Revelation 1:4

Revelation 1:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;
• New International Version (NIV)John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne,
• English Standard Version (ESV)John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne,
• New Living Translation (NLT)This letter is from John to the seven churches in the province of Asia. Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come; from the sevenfold Spirit before his throne;

Context of Revelation 1:4

2who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. 3Blessed 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. John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5and 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, 6and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Revelation 1:4 word by word

Ἰωάννης ταῖς ἑπτὰ ἐκκλησίαις ταῖς ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ· χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη ἀπὸ ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν καὶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἑπτὰ πνευμάτων ἃ ἐνώπιον τοῦ θρόνου αὐτοῦRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• JohnἸωάννηςIōannēs · JohnG2491
• to theὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• to theἐκκλησίαekklēsia · assemblyG1577
• sevenἑπτάhepta · sevenG2033
• which are inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• AsiaἈσίαAsia · AsiaG773
• Graceχάριςcharis · graceG5485
• unto youσύsu · youG4771
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• peaceεἰρήνηeirēnē · peaceG1515
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• him which isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• which is to comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• theπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• Spiritsπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• beforeἐνώπιονenōpion · beforeG1799
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• throneθρόνοςthronos · throneG2362

Cross-references for Revelation 1:4

• Revelation 1:1The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John,
• Revelation 1:11saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”
• Revelation 2:1“To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands:
• Revelation 3:1“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.
• Acts 19:10And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
• 1 Peter 1:1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
• Romans 1:7To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
• 1 Corinthians 1:3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
• 2 Corinthians 1:2Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
• 1 Peter 1:2elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.
• Revelation 1:8“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
• Exodus 3:14And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”
• Psalms 90:2Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.
• Psalms 102:25Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands.
• Isaiah 41:4Who has performed and done it, Calling the generations from the beginning? ‘I, the Lord, am the first; And with the last I am He.’ ”
• Isaiah 57:15For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

Commentaries on Revelation 1:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4John to the seven Churches - The apostle begins this much in the manner of the Jewish prophets. They often name themselves in the messages which they receive from God to deliver to the people; e.g. "The vision of Isaiah, the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem." "The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah; to whom the word of the Lord came." "The word of the Lord came expressly unto Ezekiel, the priest." "The word of the Lord that came…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4John to the seven churches which are in Asia - The word “Asia” is used in quite different senses by different writers. It is used: (1)as referring to the whole eastern continent now known by that name; (2)either Asia or Asia Minor; (3)that part of Asia which Attalus III, king of Pergamos, gave to the Romans, namely, Mysia, Phrygia, Lycaonia, Lydia, Carla, Pisidia, and the southern coast - that is, all in the western, southwestern, and southern parts of…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. 4To the seven churches do not mean there were only seven churches in the Roman province of Asia. Instead, these seven churches represent the entire group. "Grace and peace" is a typical Christian greeting (see study notes on 2 Corinthians 1:1–2; 2 Thessalonians 1:1–2). The order of these words is consistent in the New Testament, suggesting that peace follows from God's grace. from Him who is and was and is to come: God controlled the past, will control the…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. John--the apostle. For none but he (supposing the writer an honest man) would thus sign himself nakedly without addition. As sole survivor and representative of the apostles and eye-witnesses of the Lord, he needed no designation save his name, to be recognized by his readers. seven churches--not that there were not more churches in that region, but the number seven is fixed on as representing totality. These seven represent the universal Church of all…Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 1:4

• Asia
• Church
• God
• Holy Spirit
• I Am That I Am
• Jesus Continued
• Peace
• Seven
• Throne

In the dictionaries

• Asia
• Seven Churches
• Alpha
• Beginning
• Holy Ghost
• Jehovah
• Star
• Alliance
• Asia Minor
• Canon of the New Testament

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