This verse brings to an end this section. God’s statement confirms what is said in verse 7.

I am the Alpha and the Omega: Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet (Α), and Omega is the last (Ω). Used of God they indicate the beginning and the end, God’s eternal existence and sovereignty (see 21.6; in 22.13 the words are used of Christ; and see Isa 41.4; 44.6).

Some Greek manuscripts and early versions add “the beginning and the end” as in 21.6; but these words are not genuine here.

To transliterate the Greek letters may not make much sense in some languages, no more than the equivalent first and last letters of that language’s alphabet. Something like “the first and the last” or “the beginning and the end” may be used; or else, “I cause all things to begin, and I bring all things to an end.”

Who is and who was and who is to come: see the translation comments on Rev. 1.4.

Lord: for the translation of Lord and “LORD,” see A Handbook on the Book of Ruth, page 10; A Handbook on the Book of Jonah, pages 6, 19; and A Handbook on the Book of Amos, page 66. In the Old Testament the Hebrew equivalent of the English expression “the Lord” replaced the name of God, which is rendered in English as “Yahweh” or “Jehovah.” However, for the most part the term in the New Testament refers to Jesus Christ. In many languages, in this context terms for “Lord” or “LORD” are often rendered “Chief, God,” “Elder Brother, God,” or “The one who Rules, God,” but here it will be helpful to simply say “God,” since the term for “Lord” may refer specifically to Jesus Christ.

The Almighty: “the All-powerful.” This title occurs eight more times in Revelation and appears in 2 Cor 6.18. A translation may imitate Good News Translation, Bible en français courant, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, and others and join the title to “the Lord God” instead of having it alone at the end of the sentence. Almighty is variously translated as “who has the power,” “who is all powerful,” or “who is the strongest of all.”

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• “I am the one who causes all things to begin and brings all things to an end,” says (the Lord) God who is all powerful (or, Almighty), who exists now, has always existed, and lives for ever.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Revelation to John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .