Revelation 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.
Study Note
Study Note
The risen Christ's declaration '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' grounds the entire prophetic book in the resurrection as accomplished fact. Holding 'the keys of hell and of death' (Hades and thanatos) signifies authority over the ultimate human fears — mortality and what lies beyond it. Matthew 16:19 speaks of Christ giving Peter 'keys of the kingdom'; here Christ himself retains the ultimate keys, suggesting that every other authority operates as delegation from the risen Lord who conquered death.
Other Translations
and the Living one; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.
and he who is living, and I did become dead, and, lo, I am living to the ages of the ages. Amen! and I have the keys of the hades and of the death.
And I was dead, and see, I am living for ever, and I have the keys of death and of Hell.
Cross References
For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.
He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death.
And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none …
And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth …
Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall …
Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we …
For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead …
For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all …