English
John, to the seven assemblies in Asia. Grace and peace to you,
Interpretation
The visionary content of the book is couched in an epistolary framework. The author identifies himself by the name John. This man was not the author of either the Gospel of John nor the three Letters of John. If the author’s name is authentic, the man is otherwise unknown to history. However, it is possible the Revelation of John is a pseudepigraphical work, intended by a pseudonymous author to be the apostle John son of Zebedee. Nearly all known apocalyptic texts from the period are pseudepigraphical, such as the Revelation of Abraham or the Revelation of Peter. Framing the book as an epistle could have been inspired by the popularity of such apostolic letters in circulation during the late first and early second centuries CE.
Parallels
1 Thessalonians
1.1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the assembly of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus, the Anointed One. Grace and peace to you.
1 Corinthians
1.1–2 Paul, called to be an apostle of the Anointed Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, to the assembly of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in the Anointed Jesus, called to be holy ones, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, both their Lord and ours. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus, the Anointed One.
2 Corinthians
1.1–2 Paul, an apostle of the Anointed Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the assembly of God that is in Corinth, including all the holy ones throughout Achaia. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus, the Anointed One.
Galatians
1.1–3 Paul an apostle—sent neither by human commission nor from human authorities, but through Jesus the Anointed One and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—and all the members of God’s family who are with me, to the assemblies of Galatia. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus, the Anointed One,
Philippians
1.1–2 Paul and Timothy, servants of the Anointed Jesus, to all the holy ones in the Anointed Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus, the Anointed One.
Romans
1.1–7 Paul—a slave of Jesus the Anointed One, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, the gospel concerning his son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be son of God with power according to the holy spirit by resurrection from the dead, Jesus the Anointed One our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the nations for the sake of his name, including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus the Anointed One—to all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be holy ones. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus, the Anointed One.
2 Thessalonians
1.1–2 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the assembly of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus, the Anointed One. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus, the Anointed One.
James
1.1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, to the twelve tribes in the Diaspora. Greetings.
1 Peter
1.1–2 Peter, an apostle of Jesus the Anointed One, to the exiles of the Diaspora in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who have been chosen and destined by God the Father and sanctified by the spirit to be obedient to Jesus the Anointed One and to be sprinkled with his blood. May grace and peace be yours in abundance.
Colossians
1.1–2 Paul, an apostle of the Anointed Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the holy ones and faithful brothers and sisters in the Anointed One in Colossae. Grace and peace to you from God our Father.
Ephesians
1.1–2 Paul, an apostle of the Anointed Jesus by the will of God, to the holy ones who are faithful in the Anointed Jesus. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus, the Anointed One.
Judah
1–2 Judah, a servant of Jesus the Anointed One and brother of James, to those who are called, who are beloved in God the Father and kept safe for Jesus the Anointed One. May mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance.
2 John
1–3 The elder, to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth, and not only I but also all who know the truth, because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us for ever. Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus the Anointed One, the Father’s son, in truth and love.
1 Timothy
1.1–2 Paul, an apostle of the Anointed Jesus by the command of God our savior and of the Anointed Jesus our hope, to Timothy, my loyal child in the faith. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Anointed Jesus, our Lord.
2 Timothy
1.1–2 Paul, an apostle of the Anointed Jesus by the will of God, for the sake of the promise of life that is in the Anointed Jesus, to Timothy, my beloved child. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Anointed Jesus, our Lord.
Titus
1.1–4 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus the Anointed One, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that is in accordance with godliness, in the hope of eternal life that God, who never lies, promised before the ages began—in due time he revealed his word through the proclamation with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our savior, to Titus, my loyal child in the faith we share. Grace and peace from God the Father and the Anointed Jesus, our savior.
2 Peter
1.1–2 Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus the Anointed One, to those who have received a faith as precious as ours through the righteousness of our God and savior Jesus the Anointed One. May grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.