12 I turned around to see who was talking to me, and I saw seven gold lampstands,
13 and among them there was what looked like a human being, wearing a robe that reached to his feet, and a gold band around his chest.
14 His hair was white as wool, or as snow, and his eyes blazed like fire;
15 his feet shone like brass that has been refined and polished, and his voice sounded like a roaring waterfall.
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.
17 When I saw him, I fell down at his feet like a dead man. He placed his right hand on me and said, “Don't be afraid! I am the first and the last.
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.