Revelation
Chapter 1
1 1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him, to show his servants what must happen soon. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,
耶稣基督的启示，是天主赐给他，叫他把那些必须快要发生的事，指示给自己的仆人们；他遂打发天使，告诉自己的仆人若望；
2 who gives witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ by reporting what he saw.
若望便为天主的话和为耶稣基督作了见证，即对他所见到的一切作了证。
3 Blessed is the one 2 who reads aloud and blessed are those who listen to this prophetic message and heed what is written in it, for the appointed time is near.
那诵读和那些听了这预言，而又遵行书中所记载的，是有福的！因为时期已临近了。
4 3 John, to the seven churches in Asia: 4 grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne,
若望致书给亚细亚的七个教会：愿恩宠与平安由那今在、昔在及将来永在者，由在他宝座前的七神，
5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead and ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us 5 from our sins by his blood,
并由那原为忠实的见证，死者中的首生者，和地上万王的元首耶稣基督赐与你们。愿光荣与权能归於那爱我们，并以自己的血解救我们脱离我们的罪过，
6 who has made us into a kingdom, priests for his God and Father, to him be glory and power forever (and ever). Amen.
使我们成为国度，成为侍奉他的天主和父的司祭的那位，直到万世万代。阿们。
7 Behold, he is coming amid the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him. All the peoples of the earth will lament him. Yes. Amen.
看，他乘著云彩降来，众目都要瞻望他，连那些刺透了他的人，也要瞻望他，地上的各种族都要哀悼他。的确这样。阿们。
8＂I am the Alpha and the Omega,＂ 6 says the Lord God,＂the one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty.＂
＂我是‘阿耳法’和‘敖默加’，＂那今在、昔在及将来永在的全能者上主天主这样说。
9 7 I, John, your brother, who share with you the distress, the kingdom, and the endurance we have in Jesus, found myself on the island called Patmos 8 because I proclaimed God's word and gave testimony to Jesus.
我若望，你们的弟兄，并在耶稣内与你们共患难，同王权和同忍耐的，为天主的话，并为给耶稣作证，曾到了一座名叫帕特摩的海岛上。
10 I was caught up in spirit on the Lord's day 9 and heard behind me a voice as loud as a trumpet,
在一个主日上，我在神魂超拔中，听见在我背后有一个大声音，好似号角的声音，
11 which said,＂Write on a scroll 10 what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.＂
说：＂将你所听见的写在书上，送到厄弗所、斯米纳、培尔加摩、提雅提辣，撒尔德、非拉德非雅和劳狄刻雅七个教会。＂
12 11 Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me, and when I turned, I saw seven gold lampstands
我就转过身来，要看看那同我说话的声音；我一转身就看见了七盏金灯台，
13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, 12 wearing an ankle-length robe, with a gold sash around his chest.
在灯台当中有似人子的一位，身穿长衣，胸间佩有金带。
14 The hair of his head was as white as white wool or as snow, 13 and his eyes were like a fiery flame.
他的头和头发皓白，有如洁白的羊毛，又如同雪；他的眼睛有如火焰；
15 His feet were like polished brass refined in a furnace, 14 and his voice was like the sound of rushing water.
他的脚相似在烈窑中烧炼的光铜；他的声音有如大水的响声；
16 In his right hand he held seven stars. 15 A sharp two-edged sword came out of his mouth, and his face shone like the sun at its brightest.
他的右手持有七颗星；从他的口中发出一把双刃的利剑；他的面容有如发光正烈的太阳。
17 When I caught sight of him, I fell down at his feet as though dead. 16 He touched me with his right hand and said,＂Do not be afraid. I am the first and the last,
我一看见他，就跌倒在他脚前，有如死人，他遂把右手按在我身上说：＂不要害怕！我是元始，我是终末，
18 the one who lives. Once I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever. I hold the keys to death and the netherworld. 17
我是生活的；我曾死过，可是，看，我如今却活著，一直到万世万代；我持有死亡和阴府的钥匙，
19 Write down, therefore, what you have seen, and what is happening, and what will happen afterwards. 18
所以你应把你看见的事，现今的，以及这些事以後要发生的事，都写下来。
20 This is the secret meaning 19 of the seven stars you saw in my right hand, and of the seven gold lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
至于你看见在我右手中的七颗星，和七盏金灯台的奥义，就是：七颗星是指七个教会的天使，七盏灯台是指七个教会。＂
Footnotes(注解)
1 [1-3] This prologue describes the source, contents, and audience of the book and forms an inclusion with the epilogue (Rev 22:6-21), with its similar themes and expressions.
2 [3] Blessed is the one: this is the first of seven beatitudes in this book; the others are in Rev 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7, 14. This prophetic message: literally,＂the words of the prophecy＂; so Rev 22:7, 10, 18, 19 by inclusion. The appointed time: when Jesus will return in glory; cf Rev 1:7; 3:11; 22:7, 10, 12, 20.
3 [4-8] Although Revelation begins and ends (Rev 22:21) with Christian epistolary formulae, there is nothing between Rev 4; 22 resembling a letter. The author here employs the standard word order for greetings in Greek letter writing:＂N. to N., greetings . . .＂; see the note on Romans 1:1.
4 [4] Seven churches in Asia: Asia refers to the Roman province of that name in western Asia Minor (modern Turkey); these representative churches are mentioned by name in Rev 1:11, and each is the recipient of a message (Rev 2:1-3:22). Seven is the biblical number suggesting fullness and completeness; thus the seer is writing for the whole church.
5 [5] Freed us: the majority of Greek manuscripts and several early versions read＂washed us＂; but＂freed us＂ is supported by the best manuscripts and fits well with Old Testament imagery, e.g., Isaiah 40:2.
6 [8] The Alpha and the Omega: the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. In Rev 22:13 the same words occur together with the expressions＂the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End＂; cf Rev 1:17; 2:8; 21:6; Isaiah 41:4; 44:6.
7 [9-20] In this first vision, the seer is commanded to write what he sees to the seven churches (Rev 1:9-11). He sees Christ in glory, whom he depicts in stock apocalyptic imagery (Rev 1:12-16), and hears him describe himself in terms meant to encourage Christians by emphasizing his victory over death (Rev 1:17-20).
8 [9] Island called Patmos: one of the Sporades islands in the Aegean Sea, some fifty miles south of Ephesus, used by the Romans as a penal colony. Because I proclaimed God's word: literally,＂on account of God's word.＂
9 [10] The Lord's day: Sunday. As loud as a trumpet: the imagery is derived from the theophany at Sinai (Exodus 19:16, 19; cf Hebrews 12:19 and the trumpet in other eschatological settings in Isaiah 27:13; Joel 2:1; Matthew 24:31; 1 Cor 15:52; 1 Thes 4:16).
10 [11] Scroll: a papyrus roll.
11 [12-16] A symbolic description of Christ in glory. The metaphorical language is not to be understood literally; cf Introduction.
12 [13] Son of man: see the note on Mark 8:31. Ankle-length robe: Christ is priest; cf Exodus 28:4; 29:5; Wisdom 18:24; Zechariah 3:4. Gold sash: Christ is king; cf Exodus 28:4; 1 Macc 10:89; 11:58; Daniel 10:5.
13 [14] Hair . . . as white as white wool or as snow: Christ is eternal, clothed with the dignity that belonged to the＂Ancient of Days＂; cf Rev 1:18; Daniel 7:9. His eyes were like a fiery flame: Christ is portrayed as all-knowing; cf Rev 2:23; Psalm 7:10; Jeremiah 17:10; and similar expressions in Rev 2:18; 19:12; cf Daniel 10:6.
14 [15] His feet . . . furnace: Christ is , depicted as unchangeable; cf Ezekiel 1:27; Daniel 10:6. The Greek word translated＂refined＂ is unconnected grammatically with any other word in the sentence. His voice . . . water: Christ speaks with divine authority; cf Ezekiel 1:24.
15 [16] Seven stars: in the pagan world, Mithras and the Caesars were represented with seven stars in their right hand, symbolizing their universal dominion. A sharp two-edged sword: this refers to the word of God (cf Eph 6:17; Hebrews 4:12) that will destroy unrepentant sinners; cf Rev 2:16; 19:15; Wisdom 18:15; Isaiah 11:4; 49:2. His face . . . brightest: this symbolizes the divine majesty of Christ; cf Rev 10:1; 21:23; Judges 5:31; Isaiah 60:19; Matthew 17:2.
16 [17] It was an Old Testament belief that for sinful human beings to see God was to die; cf Exodus 19:21; 33:20; Judges 6:22-23; Isaiah 6:5.
17 [18] Netherworld: Greek Hades, Hebrew Sheol, the abode of the dead; cf Rev 20:13-14; Numbers 16:33.
18 [19] What you have seen, and what is happening, and what will happen afterwards: the three parts of the Book of Revelation, the vision (Rev 1:10-20), the situation in the seven churches (Rev 2-3), and the events of Rev 6-22.
19 [20] Secret meaning: literally,＂mystery.＂ Angels: these are the presiding spirits of the seven churches. Angels were thought to be in charge of the physical world (cf Rev 7:1; 14:18; 16:5) and of nations (Daniel 10:13; 12:1), communities (the seven churches), and individuals (Matthew 18:10; Acts 12:15). Some have seen in the＂angel＂ of each of the seven churches its pastor or a personification of the spirit of the congregation.