1:4 From John, ¹  to the seven churches that are in the province of Asia: ²  Grace and peace to you ³  from “he who is,” ⁴  and who was, and who is still to come, ⁵  and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 1:5 and from Jesus Christ – the faithful ⁶  witness, ⁷  the firstborn from among the dead, the ruler over the kings of the earth. To the one who loves us and has set us free ⁸  from our sins at the cost of ⁹  his own blood 1:6 and has appointed ¹⁰  us as a kingdom, ¹¹  as priests ¹²  serving his God and Father – to him be the glory and the power for ever and ever! ¹³  Amen.