Revelation 1:18

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

16In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp, two-edged sword. His face was like the sun when it shines in all its brightness. 17When I saw him, I fell down at his feet like a dead man. Then he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the first and the last, the living one. I was dead, but now I am alive forever. I have the keys of death and hell. 19Therefore, write down what you have seen, what is, and what is going to happen after these things. 20The hidden meaning of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and the seven gold lamp stands is this: The seven stars are the messengers of the seven churches, and the seven lamp stands are the seven churches.

Revelation 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• he that livethζάωzaō · to liveG2198
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• wasγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• deadνεκρόςnekros · deadG3498
• beholdὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• I amεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• forεἰςeis · towardG1519
• evermoreὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• evermoreαἰώνaiōn · an age: eternityG165
• Amenἀμήνamēn · amenG281
• haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• the keysκλείςkleis · keyG2807
• of hellᾍδηςhadēs · hell: HadesG86
• of deathθάνατοςthanatos · deathG2288

Cross-references for Revelation 1:18

• Job 19:25But I know that my defender lives, and afterwards, he will rise on the earth.
• Psalms 18:46The Lord lives! Thanks be to my rock! May God my Savior be honored.
• John 14:19In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. You will live because I live.
• Romans 6:9We know that Christ, who was brought back to life, will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him.
• 2 Corinthians 13:4He was weak when he was crucified, but by God’s power he lives. We are weak with him, but by God’s power we will live for you with his help.
• Galatians 2:20I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live I live by believing in God’s Son, who loved me and took the punishment for my sins.
• Colossians 3:3You have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
• Hebrews 7:25That is why he is always able to save those who come to God through him. He can do this because he always lives and intercedes for them.
• Romans 14:8If we live, we honor the Lord, and if we die, we honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
• 2 Corinthians 5:14Clearly, Christ’s love guides us. We are convinced of the fact that one man has died for all people. Therefore, all people have died.
• Hebrews 1:3His Son is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact likeness of God’s being. He holds everything together through his powerful words. After he had cleansed people from their sins, he now holds the honored position—the one next to the majestic God [the Father] on the heavenly throne.
• Hebrews 12:2We must focus on Jesus, the source and goal of our faith. He saw the joy ahead of him, so he endured death on the cross and ignored the disgrace it brought him. Now he holds the honored position—the one next to God the Father on the heavenly throne.
• Revelation 4:9Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, to the one who lives forever and ever,
• Revelation 5:14The four living creatures said, “Amen!” Then the leaders bowed and worshiped.
• Hebrews 7:16That person is a priest, not because he met human requirements, but because he has power that comes from a life that cannot be destroyed.
• Revelation 3:7“To the messenger of the church in Philadelphia, write: The one who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens ⌞a door⌟ that no one can shut, and who shuts ⌞a door⌟ that no one can open, says:

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

• Amen
• Death
• Hades
• Hell
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Key
• Life
• Resurrection
• Vision
• Word of God

In the dictionaries

• Alpha
• Beginning
• Eternal death
• Hell
• Key
• Star
• Abolish
• Alliance
• Ascension
• Asia Minor

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