Rev 1:16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. (KJV)

Rev 1:16 He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came out of his mouth. His face was as bright as the midday sun. (GNB)

Rev 1:16 In His right hand He held seven stars, and from His mouth there came forth a sharp two-edged sword, and His face was like the sun shining in full power at midday. (AMP)

"Stars" is aster, "star (as strown over the sky), literally or figuratively: - star." (STRONG J) Jesus used "star" figuratively here to represent the "angels" (messengers or pastors) of the seven churches (See verse 20 below).

Strictly, a large Thracian broadsword. Used in Septuagint of the sword of Goliath (1 Samuel 17:51). A figure of Mary's pang when her son should be nailed to the cross [Vincent's commentary on Luke 2:35]. (VINCENT)

The (Greek order is a sword, two-edged, sharp. For the peculiar word for sword see on Luk_2:35. Two-edged is, literally, two-mouthed. (VINCENT)

The phrase "two mouthed" probably comes from the sword being a devourer. "Sharp" is oxus, "keen; by analogy rapid: - sharp, swift." The sword is an instrument of war and execution. Here, "sword" is used figuratively to represent the rhema "spoken Word of God." The sword is "two mouthed" and it proceeds from Jesus' mouth. Jesus will speak to the (1) saints to correct them. (2) Then, He will give the order to destroy the forces of evil. (See my comments on "the sword of the Spirit" Ephesians 6:17b-20 in my ebook, Ephesians.)

Jesus role has changed from his role on earth as Sacrificial Lamb. He is pictured as one who will bring swift judgment on fallen angels and humans who have rejected him.

Rev 1:17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

Rev 1:17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. (NIV)

Throughout the Old and New Testaments, down through history and in our time, many times when God manifests His presence, human beings cannot stand upright. They go "out under the power of the Holy Spirit." Paul had a similar experience on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3-6).

This epithet is three times ascribed to Jehovah by Isaiah (Isa_41:4; Isa_44:6; Isa_48:12); three times in this book [by John] (here, Rev_2:8; Rev_22:13). Richard of St. Victor comments thus: "I am the first and the last. First through creation, last through retribution. First, because before me a God was not formed; last, because after me there shall not be another. First, because all things are from me; last, because all things are to me; from me the beginning, to me the end. First, because I am the cause of origin; last, because I am the judge and the end" (cited by Trench). (VINCENT)

Thus, Jesus has the same attributes that were ascribed to YAHWEH.

Jesus told John to "Fear not." Jesus repeated this phrase numerous times in the New Testament. We are to reverence God, but not to fear Him as Judge, because He has already judged us--on the basis of Jesus' shed blood, God has declared us to be right with himself. God designed us to live in peace and love--not fear and hatred. Fear, anxiety and hatred will make us sick (See Chapter 11 of my ebook, How to Raise Your Self-Esteem Using Proven Biblical Principles.)

Rev 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

Rev 1:18 and the living [one], and I became dead and behold living I am unto [into] the ages of the ages, and I have the keys of [the] death and of [the] hades. (MARSHALL)

Rev 1:18 And the Ever-living One [I am living in the eternity of the eternities]. I died, but see, I am alive forevermore; and I possess the keys of death and Hades (the realm of the dead). (AMP)

Rev 1:18 I am the living one! I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever. I have authority over death and the world of the dead. (GNB)

Verse 18 is the continuation of the sentence in verse 17:

Not a fresh sentence connected with the following words as in A.V., but connected with the first and the last by kai "and." Rev., and the living One. Compare Joh_1:4; Joh_14:6; Joh_5:26. (VINCENT)

Jesus gave His physical life for us. He is both fully God and fully human. His human body died at Calvary, but His human spirit continued to live--human spirits never die. As God, He never ceased to exist, because He lives in eternity. God is Spirit, has never died and never will. He is ever living--He ever was, He ever is and He ever will be. He the Creator of all life and the One Who sustains all life.

used of (a) the death of the body, cp. Jas. 2:26, its most frequent sense: (b) the actual spiritual condition of unsaved men, Matt. 8:22; John 5:25; Eph. 2:1,5; 5:14; Phil. 3:11; Col. 2:13; cp. Luke 15:24: (c) the ideal spiritual condition of believers in regard to sin, Rom. 6:11: (d) a church in declension, inasmuch as in that state it is inactive and barren, Rev. 3:1: (e) sin, which apart from law cannot produce a sense of guilt, Rom. 7:8: (f) the body of the believer in contrast to his spirit, Rom. 8:10: (g) the works of the Law, inasmuch as, however good in themselves, Rom. 7:13, they cannot produce life, Heb. 6:1; 9:14: (h) the faith that does not produce works, Jas. 2:17,26; cp. ver. 20. [From Notes on Nave's Topical Bible, Thessalonians, by Hogg and Vine, p. 143.]

(B-1,Verb,3499, nekroo)
"to put to death NTB ," is used in the Active Voice in the sense of destroying the strength of, depriving of power, with reference to the evil desires which work in the body, Col. 3:5. In the Passive Voice it is used of Abraham's body as being "as good as dead," Rom. 4:19 with Heb. 11:12. (VINE)

"death," is used in Scripture of: (a) the separation of the soul (the spiritual part of man) from the body (the material part), the latter ceasing to function and turning to dust , e.g., John 11:13; Heb. 2:15; 5:7; 7:23. In Heb. 9:15, the AV, "by means of death" is inadequate; the RV, "a death having taken place" is in keeping with the subject. In Rev. 13:3,12, the RV, "death-stroke" (AV, "deadly wound") is, lit., "the stroke of death" (b) the separation of man from God; Adam died on the day he disobeyed God , Gen. 2:17, and hence all mankind are born in the same spiritual condition, Rom. 5:12,14,17,21, from which, however, those who believe in Christ are delivered, John 5:24; 1 John 3:14. "Death " is the opposite of life; it never denotes nonexistence. As spiritual life is "conscious existence in communion with God ," so spiritual "death " is "conscious existence in separation from God."

"Death, in whichever of the above-mentioned senses it is used, is always, in Scripture, viewed as the penal consequence of sin , and since sinners alone are subject to death , Rom. 5:12, it was as the Bearer of sin that the Lord Jesus submitted thereto on the Cross , 1 Pet. 2:24. And while the physical death of the Lord Jesus was of the essence of His sacrifice, it was not the whole. The darkness symbolized, and His cry expressed, the fact that He was left alone in the Universe, He was 'forsaken;' cp. Matt. 27:45,46." * [* From Notes on Nave's Topical Bible Thessalonians, by Hogg and Vine , p. 134.] (VINE)

"For evermore" is eis tous aionas ton aionon, "into the ages of the ages," i.e., eternity. (See Revelation 1:6 above.)

"the region of departed spirits of the lost" (but including the blessed dead in periods preceding the ascension of Christ). It has been thought by some that the word etymologically meant "the unseen" (from a, negative, and eido, "to see"), but this derivation is questionable; a more probable derivation is from hado, signifying "all-receiving." It corresponds to Sheol in the OT. (VINE)

Thank God that He raised Jesus from the dead, signifying that He had accepted Jesus death for us! Through faith in Jesus, God gave us eternal life!

Rev 1:19Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;

Rev 1:19 Write, then, the things you see, both the things that are now and the things that will happen afterward. (GNB)

Rev 1:19 Write therefore the things you see, what they are [and signify] and what is to take place hereafter. (AMP)

"Write" is grapho, a verb, "write," aorist tense, active voice, imperative mood, "write immediately." Jesus commands John to write down immediately what He is revealing.

"Hast seen" is eido, a verb, "see," second aorist, active, indicative, "have seen." Jesus is telling John to write immediately the part of the revelation after he receives it.

Vincent explains the two phrases, "the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter":

The things which are (ha eisin) Some render, what they are; i.e., what they signify; but the reference of meta tauta after these, hereafter to ha eisin which are, seems to be decisive in favor of the former rendering, which besides is the more natural.

Shall be (mellei ginesthai) Not the future of the verb to be, but are about (mellei) to come to pass (ginesthai). Compare Rev_1:1, "must come to pass." Here the thought is not the prophetic necessity, but the sequence of events. (VINCENT)

Rev 1:20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

Rev 1:20 As to the hidden meaning (the mystery) of the seven stars which you saw on My right hand and the seven lampstands of gold: the seven stars are the seven angels (messengers) of the seven assemblies (churches) and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. (AMP)

Rev 1:20 Here is the secret meaning of the seven stars that you see in my right hand, and of the seven gold lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. (GNB)

Rev 1:20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. (NIV)

"Angels" is a transliteration of aggelos, "an angel, a messenger." The messenger can be a spirit being whom we call "angel" or it can be a human being. God assigns angels for individuals and groups as He sees fit. The seven churches probably did have angels for their protection:

14 What are the angels, then? They are spirits who serve God and are sent by him to help those who are to receive salvation. (Hebrews 1:14, GNB)

The context determines these messengers to be pastors of the seven churches.

Jesus plainly identifies "seven candlesticks/lampstands" as the seven churches.

John Wesley gives this commentary:

St. John knew better than we do, in how many respects these stars were a proper emblem of those angels: how nearly they resembled each other, and how far they differed in magnitude, brightness, & other circumstances. The seven stars are angels of the seven churches-mentioned in Rev_1:11. In each church there was one pastor or ruling minister, to whom all the rest were subordinate. This pastor, bishop, or overseer, had the peculiar care over that flock: on him the prosperity of that congregation in a great measure depended, and he was to answer for all those souls at the judgment seat of Christ. And the seven candlesticks are seven churches - How significant an emblem is this! For a candlestick, though of gold, has no light of itself; neither has any church, or child of man. But they receive from Christ the light of truth, holiness, comfort, that it may shine to all around them. As soon as this was spoken St. John wrote it down, even all that is contained in this first chapter. Afterwards what was contained in the second and third chapters was dictated to him in like manner. (WESLEY)

End of Chapter One