Revelation 1:4 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;

Revelation 1:4 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,

Revelation 1:4 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,

Revelation 1:4 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,

Revelation 1:4 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;

Revelation 1 verses

Revelation 1 4 Meaning

Revelation 1:4 introduces the sender of the apocalyptic message, John, and addresses the recipients: "the seven churches that are in Asia." The verse then immediately declares a blessing of "Grace to you and peace" that originates from a tri-part source of divine authority. The first source is described as "Him who is and who was and who is to come," unequivocally referring to God the Father, emphasizing His eternal and immutable nature. The second source is "the seven Spirits who are before His throne," signifying the Holy Spirit in His fullness and perfection, omnipresent and active in God's presence. Together with Jesus Christ mentioned in verse 5, this verse lays the foundational understanding of the Triune God as the ultimate origin and sustainer of the revelation. It establishes the divine authority behind the message and provides assurance and comfort to the churches amidst coming trials.

Revelation 1 4 Context

Revelation 1:4 serves as the formal opening of the Book of Revelation, directly following the book's stated purpose and revelation of Jesus Christ (vv. 1-3). It transitions from the foundational declaration of the book's origin to a direct address and blessing upon its intended audience. This verse sets the stage for the unfolding apocalyptic vision by immediately establishing the divine authority of the message, stemming from the eternal God the Father, and the omni-present and complete Holy Spirit. It introduces the heavenly realities, particularly God's throne, which will be central throughout the book. Historically, "Asia" refers to the Roman province of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey), where seven specific churches were located, each facing distinct challenges yet sharing common experiences under Roman imperial rule and societal pressures. John, likely an exiled prophet on the island of Patmos, writes to offer encouragement, warning, and prophetic insight from God Himself.

Revelation 1 4 Word analysis

• John (Gk. Iōannēs): The author, a servant of Jesus Christ (Rev 1:1), traditionally identified as John the Apostle, son of Zebedee. His authority comes not from human office but from receiving divine revelation.
• to the seven churches (Gk. tais hepta ekklēsiais): "Churches" (ekklēsia) refers to called-out assemblies or congregations of believers. The number "seven" (Gk. hepta) signifies completeness and perfection in biblical numerology, suggesting these churches represent the fullness of the church in its various states, not exclusively limited to these seven congregations historically.
• that are in Asia (Gk. tais en tē Asia): Specifically, the Roman province of Asia Minor, known for its strategic importance, major trade routes, and numerous cults including emperor worship. This grounds the heavenly message in a tangible historical and geographical context.
• Grace (Gk. charis): Unmerited divine favor and spiritual enablement. It's the lovingkindness of God, providing salvation, strength, and blessing. A common apostolic greeting (Pauline epistles) but here it specifically flows from the triune Godhead.
• and peace (Gk. kai eirēnē): Holistic well-being, wholeness, prosperity, tranquility, reconciliation with God. This includes both inner calm and external flourishing in a relationship with God. Also a standard greeting alongside grace, flowing from the divine source.
• from Him who is and who was and who is to come (Gk. apo ho ōn kai ho ēn kai ho erchomenos): A circumlocution for God the Father, expressing His eternal existence, unchanging nature, and sovereign control over past, present, and future. It echoes the divine name "I AM" (Ex 3:14), emphasizing self-existence and omnipotence. This title appears only in Revelation, asserting God's identity throughout time and beyond it.
• and from the seven Spirits (Gk. kai apo tōn hepta pneumatōn): Refers to the Holy Spirit. "Seven" here again symbolizes completeness, perfection, and the full extent of the Spirit's operations or attributes, often linked to the seven-fold Spirit described in Isa 11:2 and imagery from Zech 4:2, 6, 10. It is a way to represent the one Holy Spirit in all His manifold perfections.
• who are before His throne (Gk. ho enōpion tou thronou autou): Emphasizes the Spirit's immediate and constant presence in God's heavenly presence, indicating divine counsel, omnipresent power, and readiness for service from the very throne of God. It highlights the Spirit's divine nature and central role in God's sovereign activity.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• John to the seven churches that are in Asia: This sets the epistolary framework. The human author is clear, but the divine authority behind the letter is paramount (from verse 1). The target audience is specific geographical churches, but representative of the universal church.
• Grace to you and peace: This traditional salutation from early Christian letters takes on a profound theological weight here, as its source is explicitly identified as divine, signaling that the blessings bestowed are entirely from God's character and power, crucial for churches facing tribulation.
• from Him who is and who was and who is to come: This phrase asserts the timeless, sovereign, and eternal nature of God the Father, identifying Him as the ultimate source of the grace and peace. It provides stability and assurance that the one revealing the future is Lord over all time.
• and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne: This specifies the Holy Spirit as another direct source of this grace and peace, emphasizing His perfect, complete, and active presence at the very center of divine authority. The Spirit's connection to the throne underlines His role as the active agent of God's will on earth.

Revelation 1 4 Bonus section

• The tripartite naming of God in Revelation 1:4, with the third part explicitly Jesus in verse 5, hints at the Triune nature of God right from the outset of the book, framing the entire revelation within a Trinitarian understanding.
• The title "Him who is and who was and who is to come" also appears again in Revelation 4:8, 11:17, and 16:5, highlighting its importance in affirming God's immutable character and sovereignty in the midst of unfolding prophecies.
• The mention of "the seven churches" not only refers to literal historical congregations but also prophetically anticipates the varying spiritual conditions and challenges faced by the Church throughout its history, implying that the messages in Revelation 2-3 have universal applicability.
• The Greek phrase ho ōn kai ho ēn kai ho erchomenos for God's title echoes philosophical Greek expressions of eternality while distinctly aligning with the Old Testament declaration of God as "I AM," rooting Christian revelation in ancient Jewish theological heritage.
• The concept of the "seven Spirits" links to prophetic imagery in Zechariah and Isaiah, signifying the Holy Spirit in His seven-fold perfection and divine attributes (e.g., Spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and fear of the Lord from Isaiah 11:2, with the seventh often implied as the Spirit of the Lord Himself, or by adding "delight in the fear of the Lord").

Revelation 1 4 Commentary

Revelation 1:4 introduces the source of the divine blessing that frames the entire apocalyptic message: grace and peace. These blessings are presented as originating from the eternal God the Father, symbolically represented by His timeless existence as "He who is and who was and who is to come." This grand title underscores God's sovereignty over all time, reassuring the struggling churches that their ultimate authority resides in an unchanging and ever-present God. Following this, the Holy Spirit is revealed as another source, depicted as "the seven Spirits who are before His throne." This imagery signifies the perfection, completeness, and omnipresent power of the Holy Spirit, ministering directly from God's presence to the world and His churches. Together, these two divine persons (alongside Jesus Christ in the next verse) establish the triune source of blessing, authority, and prophetic truth for the beleaguered churches of Asia. The verse reassures believers that even amidst trials, divine grace and peace are abundantly available, originating from the highest heavenly authority.