Revelation 1:2 kjv

Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

Revelation 1:2 nkjv

who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw.

Revelation 1:2 niv

who testifies to everything he saw?that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Revelation 1:2 esv

who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw.

Revelation 1:2 nlt

who faithfully reported everything he saw. This is his report of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Revelation 1 verses

Revelation 1 2 Meaning

Revelation 1:2 clarifies the origin and content of the prophetic message John received and conveyed. It asserts that John faithfully presented the "word of God" (God's overall divine communication) and the "testimony of Jesus Christ" (both a witness about Jesus and Jesus's own witness/revelation), emphasizing that this material was derived directly from "all that he saw" through divine visions. This verse establishes the apostolic and prophetic authority of the book, assuring its readers of the message's divine source and truthfulness.

Revelation 1 2 Context

Revelation 1:2 functions as a crucial explanatory bridge between the book's divine origin (Rev 1:1) and its promised blessing (Rev 1:3). Within the immediate context, it identifies John as the human instrument chosen by God to record this apocalypse. This verse grounds the entire prophetic narrative in the dual authority of God's direct revelation and the specific testimony of Jesus Christ, affirming its reliability. For the original audience, predominantly believers facing severe persecution under the Roman Empire (likely Domitian's reign, c. 95 AD), John's assertion of receiving the revelation as a direct eyewitness ("all that he saw") was profoundly significant. It offered divine assurance amidst imperial demands for emperor worship, declaring allegiance to Christ as the ultimate Lord and the true source of authority. This context reveals an inherent polemic: Revelation stands as God's ultimate word against all false claims of divine authority, particularly the imperial cult, by proclaiming Jesus as the singular, faithful witness.

Revelation 1 2 Word analysis

• who bore witness (ὃς ἐμαρτύρησεν, hos emarturēsen):
  • From martureō (μαρτυρέω), meaning "to testify," "to bear witness." The past tense emphasizes John's completion of this task or his continuous function as a witness in writing.
  • Significance: Identifies John not merely as a transcriber but as a personal, authoritative, and trustworthy observer. His testimony establishes the credibility of the revelations he received and records.
• to the word of God (τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ, ton logon tou Theou):
  • Logos (λόγος) here signifies "message," "divine utterance," or "revelation."
  • Significance: Asserts the divine origin of the message, establishing it as God's own communication and binding truth, foundational for all prophetic revelation.
• and to the testimony of Jesus Christ (καὶ τὴν μαρτυρίαν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, kai tēn marturian Iēsou Christou):
  • Marturian (μαρτυρίαν) means "testimony" or "witness," often leading to persecution or martyrdom for Christians.
  • "of Jesus Christ" can be understood in two primary ways, both true:
    1. Objective genitive: John's testimony about Jesus Christ (His identity, actions, redemptive work, future return).
    2. Subjective genitive: The testimony that comes from Jesus Christ, with Jesus Himself being the source and content of the prophecy (as stated in Rev 19:10: "the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy").
  • Significance: Highlights the Christ-centered nature of the revelation, indicating Jesus is both the subject of the testimony and the primary Revealer. This reinforces His supreme authority and role in the prophetic unveiling of end times.
• even to all that he saw (ὅσα εἶδεν, hosa eiden):
  • Eiden (εἶδεν) comes from horao (ὁράω), "to see," indicating direct, visual perception.
  • Significance: Verifies the source of John's information as direct, divine vision and not mere speculation or hearsay. It authenticates the apocalyptic imagery and prophetic content as supernaturally revealed, underscoring John's faithful reporting of the visions exactly as they were shown to him.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ": This clause precisely defines the twin facets of John's inspired mission. It unifies the broad scope of God's overarching divine communication with the specific, potent message delivered through and about Jesus Christ. This fusion demonstrates the integral connection between all divine revelation and Christ's central role within it.
• "even to all that he saw": This concluding phrase provides the method of reception. It directly links the authenticity of John's witness to his firsthand experience of divine visions. This underscores that the complex symbolic imagery within the book is not imaginative writing but faithful reporting of divinely imparted spectacles, adding weight and authority to every detail that follows.

Revelation 1 2 Bonus section

The recurring phrase "the testimony of Jesus" (Greek: marturia Iēsou) is central to the Book of Revelation's identity, appearing seven times (1:2, 1:9, 12:17, 19:10 [twice], 20:4). Its climax in Revelation 19:10 ("the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy") profoundly defines this concept. It implies that Jesus Himself is the active "witness" conveying the prophecy, and the content of prophecy centers on Jesus. Thus, John's "witness" is intrinsically linked to prophetic insight given by Jesus, meaning to accept John's book is to accept Christ's own prophetic voice. This commitment to "the word of God and the testimony of Jesus" is also explicitly stated as the reason for John's exile (Rev 1:9) and for the martyrdom of faithful saints (Rev 6:9, 20:4). This connects bearing witness with suffering and perseverance, reinforcing the call to faithful endurance for all believers.

Revelation 1 2 Commentary

Revelation 1:2 serves as the bedrock of the entire book's legitimacy and intent. John, divinely chosen, is presented as the faithful conduit through whom God’s truth, specifically mediated by Jesus Christ, flows directly to humanity. By asserting that his witness stems from "the word of God" and "the testimony of Jesus Christ" as derived from "all that he saw," John asserts not merely his personal conviction but the absolute, visual reality of the divine disclosures. This foundational verse confirms the revelation's authoritative, prophetic, and Christ-centric nature, urging readers to treat its contents with utmost reverence as a direct message from heaven. This steadfast commitment to "the word of God and the testimony of Jesus" became a rallying cry for suffering believers, reminding them that their persecution for this truth was aligned with divine purpose, securing their ultimate triumph alongside the victorious Lamb.