Revelation 1:3

Revelation 1:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.
• New King James Version (NKJV)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.

Context of Revelation 1:3

1This book describes the things that God showed to Jesus Christ. He wanted Jesus to show these things to his own servants. They are events that must happen soon. Jesus sent his angel to show them to me, his servant John. 2I, John, have written about everything that God showed me. These things are a true message from God. They are the things that Jesus Christ says are true. If anyone reads aloud the words of this prophecy, God will bless that person. God will also bless the people who listen to these words, if they continue to obey them. The things that are written here will soon happen. 4I am John. I am writing to the seven churches that are in the region of Asia. I pray that God will be very kind to you. I pray that he will give you peace in your minds. God is alive now. He has always been alive. He will continue to be alive for ever. God will help you, and the seven spirits that are in front of his throne will help you. 5Jesus Christ will also help you. He always speaks a true message. He is the first person who became alive again after death. He rules the kings of the earth. Jesus loves us and he died for us. That is how he made us free. Because of Jesus, God will not punish us for the bad things that we have done.

Revelation 1:3 word by word

μακάριος ὁ ἀναγινώσκων καὶ οἱ ἀκούοντες τοὺς λόγους τῆς προφητείας καὶ τηροῦντες τὰ ἐν αὐτῇ γεγραμμένα· ὁ γὰρ καιρὸς ἐγγύς.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Blessedμακάριοςmakarios · blessedG3107
• he that readethὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• he that readethἀναγινώσκωanaginōskō · to readG314
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• they that hearἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
• the wordsλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• of this prophecyπροφητείαprophēteia · prophecyG4394
• keepτηρέωtēreō · to keep: observeG5083
• those things which are writtenγράφωgraphō · to writeG1125
• thereinἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• thereinαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• the timeκαιρόςkairos · time/right timeG2540
• at handἐγγύςeggus · nearG1451

Cross-references for Revelation 1:3

• Revelation 22:7Jesus says, ‘Listen! I will come soon. God will bless everyone who obeys the words of the prophecy that is in this book.’
• Proverbs 8:34Anyone who listens to me is in a happy place. You can wait outside my home each day, and I will teach you.
• Daniel 12:12But God will bless all those people who remain faithful until the 1,335 days come to an end.
• Luke 11:28Jesus replied, ‘It is the people who hear God's message who are happy. They are happy if they obey it.’
• Revelation 22:6Then the angel said to me, ‘All these words are true and everyone should believe them. The Lord God uses his prophets to speak his messages. He has sent his angel to speak to his servants. The angel will now show them what must happen soon.’
• Romans 13:11Live in that way, because you know what is happening in this time now. It is time that you should stop sleeping. It is now time to wake up. The time when God will save us completely is near. That time is nearer now than when we first believed in him.
• James 5:8You also must be patient, because the Lord will return soon. Be strong as you continue to trust him.
• 1 Peter 4:7All things in this world will soon come to an end. So you must think clearly. Then you will be able to pray in a serious way.
• 2 Peter 3:8My friends, here is one thing that you must remember. In the Lord God's mind, one day and 1,000 years are the same. For him, 1,000 years is like a single day.

Commentaries on Revelation 1:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Blessed is he that readeth - This is to be understood of the happiness or security of the persons who, reading and hearing the prophecies of those things which were to come to pass shortly, took proper measures to escape from the impending evils. The time is at hand - Either in which they shall be all fulfilled, or begin to be fulfilled. See the note on Revelation 1:1. These three verses contain the introduction; now the dedication to the seven Churches…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Blessed is he that readeth - That is, it is to be regarded as a privilege attended with many blessings, to be permitted to mark the disclosures to be made in this book; the important revelations respecting future times. Prof. Stuart supposes that this refers to a public reading, and that the phrase “those who hear the words of this prophecy,” refers to those who listened to the public reader, and that both the reader and hearer should regard themselves as…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3blessed is the one: Revelation includes seven promises of blessing (Revelation 1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7, 14). hear and obey: True listening means you follow what you hear.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. he that readeth, and they that hear--namely, the public reader in Church assemblies, and his hearers. In the first instance, he by whom John sent the book from Patmos to the seven churches, read it publicly: a usage most scriptural and profitable. A special blessing attends him who reads or hears the apocalyptic "prophecy" with a view to keeping the things therein (as there is but one article to "they that hear and keep those things," not two classes…Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 1:3

• Word of God

In the dictionaries

• Alpha
• Beginning
• Star
• Alliance
• Asia Minor
• Canon of the New Testament
• Ephesians, Epistle to the
• Judges, Period of
• Parousia
• Revelation of John

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