Revelation 1:9-15

9I am John. I am a believer, as you are. I am like your brother and your friend. Because we belong to Jesus' kingdom, we are having trouble and pain. So we all need to be strong and patient, as Jesus helps us. The Roman leaders punished me because I taught God's message. I told people the true message about Jesus. That is why they sent me to Patmos island.

10On the Lord's day, God's Spirit caused me to see and to hear things. I heard a voice speak behind me. The sound was as loud as a trumpet.

11The voice said: ‘When you see these things, write them in a book. Then you must send the book to the seven churches in these cities: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea.’

12I turned round to see who was speaking to me. When I turned, I saw seven gold lampstands with their lights.

13In the middle of the lights, I saw someone like a son of man. He was wearing long clothes that reached down to his feet. He wore a gold belt around the top part of his body.

14His head and his hair were white like sheep's hair. They were very white, like snow. His eyes were like fires that were burning brightly.

15His feet shone like a metal that shines brightly in a very hot fire. When he spoke, his voice was very loud. It was like the sound of water that pours along a river very quickly.