. The key here signifies the power and authority over life, death, and the grave. This is also a rabbinical form of speech. In the Jerusalem Targum, on Genesis…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18I am he that liveth, and was dead - I was indeed once dead, but now I live, and shall continue to live forever. This would at once identify him who thus appeared as the Lord Jesus Christ, for to no one else could this apply. He had been put to death; but he had risen from the grave. This also is given as a reason why John should not fear; and nothing would allay his fears more than this. He now saw that he was in the presence of that Saviour whom more…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-20Verses 12-20 The churches receive their light from Christ and the gospel, and hold it forth to others. They are golden candlesticks; they should be precious and pure; not only the ministers, but the members of the churches; their light should so shine before men, as to engage others to give glory to God. And the apostle saw as though of the Lord Jesus Christ appeared in the midst of the golden candlesticks. He is with his churches always, to the end of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18the Living One: The Son of Man (Revelation:13) has defeated death, so he holds the keys to death and controls the outcome of our greatest fear (see Revelation 20:14; Hebrews 2:14–15). Jesus has full authority to offer hope in a hostile world. Hades: See study note on Revelation 6:7–8.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. Translate as Greek, "And THE Living One": connected with last sentence, Re 1:17. and was--Greek, "and (yet) I became." alive for evermore--Greek, "living unto the ages of ages": not merely "I live," but I have life, and am the source of it to My people. "To Him belongs absolute being, as contrasted with the relative being of the creature; others may share, He only hath immortality: being in essence, not by mere participation, immortal" [Theodoret in…Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 1:18
In the dictionaries
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
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries