I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end!) ¹ 

“To ¹  the angel of the church in Smyrna write the following: ²  “This is the solemn pronouncement of ³  the one who is the first and the last, the one who was dead, but ⁴  came to life:

When ¹  I saw him I fell down at his feet as though I were dead, but ²  he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid! I am the first and the last,

‘I know your deeds: your love, faith, ¹  service, and steadfast endurance. ²  In fact, ³  your more recent deeds are greater than your earlier ones.

Then ¹  I saw another great and astounding sign in heaven: seven angels who have seven final plagues ²  (they are final because in them God’s anger is completed).

Then ¹  one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven final plagues came and spoke to me, ²  saying, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb!”