Is the Book of Revelation a forgery?

James Tabor

James D. Tabor (born 1946).
Professor in the Department of Religious Studies,
University of North Carolina, Charlotte USA

| Wikipedia: James_Tabor

My thesis is a simple one. I believe that behind the New Testament book of Revelation is potentially an older Jewish apocalyptic text that had nothing to do with Jesus or the early Christian movement.

I will attempt to identify the additions, or interpolations, made by a later Christian writer, as can often be done where original Jewish texts have had a Christian overlay. The aim being to "Christianize" a book that in its origins had nothing to do with Jesus.

JamesTabor.com/revelation

In the Book of Revelation, verses which were corrupted as later additions or interpolations are printed in ~~bold text with strike-through line~~.

Notice how the words in ~~bold text with strike-through line~~ can easily be removed from the Bible passage, and it would not detract from the structure of the overall reading.

Book of Revelation

The revelation ~~of Jesus Christ~~ which God gave ~~him~~ to show his servants what must soon take place; he made it known by sending his angel to his servant John

REVELATION 1:1

who testified to the word of God ~~and to the testimony of Jesus Christ~~ even to all that he saw.

REVELATION 1:2

Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of the prophecy, and blessed are those who hear and who keep what is written in it; for the time is near.

REVELATION 1:3

John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne,

REVELATION 1:4

~~and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood,~~

REVELATION 1:5

~~and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen~~

REVELATION 1:6

I, John, your brother who share with you ~~in Jesus~~ the persecution and the kingdom and the patient endurance, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God ~~and the testimony of Jesus~~

REVELATION 1:9

and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that is prophetically called Sodom and Egypt, ~~where also their Lord was crucified~~

REVELATION 11:8

Then the dragon was angry with the woman, and went off to make war on the rest of her children, those who keep the commandments of God ~~and hold the testimony of Jesus~~

REVELATION 12:17

Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God ~~and hold fast to the faith of Jesus~~

REVELATION 14:12

And I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints ~~and the blood of the witnesses to Jesus~~. When I saw her, I was greatly amazed.

REVELATION 17:6

Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your comrades ~~who hold the testimony of Jesus~~. Worship God! ~~For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy~~

REVELATION 19:10

Then I saw thrones, and those seated on them were given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded ~~for their testimony to Jesus and~~ for the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned ~~with Christ~~ a thousand years.

REVELATION 20:4

I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is LORD God the Almighty ~~and the Lamb~~

REVELATION 21:21

~~It is I, Jesus, who sent my angel to you with this testimony for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star~~

REVELATION 22:16

The one who testifies to these things says, Surely I am coming soon. Amen. ~~Come, Lord Jesus~~

REVELATION 22:20

~~The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen~~

REVELATION 22:21

CREDIT
https://jamestabor.com/can-a-pre-christian-version-of-the-book-of-revelation-be-recovered/

118-bible-revelation-forgery

Author: Guest • Updated: 31 Aug 2026 • 22,948 views | 1 hr ago

Say, We believe in God and what was sent down to us, and what was sent down to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and the Tribes, and what was given to Moses, Jesus and all the Prophets by their Lord
Quran 2:136

Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me
John 14:6

Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I
John 14:28

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord
Deuteronomy 6:4

The Creator of the heavens and the earth. He has made for you mates from yourselves, and for the cattle (also) mates. By this means He creates you (in the wombs)
Quran 42:11

O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians): Come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but Allah, and that we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Allah
Quran 3:64

I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me
John 5:30

Indeed, We have revealed to you, (O Muhammad), as We revealed to Noah and the prophets after him. And we revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, the Descendants, Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon, and to David We gave the book (of Psalms)
Quran 4:163

Blessed be He Who has placed in the heaven big stars, and has placed therein a great lamp (sun), and a moon giving light. And He it is Who has put the night and the day in succession
Quran 25:61

He (Jesus) Himself stood in their midst and said to them, Peace be to you
Luke 24:36

O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of the mercy of God. Indeed, God forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful
Quran 39: 53

Indeed, man is in loss, except those who have faith and do righteous deeds, and advise one another to truth and patience
Quran 103:1-3

The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord
Mark 12:29

Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God
John 20:17

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Matthew 27:46

Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
John 13:16

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind
Matthew 22:37

By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.
John 5:30

Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
John 5:19

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 7:21

Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me
Isaiah 49:9

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Is the Book of Revelation a forgery?