Revelation 1:4 - Printer Friendly

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,

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,

NASB: 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,

CSB: John: To the seven churches in Asia. Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne,

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;

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;

NKJV: 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,

John greets the seven churches in Asia that are his designated audience. He employs the customary apostolic greeting, wishing his readers grace and peace. The two qualities are in an appropriate order: grace is mentioned first and is followed by peace. Grace is God's undeserved favor from which everything good and necessary flows. Peace is the state of wellness of heart and soul. It is impossible to experience peace without first experiencing divine grace.

In this verse John identifies the triune God as the source of grace and peace. God the Father is viewed as eternal, existing in the past, present, and future. The reference to the seven spirits has generated some debate. Many believe this to be a unique reference to the Holy Spirit. These interpreters believe the number seven—a literal number often representing perfection in the Bible—describes the Holy Spirit as perfect. Others claim the Holy Spirit performs seven major ministries and those ministries are alluded to in the term "seven spirits." And, the following reference to Jesus Christ seems to suggest that John is describing the entire Trinity, in turn.

John describes the seven spirits as being before God's throne. The prophet Isaiah once depicted God as seated upon a throne in a highly troublesome time (Isaiah 6:1). Judah's long-reigning king had died and the nation was at a very low point spiritually and morally. Also, enemy nations were pointing their swords at Judah. However, unsettled times cannot topple or shake God's throne. He is all-powerful, sovereign, and eternal. Believers can trust Him, and experience His peace, at all times.

Revelation 1:4–8 identifies John's audience as the seven churches in Asia. John addresses these churches with a greeting from the triune God, and he ascribes praise to Jesus. Jesus is coming in glory, John declares, and His coming will be visible to everyone. At that time, the tribes of Israel will express remorse because of His crucifixion. John concludes this passage by quoting Jesus as saying He is the beginning, the eternal Almighty One.

The Roman government had banished John to the island of Patmos in the Aegean Sea, off the coast of Asia Minor, modern-day Turkey. While John was at Patmos, the risen, glorified Son of God appeared to him and commanded him to write ''the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this'' (Revelation 1:19). John pronounces blessings to those who read and obey Revelation, and then he greets his readers warmly and describes Jesus' appearance.

The apostle John begins this chapter by stating that he received the revelation of Jesus Christ by divine activity. God sent this vision to John while he was on the island of Patmos, likely as a punishment from the Roman government. This book follows John's four prior messages contained in the New Testament: the Gospel of John and the letters 1, 2, and 3 John. Chapters 2 and 3 tell what Jesus dictated to seven churches in Asia Minor, while the rest of John's message concerns future events.

The word ''revelation'' means ''an unveiling or disclosure.'' This writing unveils future events such as the rapture, three series of judgments that will fall on the earth during the tribulation, the emergence of the Antichrist, the persecution of Israel and her amazing revival, as well as Jesus' second coming with His saints to the earth, the judgment of Satan and his followers, and finally, the eternal state. This content, combined with the original Greek term apokalypsis, is why we now refer to an end-of-the-world scenario as ''an apocalypse.''