ris3n's Apologetics Codex

Revelation 1.4

type: passage created: 2026-05-06 updated: 2026-05-06 book: Revelation chapter: 1 verses: "4" translation_default: ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT tags: [scripture] citation_count: 1 enriched: false

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Revelation 1.4

Book: Revelation · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"2. who bare witness of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, even of all things that he saw. 3. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written therein: for the time is at hand."

"4. 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 that are before his throne;"

"5. and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loveth us, and loosed us from our sins by his blood; 6. and he made us to be a kingdom, to be priests unto his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion for ever and ever. Amen." (Revelation 1:2-6, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"2. who testified to God’s word, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, about everything that he saw. 3. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written in it, for the time is at hand."

"4. John, to the seven assemblies that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from God, who is and who was and who is to come; and from the seven Spirits who are before his throne;"

"5. and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood; 6. and he made us to be a Kingdom, priests to his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen." (Revelation 1:2-6, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"2. Who bare 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."

"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;"

"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, 6. And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." (Revelation 1:2-6, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"2. who did testify the word of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ, as many things also as he did see. 3. Happy is he who is reading, and those hearing, the words of the prophecy, and keeping the things written in it, for the time is nigh!"

"4. John to the seven assemblies that [are] in Asia: Grace to you, and peace, from Him who is, and who was, and who is coming, and from the Seven Spirits that are before His throne,"

"5. and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first-born out of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth; to him who did love us, and did bathe us from our sins in his blood, 6. and did make us kings and priests to his God and Father, to him [is] the glory and the power to the ages of the ages! Amen." (Revelation 1:2-6, YLT)

Setting

  • Speaker: John the Apostle (traditionally) / John of Patmos + Jesus's direct discourse (in the visions)
  • Audience: seven churches of Asia Minor + future Christian believers
  • Location: Patmos (composition); visions span heaven + earth + new creation
  • Time period: composed c. AD 95 (Domitianic dating, most common) or c. AD 65-68 (Neronic dating, minority)

Theological reading

Key words

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

  • ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
  • WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
  • KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
  • YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.