{Blessed} (makarios). As in  Mt 5:3ff . This endorses the
book as a whole. {He that readeth} (ho anagin(9373)k(936e)). Present
active singular articular participle of anagin(9373)k(935c) (as in  Lu
4:16 ). Christians in their public worship followed the Jewish
custom of public reading of the Scriptures ( 2Co 3:14f. ). The
church reader (anagn(9373)t(8873), lector) gradually acquired an
official position. John expects this book to be read in each of
the seven churches mentioned ( 1:4 ) and elsewhere. Today the
public reading of the Bible is an important part of worship that
is often poorly done. {They that hear} (hoi akouontes). Present
active plural articular participle of akou(935c) (the audience).
{And keep} (kai t(8872)ountes). Present active participle of
	(8872)e(935c), a common Johannine word ( 1Jo 2:4 , etc.). Cf.  Mt
7:24 . "The content of the Apocalypse is not merely prediction;
moral counsel and religious instruction are the primary burdens
of its pages" (Moffatt). {Written} (gegrammena). Perfect
passive participle of graph(935c). {For the time is at hand} (ho
gar kairos eggus). Reason for listening and keeping. On kairos
see  Mt 12:1 , time of crisis as in  1Co 7:29 . How near eggus
(at hand) is we do not know any more than we do about en tachei
(shortly) in  1:1 .