1This is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things which must happen soon, which he sent and made known by his angel to his servant, John, 2who testified to God’s word and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, about everything that he saw.
3Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written in it, for the time is near.
4John, to the seven assemblies that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from God, who is and who was and who is to come; and from the seven Spirits who are before his throne; 5and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood— 6and he made us to be a Kingdom, priests to his God and Father—to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
7Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, including those who pierced him. All the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. Even so, Amen.
8“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
9I John, your brother and partner with you in the oppression, Kingdom, and perseverance in Christ Jesus, was on the isle that is called Patmos because of God’s Word and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, like a trumpet 11saying, “What you see, write in a book and send to the seven assemblies: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”
12I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. Having turned, I saw seven golden lamp stands. 13And among the lamp stands was one like a son of man, clothed with a robe reaching down to his feet, and with a golden sash around his chest. 14His head and his hair were white as white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire. 15His feet were like burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace. His voice was like the voice of many waters. 16He had seven stars in his right hand. Out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest. 17When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man.
He laid his right hand on me, saying, “Don’t be afraid. I am the first and the last, 18and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades. 19Write therefore the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will happen hereafter. 20The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lamp stands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven assemblies. The seven lamp stands are seven assemblies.
A city in western Turkey (formerly Asia Minor and Anatolia) in the Lycos Valley in the Roman province of Phrygia. Laodicea was one of the seven congregations of Revelation (1:11, 3:14), a congregation possibly founded by Epaphras (Col 1:7 and 4:13). The city of Laodicea (Ad Lycum) had been founded by Antiochus II (261-246 BC) of Syria who named it after his wife Laodike; and he populated it with Syrians and with Jews, the latter which were transplanted from Babylonia. Laodicea, naturally lying on the major southern Anatolian highway and at a key junction, began to flourish after the Roman province of Asia was formed in 190 B.C. Thus Laodicea was especially known for its: fine black wool, Phrygian powder for the eyes manufactured there (Rev 3:18), and renowned school of medicine. An earthquake in AD 60 almost entirely destroyed Laodicea, however wealthy citizens rejected Rome’s aid and quickly rebuilt it at their own expense (see Rev 3:17). It was a city of great wealth, with extensive banking operations (see Rev 3:18). Little is known of the early history of the Messianic movement of Jews and God-fearers; however, Laodicea was made the bishopric of Phrygia and about 166 AD Sagaris, its bishop, was martyred. In 1071 Laodicea was taken by the Seljuks; in 1119 John Comnenus won it back for the Christians, and in the 13th century it fell into the hands of the Turks. The ruins, today called Eski Hissar or old castle, lie near the Turkish town Gonjelli, and they have long served as a quarry for the neighboring town of Denizli. Much can still be seen today from the Roman period, including an aqueduct bringing water across the valley by an inverted siphon of stone pipes, a theater, a stadium, a colonnade as well as a necropolis and ruins of three churches. Turkey announced in 2011 that a large church with 11 apses and a baptistery was discovered at Laodicea, tentatively dated to the fourth century. If the dating is correct, the church would have witnessed or even hosted the Council of Laodicea in AD 363-365. - BK