(the following is from www.easyenglish.bible)
"1 The writer
The writer of this book simply calls himself John. He wrote to the churches in Asia. He describes himself as their brother in the family of God. The Christians in Asia probably knew him well. Asia in this book is part of the country that we now call Turkey.
From early times, Christians have believed that the writer was the apostle John. We know that the apostle John lived in the city called Ephesus. But he was on the island called Patmos when he wrote this book. The rulers had sent him there as a punishment. He was there because he taught the word of God.
2 Date
The most likely date for this book was during the rule of Domitian. He was the king of Rome during the years AD 81 to 96. (AD means years after Jesus’ birth.)
3 Purpose
The main purpose of the book is to show how Jesus will come again. He will win the fight against the devil. Jesus will save his people. He is with them now. And he will be with them beyond the end of time.
John writes to teach and correct Christians. He tells them to change where they are doing wrong things. He encourages them to continue to do the right things. John speaks about the troubles that the churches had. He tells them about the troubles that they will suffer. He shows them how in the end Jesus will rule over all. And those who trust in Jesus will be with him."
The Message Translation
The Revelation of Jesus Christ
1 1 A revealing of Jesus, the Messiah. God gave it to make plain to his servants what is about to happen. He published and delivered it by Angel to his servant John.
2 And John told everything he saw: God's Word - the witness of Jesus Christ!
3 How blessed the reader! How blessed the hearers and keepers of these oracle words, all the words written in this book! Time is just about up. The Message
(the following is from easyenglish.bible)
"Verse 1 This verse shows the purpose of the book. In it, God will tell about the things that must happen soon. God gave the message to Jesus Christ. Jesus spoke to John by means of an angel.
The word ‘revelation’ means that which God now shows. No person could know these things unless God showed them. God gave this revelation to Jesus Christ.
Only God knows the future and he gave this knowledge to Jesus. This is the message that Jesus gives to John. That message shows us many things about Jesus. We see more of his glory. We read how he will defeat Satan and his evil plans. John tells us about the time when Jesus will come. We see Jesus as the king of kings. He will rule on earth and in heaven. But the main purpose is to show us the things that must happen soon.
Many of the things that must happen soon are still in the future. The word ‘soon’ can mean quickly or without delay. When the time comes, these things will happen. Some things in the book have already happened. Other things in the book have not yet started to happen.
Prophecy tends to speak as if the end is ready to happen. It seems to forget the time between now and then. People should be aware that these things could happen at any time. So, they need always to be ready.
The angel did not show these things to John in plain speech. John saw and heard strange things as in dreams. But he was not asleep. He writes about these for us as descriptions. We need to understand these descriptions in order to understand the book.
Verse 2 What John writes in this book has no human origin. It comes from God alone. What John writes is the word of God. John is certain of this. And Jesus Christ is a witness that this message is the word of God.
In chapter 21:5 God said, ‘I am making all things new.’ Then he said, ‘Write this. What I am saying is true. You can believe it.’ In chapter 22:6 the angel said, ‘You can trust these words. They are true. The Lord God, who gives his Spirit to the prophets, sent his angel to you. God sent his angel to show his (God’s) servants what must happen quickly.’
John actually saw all that he has written here. The angel of the Lord showed all these things to John. Jesus himself tells John to write them to the churches (1:19).
Verse 3 Seven times in this book, the Lord promises to bless people.
· God will bless those who read this book aloud. And those who hear and obey it. 1:3
· The Lord will bless everyone who dies for him. 14:13
· The Lord says, ‘Listen. I will come as a thief comes. Happy is the person who stays awake with his clothes ready.’ 16:15
· Happy are the people whom God has called to the wedding meal of the Lamb. 19:9
· Happy and holy are those whom God raises from death at this time. 20:6
· Happy are all those who obey the words of prophecy in this book. 22:7
· Happy are those who wash their clothes clean. 22:14
Those who are happy are those whom God blesses.
John calls this book a prophecy. But it is not only about what will happen in the future. The book gives to us moral instruction as well. The purpose of the prophecy is to help God’s people to live now. It aims to warn and to encourage them.
In the days of John, many Christians in the churches could not read. When they met together, a reader would read aloud from the word of God. God will bless the person who reads this prophecy aloud to the church. He will bless those who listen to this prophecy. God will bless all who obey it.
We do not know when the end will be. We do not know when Jesus will come. These things could happen soon. Because the time is near, we must be ready for the Lord to come."
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