Joseph Smith Jr.'s revision of Revelation 1:1-8
| King James Version |
Community of Christ Inspired Version |
1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto
him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly
come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel
unto his servant John, |
1 The Revelation of John, a servant of God, which
was given unto him of Jesus Christ, to show unto his
servants things which must shortly come to pass, that
he sent and signified by his angel unto his servant John, |
2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the
testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.
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2 Who bore record of the word of God, and of the
testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. |
3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the
words of this prophecy, and keep those things which
are written therein: for the time is at hand. |
3 Blessed are they who read, and they who hear and
understand the words of this prophecy, and keep
those things which are written therein, for the time of
the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. |
4 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;
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4 Now this is the testimony of John to the seven
servants who are over the seven churches in Asia.
Grace unto you, and peace from him who is, and
who was, and who is to come; who hath sent forth
his angel from before his throne, to testify unto those
who are the seven servants over the seven churches. |
5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness,
and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of
the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and
washed us from our sins in his own blood, |
5 Therefore, I, John, the faithful witness, bear
record of the things which were delivered me of
the angel, and from Jesus Christ the first begotten of
the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth.
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6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and
his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and
ever. Amen. |
6 And unto him who loved us, be glory; who washed
us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us
kings and priests unto God, his Father. To him be glory
and dominion, for ever and ever. Amen.
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7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall
see him, and they also which pierced him: and all
kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even
so, Amen.
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7 For behold, he cometh in the clouds with ten
thousands of his saints in the kingdom, clothed with
the glory of his Father. And every eye shall see him;
and they who pierced him, and all the kindreds of the
earth shall wail because of him. Even so. Amen.
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8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the
ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and
which is to come, the Almighty.
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8 For he saith, I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning
and the ending, the Lord, who is, and who was, and
who is to come, the Almighty.
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Revelation 1:1-8 is the introduction to the book, verses 1-3 by the presidency of the church (after the
messages in 1:9 - 3:22 had proven to be on target), verses 4-8 by John himself.
Joseph Smith Jr.'s revisions in verses 3 and 7 focus attention on the second coming of Christ. The verse 7
revision makes a connection with the General Epistle of Jude: "And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam,
prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment
upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly
committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him."
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