LittleNipper wrote:I simply feel that Jesus was given every bit of information by the Father as Jesus needed the information perfectly. And I do believe Jesus emptied Himself and took on a human form to live among humanity perfectly. However Jesus was no less God but He did place Himself under subjection to the Father to perfection.
Little Nipper, That fits my understanding as well. It fits what I read in the Bible as well.
See what love the Father has lavished on us in allowing us be called God’s children! For that is what believers are. The reason the world does not know us is that it not acquainted with Him.
Dear friends, we are God’s children now; and it has not yet been clarified what we will become. We do know that when He appears, we will be like Him; because we will see him as He actually is.
And everyone who has this hope in Him continually purifies himself, since God is pure.
Everyone who continues sinning is violating the Law. Actually, sin is a violation of the Law.
You know that He came in order to take away sins, and that there is no sin in Him.
So no one who remains united with Him continues living in sin; everyone who does continue sinning has neither observed Him nor known Him.
Children, don’t let anyone deceive you — it is the person that keeps on doing what is right who is righteous, just as God is righteous.
The person who keeps on sinning is from Satan, because from the very beginning the start he has kept on sinning. It was for this very reason that the Son of God appeared, to destroy the behavior of the Adversary.
No one who has God as his Father continues in sin, because the seed planted by God remains in him. That is, he cannot continue sinning, because he has God as his Father.
Here is how one can distinguish clearly between God’s children and those of Satan: everyone who does not continue doing what is right is not from God.
Likewise, anyone who fails to keep loving his brother is not from God.
For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning: that we should love each other
and not be like Cain, who was from the Evil One and murdered his own brother. Why did he murder him? Because his own behavior was evil, and his brother’s were righteous.
Don’t be amazed, brothers, if the world dispises you.
We, for our part, realize that we have passed from death to life because we keep loving the brethren. The person who fails to keep on loving is still under death's manipulation.
Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer possesses eternal life.
The way that we have come to know love is through His having laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for brethren!
If someone has worldly possessions and sees his brother is needy, yet ignore the situation, how can he be loving God?
Children, let us love not with words and talk, but with actions and in reality!
Here is how we will know that we are from the truth and will set our hearts at rest in His presence:
if our hearts know something against us, God is greater than our hearts, and He comprehends everything.
Dear friends, if our hearts know nothing against us, we have confidence in approaching God;
then, whatever we ask for, we receive from Him; because we are obeying His commands and doing things that please Him.
This is His command: that we are to trust in the person and power of his Son Jesus the Messiah and to keep loving one another, just as he commanded us.
Those who obey his commands remain united with Him and He with them.
Here is how we know that He stays united with us: by the Spirit whom He provided us.
Young's Literal Translation (YLT)
1 See ye what love the Father hath given to us, that children of God we may be called; because of this the world doth not know us, because it did not know Him;
2 beloved, now, children of God are we, and it was not yet manifested what we shall be, and we have known that if he may be manifested, like him we shall be, because we shall see him as he is;
3 and every one who is having this hope on him, doth purify himself, even as he is pure.
4 Every one who is doing the sin, the lawlessness also he doth do, and the sin is the lawlessness,
5 and ye have known that he was manifested that our sins he may take away, and sin is not in him;
6 every one who is remaining in him doth not sin; every one who is sinning, hath not seen him, nor known him.
7 Little children, let no one lead you astray; he who is doing the righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous,
8 he who is doing the sin, of the devil he is, because from the beginning the devil doth sin; for this was the Son of God manifested, that he may break up the works of the devil;
9 every one who hath been begotten of God, sin he doth not, because his seed in him doth remain, and he is not able to sin, because of God he hath been begotten.
10 In this manifest are the children of God, and the children of the devil; every one who is not doing righteousness, is not of God, and he who is not loving his brother,
11 because this is the message that ye did hear from the beginning, that we may love one another,
12 not as Cain -- of the evil one he was, and he did slay his brother, and wherefore did he slay him? because his works were evil, and those of his brother righteous.
13 Do not wonder, my brethren, if the world doth hate you;
14 we -- we have known that we have passed out of the death to the life, because we love the brethren; he who is not loving the brother doth remain in the death.
15 Every one who is hating his brother -- a man-killer he is, and ye have known that no man-killer hath life age-during in him remaining,
16 in this we have known the love, because he for us his life did lay down, and we ought for the brethren the lives to lay down;
17 and whoever may have the goods of the world, and may view his brother having need, and may shut up his bowels from him -- how doth the love of God remain in him?
18 My little children, may we not love in word nor in tongue, but in word and in truth!
19 and in this we know that of the truth we are, and before Him we shall assure our hearts,
20 because if our heart may condemn -- because greater is God than our heart, and He doth know all things.
21 Beloved, if our heart may not condemn us, we have boldness toward God,
22 and whatever we may ask, we receive from Him, because His commands we keep, and the things pleasing before Him we do,
23 and this is His command, that we may believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and may love one another, even as He did give command to us,
24 and he who is keeping His commands, in Him he doth remain, and He in him; and in this we know that He doth remain in us, from the Spirit that He gave us.
Dear friends, don’t trust every spirit. Quite contrary, test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have travel the world.
Here is how you recognize the Spirit of God: every spirit which acknowledges that Jesus the Messiah (God with us) came as a human being is from God.
And every spirit which does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God — in fact, this is the spirit of the Anti-Christ. You have heard that he is coming. Well, he’s already here!
You, children (believers), are from God and have overcome the false prophets, because he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
They are from the world; therefore, they speak from the world’s viewpoint; and the world agrees with them.
We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God will not listen. This is how we distinguish the Spirit of truth from the spirit of error.
Beloved friends, let us love one another; because love is from God; and everyone who loves has God as his Father and knows God.
Those who do not love, do not know God; because God is love.
Here is how God demonstrated His love among us: God sent His only Son into the world, so that through him we might have life.
Here is what love is: not that we have loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son to be the payment for our sins.
Beloved friends, if this is how God loved us, we likewise ought to love each other.
No one has ever seen total GOD; if we love one another, God remains united with us, and our love for Him has been brought to its goal in us.
Here is how we know that we remain united with Him and Him likewise: He has presented to us His own Spirit.
Additionally, we have seen and we testify that the Father has sent His Son as Deliverer of the world.
If someone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains united with him, and he with God.
Also we have come to know and trust the love that God has for us. God is love; and those who remain in this love remain united with God, and God remains united with them.
Here is how love has been brought to maturity with us: as the Messiah is, so are we in the world. This gives us confidence in the Day of Judgment.
There is no fear in love. Quite the contrary, love that has achieved its goal gets rid of fear, because fear has to do with punishment; the person who keeps fearing has not been brought to maturity regarding this love.
We ourselves love now because He loved us first,
If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar. For if a person does not love his brother, whom he has seen, then he cannot love God, whom he has not seen.
Yes, this is the command we have from him: whoever loves God must love his brother.
Young's Literal Translation (YLT)
1 Beloved, every spirit believe not, but prove the spirits, if of God they are, because many false prophets have gone forth to the world;
2 in this know ye the Spirit of God; every spirit that doth confess Jesus Christ in the flesh having come, of God it is,
3 and every spirit that doth not confess Jesus Christ in the flesh having come, of God it is not; and this is that of the antichrist, which ye heard that it doth come, and now in the world it is already.
4 Ye -- of God ye are, little children, and ye have overcome them; because greater is He who [is] in you, than he who is in the world.
5 They -- of the world they are; because of this from the world they speak, and the world doth hear them;
6 we -- of God we are; he who is knowing God doth hear us; he who is not of God, doth not hear us; from this we know the spirit of the truth, and the spirit of the error.
7 Beloved, may we love one another, because the love is of God, and every one who is loving, of God he hath been begotten, and doth know God;
8 he who is not loving did not know God, because God is love.
9 In this was manifested the love of God in us, because His Son -- the only begotten -- hath God sent to the world, that we may live through him;
10 in this is the love, not that we loved God, but that He did love us, and did send His Son a propitiation for our sins.
11 Beloved, if thus did God love us, we also ought one another to love;
12 God no one hath ever seen; if we may love one another, God in us doth remain, and His love is having been perfected in us;
13 in this we know that in Him we do remain, and He in us, because of His Spirit He hath given us.
14 And we -- we have seen and do testify, that the Father hath sent the Son -- Saviour of the world;
15 whoever may confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God in him doth remain, and he in God;
16 and we -- we have known and believed the love, that God hath in us; God is love, and he who is remaining in the love, in God he doth remain, and God in him.
17 In this made perfect hath been the love with us, that boldness we may have in the day of the judgment, because even as He is, we -- we also are in this world;
18 fear is not in the love, but the perfect love doth cast out the fear, because the fear hath punishment, and he who is fearing hath not been made perfect in the love;
19 we -- we love him, because He -- He first loved us;
20 if any one may say -- `I love God,' and his brother he may hate, a liar he is; for he who is not loving his brother whom he hath seen, God -- whom he hath not seen -- how is he able to love?
21 and this [is] the command we have from Him, that he who is loving God, may also love his brother.
Everyone who accepts that Jesus is the Messiah has God as His father, and everyone who loves a father loves his offspring too.
Here is how we know that we love God’s children: when we love God, we also do what He says.
For loving God means obeying His commands. Moreover, His commands are not extremely difficult,
because everything which has God as its Father overcomes worldliness. And this is what victoriously overcomes the world: our trust.
Who would overcome the world if not the person who accepts that Jesus is the Son of God?
He is the one who came by means of water and blood, Jesus the Messiah — not with water only, but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit bears witness, because the Spirit is the truth.
There are 3 witnesses —
the Spirit, the water and the blood — and these 3 are in agreement.
If we accept human witness, God’s witness is even stronger, because it is the witness which God has given concerning His Son.
Those who keep trusting in the Son of God have this witness within them. Those who do not keep trusting God have made Him out to be a liar, because they have not trusted in the witness which God has provided concerning His Son.
And this is the witness: God has given us eternal life, and this life is through His Son.
Those who possess the Son have the life; those who do not have the Son of God do not have the life.
I have written you these things so that you may know that you possess eternal life — you who keep trusting in the person and power of the Son of God.
This is the confidence we have in His presence: if we ask anything that agrees with His will, He hears us.
And if we know that He hears us — whatever we ask — then we know that we have what we have asked from Him.
If anyone observes his brother committing a sin that does not cause death, he will ask; and God will give him life for those whose sinning does which does not cause death. There is sin which causes death; I am not saying he should pray about that.
All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not cause death.
We know that everyone who has God as his Father does not live in sin; quite the contrary, the Son born of God protects him, and the Evil One does not touch him.
We realize that we are godly, and that the whole world lies in the control of the Evil One.
And we realize that the Son of God has arrived and has provided to us discernment, so that we may know who is genuine; additionally, we are joined with the One who is genuine, united with His Son Jesus the Messiah. He is the genuine God and eternal life.
Children, guard yourselves against false gods!
Young's Literal Translation (YLT)
1 Every one who is believing that Jesus is the Christ, of God he hath been begotten, and every one who is loving Him who did beget, doth love also him who is begotten of Him:
2 in this we know that we love the children of God, when we may love God, and His commands may keep;
3 for this is the love of God, that His commands we may keep, and His commands are not burdensome;
4 because every one who is begotten of God doth overcome the world, and this is the victory that did overcome the world -- our faith;
5 who is he who is overcoming the world, if not he who is believing that Jesus is the Son of God?
6 This one is he who did come through water and blood -- Jesus the Christ, not in the water only, but in the water and the blood; and the Spirit it is that is testifying, because the Spirit is the truth,
7 because three are who are testifying [in the heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, and these -- the three -- are one;
8 and three are who are testifying in the earth], the Spirit, and the water, and the blood, and the three are into the one.
9 If the testimony of men we receive, the testimony of God is greater, because this is the testimony of God that He hath testified concerning His Son.
10 He who is believing in the Son of God, hath the testimony in himself; he who is not believing God, a liar hath made Him, because he hath not believed in the testimony that God hath testified concerning His Son;
11 and this is the testimony, that life age-during did God give to us, and this -- the life -- is in His Son;
12 he who is having the Son, hath the life; he who is not having the Son of God -- the life he hath not.
13 These things I did write to you who are believing in the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that life ye have age-during, and that ye may believe in the name of the Son of God.
14 And this is the boldness that we have toward Him, that if anything we may ask according to his will, He doth hear us,
15 and if we have known that He doth hear us, whatever we may ask, we have known that we have the requests that we have requested from Him.
16 If any one may see his brother sinning a sin not unto death, he shall ask, and He shall give to him life to those sinning not unto death; there is sin to death, not concerning it do I speak that he may beseech;
17 all unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not unto death.
18 We have known that every one who hath been begotten of God doth not sin, but he who was begotten of God doth keep himself, and the evil one doth not touch him;
19 we have known that of God we are, and the whole world in the evil doth lie;
20 and we have known that the Son of God is come, and hath given us a mind, that we may know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ; this one is the true God and the life age-during!
21 Little children, guard yourselves from the idols! Amen.
Next up is 2nd and 3rd John. These two Epistles were written sometime between A.D. 90-105.
From The New King James Version:
2 John (NKJV)
1 The Elder,
To the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all those who have known the truth, 2 because of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever:
3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you[a] from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
4 I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father. 5 And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another. 6 This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.
7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.
9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; 11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.
12 Having many things to write to you, I did not wish to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.
13 The children of your elect sister greet you. Amen.
3 John (NKJV)
1 The Elder,
To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth:
2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. 3 For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.[a]
5 Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, 6 who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well, 7 because they went forth for His name’s sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. 8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth.
9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us. 10 Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church.
11 Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.
12 Demetrius has a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself. And we also bear witness, and you know that our testimony is true.
13 I had many things to write, but I do not wish to write to you with pen and ink; 14 but I hope to see you shortly, and we shall speak face to face.
Peace to you. Our friends greet you. Greet the friends by name.
"And I've said it before, you want to know what Joseph Smith looked like in Nauvoo, just look at Trump." - Fence Sitter
To: Kyria (church/chosen/elect) and her children (believers), whom I love through the truth — and not only I but also all who have come to realize the Truth —
because of the Truth which stays joined with us and will be with us forever:
Grace, mercy and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus the Messiah, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
I was very happy when I found some of your children living in truth, just as the Father commanded us.
And now, dear lady, I am requesting that we love one another — not as if this were a new command I am writing you, for it is the one which we have had to start with.
Additionally, love equals the following: that we should live according to His commands. This is the command, as you people have heard from the start; live by it!
For many deceivers have ventured out into the world, people who do not accept Jesus the Messiah’s arrival as a human being. Such a person is a deceiver and an anti-messiah.
Watch yourselves, so that you won’t lose what you have labored for, but will receive your complete reward.
Everyone who goes ahead and does not remain true to what the Messiah has taught does not possess God. Those who remain true to his teaching have both the Father and the Son.
If someone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, don’t welcome him into your home. Don’t even say, “Peace!” to him;
for the person who says, “Peace!” to him shares in his evil deeds.
Although I have a lot to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to come and see you and to talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be total.
The children of your selected sister send you their greetings.
Young's Literal Translation (YLT)
1 The Elder to the choice Kyria, and to her children, whom I love in truth, and not I only, but also all those having known the truth,
2 because of the truth that is remaining in us, and with us shall be to the age,
3 there shall be with you grace, kindness, peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
4 I rejoiced exceedingly that I have found of thy children walking in truth, even as a command we did receive from the Father;
5 and now I beseech thee, Kyria, not as writing to thee a new command, but which we had from the beginning, that we may love one another,
6 and this is the love, that we may walk according to His commands; this is the command, even as ye did hear from the beginning, that in it ye may walk,
7 because many leading astray did enter into the world, who are not confessing Jesus Christ coming in flesh; this one is he who is leading astray, and the antichrist.
8 See to yourselves that ye may not lose the things that we wrought, but a full reward may receive;
9 every one who is transgressing, and is not remaining in the teaching of the Christ, hath not God; he who is remaining in the teaching of the Christ, this one hath both the Father and the Son;
10 if any one doth come unto you, and this teaching doth not bear, receive him not into the house, and say not to him, `Hail!'
11 for he who is saying to him, `Hail,' hath fellowship with his evil works.
12 Many things having to write to you, I did not intend through paper and ink, but I hope to come unto you, and speak mouth to mouth, that our joy may be full;
13 salute thee do the children of thy choice sister. Amen
Dear friend, I am praying that everything goes well with you and that you are healthy, as I know you are prospering spiritually.
For I was so happy when some brothers came and testified how faithful you are to the truth, as you continue living truthfully.
Nothing gives me greater joy than hearing that my children are living the truth.
Dear friend, you are faithful in all the work you are handling for the brethren, even though strangers to you.
They have testified to your love before the congregation. You will be doing well if you send them on their way in a manner worthy of God,
since it was for the sake of His name that they went out without accepting anything from the Gentiles.
It's us, therefore, who should assist such people; so that we may share in their work for the truth.
I wrote something to the congregation; but Diotrephes, who likes to play the leader among them, doesn’t recognize our authority.
So if I arrive, I will bring up everything he 's doing, including his spiteful and groundless gossip concerning us. And as if that weren’t enough for him, he also refuses to recognize the brethren’s authority; additionally, he stops those who want to do so and tries to remove them from the congregation!
Dear friend, don’t imitate what's bad, but the good. Those who do what is good are of God; those who do what is bad are not from God.
Everyone speaks highly of Demetrius, and so does the truth itself. We vouch for him, and you know that our testimony is true.
I have much to write you, but I don’t want to write with pen and ink.
However, I am hoping to see you shortly, and we will speak face to face.
Peace to you. Your friends send you greetings. Greet each of our friends by name.
Young's Literal Translation (YLT)
1 The Elder to Gaius the beloved, whom I love in truth!
2 beloved, concerning all things I desire thee to prosper, and to be in health, even as thy soul doth prosper,
3 for I rejoiced exceedingly, brethren coming and testifying of the truth in thee, even as thou in truth dost walk;
4 greater than these things I have no joy, that I may hear of my children in truth walking.
5 Beloved, faithfully dost thou do whatever thou mayest work to the brethren and to the strangers,
6 who did testify of thy love before an assembly, whom thou wilt do well, having sent forward worthily of God,
7 because for [His] name they went forth, nothing receiving from the nations;
8 we, then, ought to receive such, that fellow-workers we may become to the truth.
9 I did write to the assembly, but he who is loving the first place among them -- Diotrephes -- doth not receive us;
10 because of this, if I may come, I will cause him to remember his works that he doth, with evil words prating against us; and not content with these, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and those intending he doth forbid, and out of the assembly he doth cast.
11 Beloved, be not thou following that which is evil, but that which is good; he who is doing good, of God he is, and he who is doing evil hath not seen God;
12 to Demetrius testimony hath been given by all, and by the truth itself, and we also -- we do testify, and ye have known that our testimony is true.
13 Many things I had to write, but I do not wish through ink and pen to write to thee,
14 and I hope straightway to see thee, and mouth to mouth we shall speak. Peace to thee! salute thee do the friends; be saluting the friends by name.
From: Judas, a servant of Jesus the Messiah and a brother of Ya‘akov/James
To: Those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and held for Jesus the Messiah:
May you have heaps of mercy, love and peace.
Dear friends, I was busily at work writing to you about this salvation we share, when I found it necessary to write, imploring you to keep fighting earnestly for the faith which was once and for all passed on to God’s people.
For certain individuals, the ones written about long ago --- meant for this condemnation, have wormed their way in — ungodly people who pervert God’s grace into a license for debauchery and disavowal our only Master and Lord, Jesus the Messiah.
Since you already understand all this, my intent is only to remind you that the Lord, who once delivered the people from Egypt, later destroyed those who did not trust.
And the angels that did not stay within their original authority, but abandoned their proper sphere, He keeps in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for the Great Day of Judgment.
And Sodom, Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, following a pattern like theirs, committing sexual sins and perversions, lie humiliated as a warning of the everlasting fire awaiting those who will be punished.
Similarly, these people, with their visions, defile their own flesh, despise godly authority and insult angelic beings.
When Michael, one of the ruling angels, took issue with Satan, arguing over Moses' body, Michael did not dare bring against Satan an insulting charge, but said, “May the Lord rebuke you.”
However, these people insult anything they don’t understand; and what they do understand naturally, instinctively, like animals — by these things they are destroyed!
Misery to them, in that they have walked the road of Cain, they have rushed to sell themselves for money as the error of Balaam, they have been destroyed in the rebellion of Korah.
These men are a filthy blite at your festive gatherings meant to foster love; they share your meals without an issue, while caring only for themselves. They are waterless clouds carried along by the winds; trees without fruit even in autumn, and doubly dead because they have been uprooted;
Stormy sea-waves heaving forth their shameful deeds like foam; wandering stars for whom the blackest darkness has been reserved forever.
Additionally, Enoch, in the 7th generation starting at Adam, also prophesied concerning these men, saying, “Look! The Lord came with His innumerable holy ones
to execute judgment against everyone, that is, to convict all the godless for their godless deeds which they have done in such a godless way, and for all the harsh words these godless sinners have spoken against Him.”
These people are grumblers and complainers, they follow their evil passions, their mouths speak grandiose, and they flatter others to gain advantage.
But you, dear friends, keep in mind the words spoken in advance by the apostles of our Lord Jesus the Messiah.
They told you, “During the last days there will be scoffers following their after own godless pleasures.”
These are the people who cause splits. They are manipulated by their impulses, because they don’t possess the Spirit.
However you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith, and pray united with the Holy Spirit.
Thus keep yourselves in God’s love, as you wait for our Lord Jesus the Messiah to hand you the mercy that leads to eternal life.
Rebuke some who dispute!
Save others, snatching them out of the fire; and yet to others, display mercy, but with fear, dispising even the clothes stained by their vices.
Now, to the One who can keep you from falling and place you without defect and full of joy in the presence of His glory —
to God only, our Deliverer, through Jesus the Messiah, our Lord — be glory, majesty, might and authority before all time, from now until forever. So be it.
Young's Literal Translation (YLT)
1 Judas, of Jesus Christ a servant, and brother of James, to those sanctified in God the Father, and in Jesus Christ kept -- called,
2 kindness to you, and peace, and love, be multiplied!
3 Beloved, all diligence using to write to you concerning the common salvation, I had necessity to write to you, exhorting to agonize for the faith once delivered to the saints,
4 for there did come in unobserved certain men, long ago having been written beforehand to this judgment, impious, the grace of our God perverting to lasciviousness, and our only Master, God, and Lord -- Jesus Christ -- denying,
5 and to remind you I intend, you knowing once this, that the Lord, a people out of the land of Egypt having saved, again those who did not believe did destroy;
6 messengers also, those who did not keep their own principality, but did leave their proper dwelling, to a judgment of a great day, in bonds everlasting, under darkness He hath kept,
7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them, in like manner to these, having given themselves to whoredom, and gone after other flesh, have been set before -- an example, of fire age- during, justice suffering.
8 In like manner, nevertheless, those dreaming also the flesh indeed do defile, and lordship they put away, and dignities they speak evil of,
9 yet Michael, the chief messenger, when, with the devil contending, he was disputing about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring up an evil-speaking judgment, but said, `The Lord rebuke thee!'
10 and these, as many things indeed as they have not known, they speak evil of; and as many things as naturally (as the irrational beasts) they understand, in these they are corrupted;
11 wo to them! because in the way of Cain they did go on, and to the deceit of Balaam for reward they did rush, and in the gainsaying of Korah they did perish.
12 These are in your love-feasts craggy rocks; feasting together with you, without fear shepherding themselves; clouds without water, by winds carried about; trees autumnal, without fruit, twice dead, rooted up;
13 wild waves of a sea, foaming out their own shames; stars going astray, to whom the gloom of the darkness to the age hath been kept.
14 And prophesy also to these did the seventh from Adam -- Enoch -- saying, `Lo, the Lord did come in His saintly myriads,
15 to do judgment against all, and to convict all their impious ones, concerning all their works of impiety that they did impiously, and concerning all the stiff things that speak against Him did impious sinners.'
16 These are murmurers, repiners; according to their desires walking, and their mouth doth speak great swellings, giving admiration to persons for the sake of profit;
17 and ye, beloved, remember ye the sayings spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ:
18 that they said to you, that in the last time there shall be scoffers, after their own desires of impieties going on,
19 these are those setting themselves apart, natural men, the Spirit not having.
20 And ye, beloved, on your most holy faith building yourselves up, in the Holy Spirit praying,
21 yourselves in the love of God keep ye, waiting for the kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ -- to life age-during;
22 and to some be kind, judging thoroughly,
23 and some in fear save ye, out of the fire snatching, hating even the coat from the flesh spotted.
24 And to Him who is able to guard you not stumbling, and to set [you] in the presence of His glory unblemished, in gladness,
25 to the only wise God our Saviour, [is] glory and greatness, power and authority, both now and to all the ages! Amen.
Irenaeus (A.D. 180), a student of Polycarp (a disciple of the apostle John), wrote that the apocalyptic vision “was seen not very long ago, almost in our own generation, at the close of the reign of Domitian” Against Heresies 30. The testimony of Irenaeus, not long after the apostolic age, is first rate. Irenaeus places Revelation near the end of Domitian’s reign --- who died in A.D. 96. Irenaeus seems unaware of any other view for the date of the book of Revelation.
This is the revelation of Jesus the Messiah presented by God, so that He could show His servants what must occur quickly. He communicated it by sending His angel to His servant John.
John carried the witness regarding both the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus the Messiah, as much as He observed.
Blessed are the reader and hearers of the words of this prophecy, as long as they obey the things written in it! For the time is close!
From: John
To: The 7 Messianic congregations in the province of Asia:
Grace and peace to you from the One who is, was and is on the way --- from the 7 Spirits before His throne;
and from Jesus the Messiah, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the Monarch of the earth’s rulers.
To Him, the One who loves us, who has separated us from our sins at the price of His blood,
who has made of us a nation, that is, of priests for God, His Father — to Him be the glory and the rulership forever and always. So be it.
Observe! He is arriving with the clouds! Every eye will observe Him --- this includes those who pierced Him; and all the families of the Land will weep concerning Him. Absolutely! So be it!
“I am the ‘A’ to ‘Z,’” says the Lord, God of heaven’s armies, the One who is, was and is on the way.
I, John, am a brother of yours and a fellow-sharer in the suffering, kingship and persistence that comes from being joined with Jesus. I had been exiled to an island named Patmos for having proclaimed the message of God and borne witness to Jesus.
I came to be, in the Spirit, on the Day of the Lord; and I heard in back of me a loud voice, like a trumpet,
saying, “Write down what you observe on a scroll, and send it to the 7 Messianic congregations — Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea!”
I turned around to see who was talking to me; and when I had turned, I saw 7 gold menorahs;
and among the menorahs was someone in the appearance of a Son of Man, wearing a robe down to his feet and a gold band about his chest.
His head and hair were as white as snow-white wool. His eyes like a burning flame.
His feet like burnished brass refined in a furnace, and his voice like the sound of rapids.
In His right hand He possessed 7 stars
Out of His mouth poignantly proceeded what both helped and hurt. And His face was like the sun at its most brilliant
When I saw Him, I fell down at His feet like a corpse. He placed his right hand upon me and said, “Fear not! I am the Start and the Finale,
the Living One. I was dead, but see! — I am alive forever and always! And I hold the keys to Death and Hell.
So write down what you observe, both what is present, and what will happen in the future.
Here is the hidden understanding concerning the 7 stars you saw in My right hand, and the 7 gold menorahs: the 7 stars ---- the angels of the 7 Messianic congregations, the 7 menorahs --- the 7 Messianic congregations.
Young's Literal Translation (YLT)
1 A revelation of Jesus Christ, that God gave to him, to shew to his servants what things it behoveth to come to pass quickly; and he did signify [it], having sent through his messenger to his servant John,
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.
7 Lo, he doth come with the clouds, and see him shall every eye, even those who did pierce him, and wail because of him shall all the tribes of the land. Yes! Amen!
8 `I am the Alpha and the Omega, beginning and end, saith the Lord, who is, and who was, and who is coming -- the Almighty.'
9 I, John, who also [am] your brother, and fellow-partner in the tribulation, and in the reign and endurance, of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, because of the word of God, and because of the testimony of Jesus Christ;
10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's-day, and I heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, saying,
11 `I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last;' and, `What thou dost see, write in a scroll, and send to the seven assemblies that [are] in Asia; to Ephesus, and to Smyrna, and to Pergamos, and to Thyatira, and to Sardis, and to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.'
12 And I did turn to see the voice that did speak with me, and having turned, I saw seven golden lamp-stands,
13 and in the midst of the seven lamp-stands, [one] like to a son of man, clothed to the foot, and girt round at the breast with a golden girdle,
14 and his head and hairs white, as if white wool -- as snow, and his eyes as a flame of fire;
15 and his feet like to fine brass, as in a furnace having been fired, and his voice as a sound of many waters,
16 and having in his right hand seven stars, and out of his mouth a sharp two-edged sword is proceeding, and his countenance [is] as the sun shining in its might.
17 And when I saw him, I did fall at his feet as dead, and he placed his right hand upon me, saying to me, `Be not afraid; I am the First and the Last,
18 and he who is living, and I did become dead, and, lo, I am living to the ages of the ages. Amen! and I have the keys of the hades and of the death.
19 `Write the things that thou hast seen, and the things that are, and the things that are about to come after these things;
20 the secret of the seven stars that thou hast seen upon my right hand, and the seven golden lamp-stands: the seven stars are messengers of the seven assemblies, and the seven lamp-stands that thou hast seen are seven assemblies.