Revelation 1:9

An Understandable Version (2005 edition)

I [am] John, your brother who participates with you in the suffering and kingdom and endurance [which we experience] in [fellowship with] Jesus. I was on the island called Patmos for [preaching] God’s message and for testifying about Jesus. [Note: Patmos was located in the Aegean Sea between present-day Greece and Turkey].

Cross References

Matthew 20:23

He said to them, “Indeed you will drink my cup [of suffering]. But it is not my prerogative to appoint who sits at my right side and at my left, but rather these places are for those to whom it has been assigned by my Father.”

Mark 10:39

And they said to Him, “[Yes], we are able to.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup [of suffering] that I [will] drink, you [also] will drink. And the immersion [with agony] with which I am [to be] immersed, you [also] will be immersed.

John 16:33

I have said these things to you so that you can have peace in [fellowship with] me. You will have trouble in the world, but cheer up, for I have conquered the world.”

Acts 1:15

And during this time Peter stood up to speak to a gathering of about one hundred twenty persons.

Acts 14:22

[Along the way] they strengthened the hearts of the disciples, urging them to continue [to believe and practice] the faith and [explaining] that entering God's [heavenly] kingdom [See II Tim. 4:18] requires enduring many trials.

Romans 8:17

And if we are [His] children, then we have an inheritance from God [i.e., blessings here and hereafter] and are fellow-sharers with Christ [of such blessings], providing we [are willing to] suffer with Him, so we can also be honored with Him [i.e., in the future life. See verses 18-25].

Romans 8:25

But if we hope for what we cannot see, then we [must] patiently wait for it [to be received].

2 Corinthians 1:7

And our hope for you is firm, for we know that just as you share our sufferings, so you will also [share] our comfort.

Philippians 1:7

It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because I have you in my heart [i.e., you are dear to me], for you people are sharing in God’s unearned favor with me [Note: Paul here refers to his ministry], both in my imprisonment and in my defense and confirmation of the Gospel [i.e., in my efforts to give proof of the Gospel’s truth].

Philippians 4:14

Nevertheless, it was really good of you people to share [with me] during my troubles [i.e., imprisonment].

2 Thessalonians 3:5

And may the Lord direct your hearts to love [people] as God does, and to be steadfast as Christ was.

2 Timothy 1:8

So, do not be ashamed to testify for our Lord, or ashamed of [being associated with] me, His prisoner, but [be willing to] suffer hardship with me for the sake of the Gospel, relying on God’s power [to sustain you].

Hebrews 10:36

For you need to be steadfast so that, after you have done what God wants, you will receive the promise [of an inheritance. See 9:15].

1 Peter 5:1

So, the elders in the various places where you live, are to receive the following exhortation. (I too, am an elder and have witnessed the sufferings of Christ, and am also assured of partaking of the glorious [salvation, 1:5] that will someday be revealed).

Revelation 1:1

[This is the record of] the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave [Him] to show to His servants. [It contains] the things which were soon to happen, and Christ sent His angel [i.e., messenger] to inform His servant, [the apostle] John, [about them].

Revelation 1:2

[So], John testified concerning everything he saw of God’s message and Jesus Christ’s testimony [of it].

Revelation 1:4

[This book is from] John [and is being sent] to the seven churches that are in Asia [Note: This refers to the province of Asia Minor, a part of present-day Turkey]. May there be unearned favor and peace to you from God, the One who is [in the present], who was [in the past] and who will come [in the future], and from the seven spirits that are in front of God’s throne [Note: Because the number “seven” was regarded as the number of perfection by the Jews, it is thought that this refers to the Holy Spirit].

Revelation 1:6

And He made us to be a kingdom [See 5:10] and priests [See I Pet. 2:5, 9] for [serving] His God and Father. May it be so.

Revelation 11:7

And when they have completed their testimony, the beast that comes up from the pit [See 13:1ff; 17:3,7] will wage war against them, and overpower and kill them.

Revelation 12:11

And they [i.e., the brothers. See 6:9- 11] gained the victory over Satan by the blood of the Lamb, and by [remaining true to] the message of their testimony. And they did not love their lives [so much that they refused] to die [for their faith].

Revelation 12:17

Then the dragon became enraged at the woman and went away to wage war against the rest of the woman’s offspring, who obey God’s commandments and who remain true to their testimony about Jesus.

Revelation 13:10

If anyone goes [or “leads others”] into captivity, he will go into captivity [himself]; if anyone is killed [or “kills others”] with the sword, he will be killed with the sword [himself]. Here is [where] God’s holy people [need] perseverance and faith.

Revelation 14:12

Here is [where] God’s holy people, who obey His commandments and the faith of Jesus, [need to] perseverance.

Revelation 19:10

Then I fell down in front of him to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do that; I am [only] a fellow-servant with you and with your brothers who hold onto the testimony about Jesus. You should worship God. For the testimony about Jesus is the spirit [i.e., the purpose, or source] of prophecy.”

Revelation 20:4

Then I saw thrones, with individuals sitting on them who had been given [authority] to judge. And I [also] saw the souls of those who had been decapitated because they had testified about Jesus and [had proclaimed] the message of God. [They are] the ones who had refused to worship the beast or his statue, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And these ones lived again and ruled with Christ for a thousand years.

Revelation 3:10

Because you have obeyed my command to remain steadfast [in the face of difficult times], I will also keep you from [giving up when] the time of trial comes, which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those living on the earth.

Revelation 6:9

And when the Lamb broke open the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed for [believing and preaching] God’s message, and for the testimony [about Jesus] which they had maintained.

Revelation 7:14

And I answered him, “Sir, [surely] you know.” And he said to me, “These are the people who have come through the terrible persecution, and they have washed their robes and made them white with the blood of the Lamb.