JMNT(i)
9 I, John, your brother and joint-participant (or: sharer of common-being/partnered-existence) within the pressure (squeezing; affliction; tribulation; oppression) and kingdom (or: reign; sovereign rule and activity) and persistent remaining-under (steadfast, humble and supportive endurance), in union with (or: within; [Griesbach and other MSS: of; originating in; pertaining to]) Jesus Christ (= [the] Messiah),
10 was within the island called Patmos because of God’s Word (or: the message which is God) and because of the testimony (witness; evidence) pertaining to and having the characteristics of Jesus Christ. I came to be (or: birthed myself; happened to be) within spirit (or: in union with [the] Spirit; in the midst of a Breath-effect) within the Day which pertains to or has the characteristics of the Lord (the Lord’s Day; = the Day of Yahweh; or, = the Day of Christ; = Christ’s Day), and I heard behind me a great voice (or: = a loud sound), as of a trumpet, saying (or: = like that of a trumpet sounding a command or a message),
11 “What you are presently observing (or: continue seeing) write into a scroll and send [it] to the seven called-out communities (or: summoned-forth congregations): into Ephesus, and into Smyrna, and into Pergamos, and into Thyatira, and into Sardis, and into Philadelphia, and into Laodicea.”
12 And so I turned upon the Voice, to see who spoke with me. And upon fully turning around, I saw seven golden lampstands,
13 and within the midst of the lampstands, One like a Son of Man (or: a son of mankind; = [the] son of Adam; = like a human being; [or: an eschatological symbol referring to such as in Dan. 7:13 and 10:5-6]), being clothed (or: invested) [with a garment] reaching to the feet; being girded about at the breasts with a golden belt.
14 Now His head and hairs [are] white, as white wool – as snow – and His eyes as a flame of fire,
15 and His feet [are] like white brass (or: bronze; fine copper) as having been set on fire in a furnace, and His Voice [is] as a roar (or: sound; voice) of many [rushing or crashing] waters. [Ezk. 1:24; 43:2]
16 Furthermore, [He is] constantly holding (or: having; possessing) [the] seven stars within His right hand, and a sharp two-mouthed (= double-edged) broadsword is continuously (or: repeatedly) proceeding (issuing forth) from out of His mouth. And His appearance (countenance; sight) continually shines as the sun, in its power.
17 And so when I saw Him, I fell toward His feet, as dead. And He placed His right hand upon me, saying, "Do not be (or: Stop) fearing (Don’t be terrified)! As for Me, I am the First and the Last (or: I Myself continuously exist being the first one as well as the Last One),
18 "even The Living One (or: and now, the One continuously living), I also brought Myself to be (or: birthed Myself) [to be] a dead one (or: I also came by Myself to be dead), and now, Look and consider! I am living on into the ages of the ages (or: the unspecified and indefinite time periods of the eons), and I constantly hold (or: have; possess) the keys of Death and of the Unseen (Greek: hades)."
19 "So then, write the things you see (or: saw), and the things presently existing (or: what they are), as well as which things are progressively about to occur (or: are now impending to be coming into existence) after these things.
20 "The secret of the seven stars which you saw upon My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are agents of (or: pertaining to; belonging to; having the qualities and characteristics of; or: folks with a message from) the seven called-out communities, and the seven lampstands are the seven communities (or: summoned-forth congregations)."