Revelation 1:5

Revelation 1:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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,
• New International Version (NIV)and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood,
• English Standard Version (ESV)and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood
• New King James Version (NKJV)and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,

Context of Revelation 1:5

3If 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. Jesus 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. 6Jesus has brought us into his family, so that we belong to God's kingdom. He has made us priests, so that we serve his God and Father. So we praise Jesus Christ! He will always be very great! He has power for all time. Amen. This is true! 7Look! He will come on the clouds! At that time, everyone will see him! Even the people who pushed a spear into his body will see him. People from all the nations on earth will be sad when they see him. Yes, it is true! Amen!

Revelation 1:5 word by word

καὶ ἀπὸ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὁ μάρτυς ὁ πιστός, ὁ πρωτότοκος τῶν νεκρῶν καὶ ὁ ἄρχων τῶν βασιλέων τῆς γῆς. τῷ ἀγαπῶντι ἡμᾶς καὶ λύσαντι ἡμᾶς ἐκ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν ἐν τῷ αἵματι αὐτοῦRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
• theὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• theμάρτυςmartus · witnessG3144
• faithfulπιστόςpistos · faithfulG4103
• the first begottenπρωτότοκοςprōtotokos · firstbornG4416
• ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• the deadνεκρόςnekros · deadG3498
• the princeἄρχωνarchōn · rulerG758
• of the kingsβασιλεύςbasileus · kingG935
• of the earthγῆgē · earth: planetG1093
• Unto him that lovedἀγαπάωagapaō · to loveG25
• usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• washedλούωlouō · to washG3068
• sinsἁμαρτίαhamartia · sinG266
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• his ownαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• bloodαἷμαaima · bloodG129

Cross-references for Revelation 1:5

• Revelation 3:14‘Write this to the angel of the church at Laodicea: “This is my message to you. I am the one whose name is ‘Amen’. I faithfully tell people God's true message. Everything that God has created starts with me.
• Psalms 89:36His descendants will always rule. His kingdom will continue to be there for ever, as long as the sun shines.
• Isaiah 55:4So look! I chose David to show my power to other people. I made him a leader to rule the people of the nations.
• John 3:11I tell you this: We speak about things that we know. We tell you about what we have seen. But even then, you people do not believe our message.
• John 8:14Jesus answered, ‘What I say is true. Even if I do speak about myself, my words are true. I know where I have come from. I also know where I will go. As for you, you do not know where I came from. You do not know where I will go.
• John 18:37Pilate said to him, ‘So that means you really are a king!’ Jesus answered, ‘You have said that I am a king! I was born for this reason: I came into the world to tell people the truth about God. Everyone who believes the truth listens to my message.’
• 1 Timothy 6:13Christ Jesus himself spoke God's true message clearly when he stood in front of Pontius Pilate. I now say this to you, in front of God who causes all things to be alive, and in front of Jesus.
• 1 John 5:7So there are three things that show us clearly that Jesus came from God.
• Acts 26:23They said that God's special Messiah would have much pain and he would die. But God would raise him up to be alive again. He would be the first dead person to become alive and not die again. In that way, he would show God's message and bring light to people. He would save both Jewish people and Gentiles. That is what the prophets and Moses wrote. And I say the same thing.’
• 1 Corinthians 15:20But it is really true that God raised Christ up after his death. He rose up to go to God in heaven. He was the first, so we know that believers who die will also rise up.
• Colossians 1:18The church is like Christ's body and he is its head. He is where it all begins. As God's special Son, he was the first person who became alive again after death. As a result, Christ is first and most important in all things.
• Revelation 11:15The seventh angel made a sound with his trumpet. Then there was the sound of loud voices in heaven. They shouted: ‘Our Lord God and his Messiah now have all authority! The whole world has become their kingdom. God will rule as King for ever!’
• Revelation 17:14Together they will fight a war against the Lamb. But the Lamb will win against them. He is the Lord above all lords. He is the King who rules over all kings. And God's people will be with him. They are the people that the Lamb has chosen to belong to him. They are the people who have continued to trust him.’
• Revelation 19:16The man who rides on the white horse has a name that is written on his shirt. It is also written high on his leg. His name is: ‘The King who rules over all other kings. The Lord who rules over all lords’.
• Psalms 72:11All kings will bend down in front of him. People from all nations will serve him.
• Psalms 89:27Also, I will make him my firstborn son. He will be the greatest of the kings of the earth.

Commentaries on Revelation 1:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5The faithful witness - The true teacher, whose testimony is infallible, and whose sayings must all come to pass. The first-begotten of the dead - See the note on Colossians 1:18. The prince of the kings - ̔ , The chief or head, of all earthly potentates; who has them all under his dominion and control, and can dispose of them as he will. Unto him that loved us - This should begin a new verse, as it is the commencement of a new subject. Our salvation is…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness - See the notes on Revelation 1:2. He is faithful in the sense that he is one on whose testimony there may be entire reliance, or who is entirely worthy to be believed. From him “grace and peace” are appropriately sought, as one who hears such a testimony, and as the first-begotten from the dead, and as reigning over the kings of the earth. Thus, grace and peace are invoked from the infinite God in all…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. 5Jesus serves as our example for sharing the good of salvation (Revelation 1:2). The belief that Jesus was the first to rise from the dead is essential to Christian faith (1 Corinthians 15:14, 17). As the ruler of all the kings of the world (see also Revelation 17:14; 19:16), he is the ultimate Lord of everything. People in the Roman world were expected to declare Caesar as the absolute lord; many early Christians died for their belief that Jesus alone…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. the faithful witness--of the truth concerning Himself and His mission as Prophet, Priest, and King Saviour. "He was the faithful witness, because all things that He heard of the Father He faithfully made known to His disciples. Also, because He taught the way of God in truth, and cared not for man, nor regarded the persons of men. Also, because the truth which He taught in words He confirmed by miracles. Also, because the testimony to Himself on the…Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 1:5

• Ablution
• Atonement
• Birthright
• Blood
• Cleanliness
• Firstborn
• God
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Sin

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• Jesus
• Christ, Messiah
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• First-Begotten
• Jesus Christ
• Alpha
• Beginning
• Magistrate
• Star

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