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20 Then I saw an angel come down from heaven with the key to the bottomless pit and a heavy chain in his hand. He seized the Dragon—that old Serpent, the devil, Satan—and bound him in chains for a thousand years, and threw him into the bottomless pit, which he then shut and locked so that he could not fool the nations anymore until the thousand years were finished. Afterwards he would be released again for a little while.

Then I saw thrones, and sitting on them were those who had been given the right to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony about Jesus, for proclaiming the Word of God, and who had not worshiped the Creature or his statue, nor accepted his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They had come to life again and now they reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

This is the First Resurrection. (The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years had ended.) Blessed and holy are those who share in the First Resurrection. For them the Second Death holds no terrors, for they will be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

When the thousand years end, Satan will be let out of his prison. He will go out to deceive the nations of the world and gather them together, with Gog and Magog, for battle—a mighty host, numberless as sand along the shore. They will go up across the broad plain of the earth and surround God’s people and the beloved city of Jerusalem[a] on every side. But fire from God in heaven will flash down on the attacking armies and consume them.

10 Then the devil who had betrayed them will again[b] be thrown into the Lake of Fire burning with sulphur where the Creature and False Prophet are, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

11 And I saw a great white throne and the one who sat upon it, from whose face the earth and sky fled away, but they found no place to hide.[c] 12 I saw the dead, great and small, standing before God; and The Books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to the things written in The Books, each according to the deeds he had done. 13 The oceans surrendered the bodies buried in them; and the earth and the underworld gave up the dead in them. Each was judged according to his deeds. 14 And Death and Hell were thrown into the Lake of Fire. This is the Second Death—the Lake of Fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found recorded in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the Lake of Fire.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 20:9 of Jerusalem, implied.
  2. Revelation 20:10 will again, implied from v. 3.
  3. Revelation 20:11 they found no place to hide, literally, “there was no longer any place for them.”

The Thousand Years

20 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven,(A) having the key(B) to the Abyss(C) and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan,(D) and bound him for a thousand years.(E) He threw him into the Abyss,(F) and locked and sealed(G) it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations(H) anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.

I saw thrones(I) on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge.(J) And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded(K) because of their testimony about Jesus(L) and because of the word of God.(M) They[a] had not worshiped the beast(N) or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands.(O) They came to life and reigned(P) with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection.(Q) Blessed(R) and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death(S) has no power over them, but they will be priests(T) of God and of Christ and will reign with him(U) for a thousand years.

The Judgment of Satan

When the thousand years are over,(V) Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations(W) in the four corners of the earth(X)—Gog and Magog(Y)—and to gather them for battle.(Z) In number they are like the sand on the seashore.(AA) They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded(AB) the camp of God’s people, the city he loves.(AC) But fire came down from heaven(AD) and devoured them. 10 And the devil, who deceived them,(AE) was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur,(AF) where the beast(AG) and the false prophet(AH) had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.(AI)

The Judgment of the Dead

11 Then I saw a great white throne(AJ) and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence,(AK) and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small,(AL) standing before the throne, and books were opened.(AM) Another book was opened, which is the book of life.(AN) The dead were judged(AO) according to what they had done(AP) as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades(AQ) gave up the dead(AR) that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done.(AS) 14 Then death(AT) and Hades(AU) were thrown into the lake of fire.(AV) The lake of fire is the second death.(AW) 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life(AX) was thrown into the lake of fire.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 20:4 Or God; I also saw those who