Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is composed for seven churches in Roman Asia
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Original prompt & settings (JSON) ↗The author never calls himself an apostle. He introduces himself simply as John, a fellow sufferer on Patmos.
A circular letter with seven named destinations
The 96 on this entry is a reconstruction: no manuscript or colophon supplies a composition date.
What the text supplies instead is an address list. It places John on Patmos and commands him to write what he sees and send it to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea — a Greek work written at once as apocalypse, prophecy and circular message.
Where the conventional date comes from
Most ancient and modern commentators date the book's present form to the last years of Domitian's reign, conventionally around 95–96 CE. A substantial minority argues instead for around 64–70 CE, or for composition in stages.
Irenaeus's second-century discussion is normally read as placing the vision near the end of Domitian's reign, though its grammar has generated debate. The book itself does not name a reigning emperor.
666, or 616
One ancient textual variant changes the book's most famous number from 666 to 616.
Many scholars connect 666 and the wounded-and-returning beast with Nero. That does not by itself settle the date — Nero-return legends continued circulating after his death.
Sources
Researched 23 Aug 2026 5 sources not yet audited Date disputed
How this was checked
Researched from the web into a fact sheet and rewritten from that sheet. This article has not yet had an independent model audit. How the pipeline works →
Date disputed. Sources disagree; the research places it at ~0095.
What the sources leave uncertain
- No manuscript or colophon supplies a composition date.
- Approximately 95–96 CE is the prevailing reconstruction, not a recorded date; proposals around 64–70 CE remain part of scholarly debate.
- The book names its author only as John. Identifying him with John the apostle is an early Christian tradition, not something the text states.
- Revelation 1 places John on Patmos during the vision, but it does not independently prove where every stage of composition and editing occurred.