rwp@Revelation:1:8 @{The Alpha and the Omega} (\to Alpha kai to O\). The first and the last letters of the Greek alphabet, each with its own neuter (grammatical gender) article. This description of the eternity of God recurs in 21:6| with the added explanation \h arch kai to telos\ (the Beginning and the End) and of Christ in 22:13| with the still further explanation \ho prtos kai ho eschatos\ (the First and the Last). This last phrase appears also in 1:17; 2:8| without \to Alpha kai to O\. The change of speaker here is unannounced, as in 16:15; 18:20|. Only here and 21:5f|. is God introduced as the speaker. The eternity of God guarantees the prophecy just made. {The Lord God} (\Kurios ho theos\). "The Lord the God." Common phrase in Ezekiel (Ezekiel:6:3,11; 7:2|, etc.) and in this book (4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 19:6; 21:22|). See 1:4; 4:8| for the triple use of \ho\, etc. to express the eternity of God. {The Almighty} (\ho pantokratr\). Late compound (\ps\ and \krate\), in Cretan inscription and a legal papyrus, common in LXX and Christian papyri, in N.T. only in kjv@2Corinthians:6:18| (from kjv@Jeremiah:38:35|) and kjv@Revelation:1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7,14; 19:6,15; 21:22|.