Zetemata

Revelation 20

The chapter in full, then the passages inside it that are worth stopping on — what each one claims, what the Greek or Hebrew shows, and how the reading is arrived at.

Revelation 20 WEB
  1. 1 I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand.
  2. 2 He seized the dragon, the old serpent, who is the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole inhabited earth, and bound him for a thousand years,
  3. 3 and cast him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more until the thousand years were finished. After this, he must be freed for a short time.
  4. 4 I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and such as didn't worship the beast nor his image, and didn't receive the mark on their forehead and on their hand. They lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
  5. 5 The rest of the dead didn't live until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
  6. 6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over these, the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with him one thousand years.
  7. 7 And after the thousand years, Satan will be released from his prison
  8. 8 and he will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to the war, whose number is as the sand of the sea.
  9. 9 They went up over the width of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. Fire came down out of heaven from God and devoured them.
  10. 10 The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are also. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
  11. 11 I saw a great white throne and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the sky fled away. There was found no place for them.
  12. 12 I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and they opened books. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works.
  13. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them. They were judged, each one according to his works.
  14. 14 Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
  15. 15 If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.

Revelation 20 stands between the destruction of the beast and false prophet at Christ's coming (19:19-21) and the arrival of the new heaven and new earth (21:1-6). It narrates the binding of Satan, a thousand-year reign, his final release and defeat, and the last judgment before the great white throne — the most argued-over chapter in the book, largely because of a single number that appears six times and nowhere else in scripture.

20:1-3 bound for a thousand years

An angel comes down "having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand" (20:1) and seizes "the dragon, the old serpent, who is the devil and Satan" (20:2) — the same figure already identified in Revelation 12:9 as "the great dragon... the old serpent, he who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world." He is thrown into the abyss, shut in and sealed, "that he should deceive the nations no more until the thousand years were finished" (20:3). The purpose clause is precise: the binding restrains deception of the nations, not evil as such — the text does not claim sin or death disappear from the earth during this period, only that Satan cannot "deceive the nations" as he had. The Greek verb πλανάω ("deceive," used of him also in 12:9 and 20:8, 10) is the same word each time; this is one continuous storyline about one activity being suspended and then resumed.

Whether this is a future era on earth, the present church age (Satan's power over the nations curbed since the cross and resurrection), or a symbolic depiction of his defeat has divided serious readers for centuries, and the chapter itself does not resolve the question of timing — it states the fact of the binding and its stated purpose, and leaves the "when" to be argued from the rest of the book and from the church's larger reading of history.

20:4-6 the first resurrection

Those "who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God," who refused the beast, "lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years" (20:4), and this is called "the first resurrection" (20:5). "Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over these, the second death has no power" (20:6).

This is the chapter's central difficulty. Some readers (premillennialism) take "first resurrection" as a literal bodily rising of martyrs and saints to reign on earth with Christ before a final, later resurrection of the rest of the dead — reading 20:5's "the rest of the dead didn't live until the thousand years were finished" as a plain statement that two distinct resurrections, separated by a literal thousand years, are in view. Others (amillennialism) read "the first resurrection" as spiritual — the soul's passage into Christ's presence at death, or the believer's present reigning with Christ now, with the "thousand years" symbolic of the whole church age between Christ's first and second coming; on this reading "lived and reigned" describes what is true of the redeemed dead now, not a future earthly kingdom. Both readings take "reigned with Christ" seriously; they disagree about whether χίλια ἔτη ("a thousand years," 20:2-7) names a literal span or symbolizes completeness, and about whether ἀνάστασις ("resurrection," 20:5-6) here means bodily rising or a transfer to life with Christ. The chapter does not settle this by internal argument; it states the vision and its terms.

20:7-10 Gog and Magog, and the lake of fire

At the end of the thousand years, "Satan will be released from his prison" (20:7) "to deceive the nations... Gog and Magog, to gather them together to the war, whose number is as the sand of the sea" (20:8) — language deliberately recalling Ezekiel's Gog oracle, though Revelation redeploys the names for a final, universal assault rather than a single historical invasion. They surround "the camp of the saints and the beloved city," and "fire came down out of heaven from God and devoured them" (20:9). "The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are also. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever" (20:10) — the same lake into which the beast and false prophet were already thrown (Revelation 19:20). Whatever the binding of Satan means, his release is not the failure of the plan; it is written into it, and it ends the same way every one of his campaigns in this book ends.

20:11-15 the great white throne

"I saw a great white throne and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the sky fled away" (20:11). The dead, "great and small," stand before it; "books were opened," and "another book was opened, which is the book of life," and judgment falls "according to their works" (20:12). Death and Hades give up their dead (20:13) and are themselves "thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death" (20:14) — a phrase already used in 20:6 of what has no power over those who share the first resurrection. "If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire" (20:15). Two grounds are named side by side without being reconciled by argument: judgment "according to their works" (20:12-13) and inclusion in "the book of life" (20:15). The text does not explain how these relate; it simply names both as true at the last judgment.

What the chapter asks

The chapter presses a claim that does not depend on settling its hardest exegetical question: that Satan's rebellion has a fixed and diminishing lease, that his final defeat is certain and already scheduled, and that every person still living or already dead will stand before a throne from which "the earth and the sky fled away" and be judged "according to their works," with only one item finally decisive — whether the name is "found written in the book of life."

The verses this turns on

Revelation 20:1 WEB
I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand.
discussed above
Greek Nestle 1904

Καὶ εἶδον ἄγγελον καταβαίνοντα ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ἔχοντα τὴν κλεῖν τῆς ἀβύσσου καὶ ἅλυσιν μεγάλην ἐπὶ τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ.

  • Καὶ καί conjunction G2532
  • εἶδον ὁράω verb · aorist active indicative, 1st person singular G3708
  • ἄγγελον ἄγγελος noun · accusative singular masculine G32
  • καταβαίνοντα καταβαίνω verb · present active participle, accusative singular masculine G2597
  • ἐκ ἐκ preposition G1537
  • τοῦ ὁ article · genitive singular masculine G3588
  • οὐρανοῦ, οὐρανός noun · genitive singular masculine G3772
  • ἔχοντα ἔχω verb · present active participle, accusative singular masculine G2192
  • τὴν ὁ article · accusative singular feminine G3588
  • κλεῖν κλείς noun · accusative singular feminine G2807
  • τῆς ὁ article · genitive singular feminine G3588
  • ἀβύσσου ἄβυσσος noun · genitive singular feminine G12

Punctuation is editorial — the manuscripts carry none.

See also 5
  1. Revelation 1:18 and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades.
  2. 2 Peter 2:4 For if God didn't spare angels when they sinned, but cast them down to Tartarus, and committed them to pits of darkness to be reserved for judgment;
  3. Jude 1:6 Angels who didn't keep their first domain, but deserted their own dwelling place, he has kept in everlasting bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day.
  4. Revelation 9:1 The fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from the sky which had fallen to the earth. The key to the pit of the abyss was given to him.
  5. Revelation 18:1 After these things, I saw another angel coming down out of the sky, having great authority. The earth was illuminated with his glory.
Revelation 20:2 WEB
He seized the dragon, the old serpent, who is the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole inhabited earth, and bound him for a thousand years,
discussed above
Greek Nestle 1904

καὶ ἐκράτησεν τὸν δράκοντα, ὁ ὄφις ὁ ἀρχαῖος, ὅς ἐστιν Διάβολος καὶ Ὁ Σατανᾶς, καὶ ἔδησεν αὐτὸν χίλια ἔτη,

  • καὶ καί conjunction G2532
  • ἐκράτησεν κρατέω verb · aorist active indicative, 3rd person singular G2902
  • τὸν ὁ article · accusative singular masculine G3588
  • δράκοντα, δράκων noun · accusative singular masculine G1404
  • ὁ ὁ article · nominative singular masculine G3588
  • ὄφις ὄφις noun · nominative singular masculine G3789
  • ὁ ὁ article · nominative singular masculine G3588
  • ἀρχαῖος, ἀρχαῖος adjective · nominative singular masculine G744
  • ὅς ὅς relative pronoun · nominative singular masculine G3739
  • ἐστιν εἰμί verb · present active indicative, 3rd person singular G1510
  • Διάβολος διάβολος adjective · nominative singular masculine G1228
  • καὶ καί conjunction G2532

Punctuation is editorial — the manuscripts carry none.

See also 5
  1. 2 Peter 2:4 For if God didn't spare angels when they sinned, but cast them down to Tartarus, and committed them to pits of darkness to be reserved for judgment;
  2. Revelation 12:9 The great dragon was thrown down, the old serpent, he who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
  3. Isaiah 27:1 In that day, Yahweh with his hard and great and strong sword will punish leviathan, the fleeing serpent, and leviathan, the twisted serpent; and he will kill the dragon that is in the sea.
  4. Jude 1:6 Angels who didn't keep their first domain, but deserted their own dwelling place, he has kept in everlasting bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day.
  5. John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world. Now the prince of this world will be cast out.
Revelation 20:3 WEB
and cast him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more until the thousand years were finished. After this, he must be freed for a short time.
discussed above
Greek Nestle 1904

καὶ ἔβαλεν αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν ἄβυσσον, καὶ ἔκλεισεν καὶ ἐσφράγισεν ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ, ἵνα μὴ πλανήσῃ ἔτι τὰ ἔθνη, ἄχρι τελεσθῇ τὰ χίλια ἔτη· μετὰ ταῦτα δεῖ λυθῆναι αὐτὸν μικρὸν χρόνον.

  • καὶ καί conjunction G2532
  • ἔβαλεν βάλλω verb · aorist active indicative, 3rd person singular G906
  • αὐτὸν αὐτός personal pronoun · accusative singular masculine G846
  • εἰς εἰς preposition G1519
  • τὴν ὁ article · accusative singular feminine G3588
  • ἄβυσσον, ἄβυσσος noun · accusative singular feminine G12
  • καὶ καί conjunction G2532
  • ἔκλεισεν κλείω verb · aorist active indicative, 3rd person singular G2808
  • καὶ καί conjunction G2532
  • ἐσφράγισεν σφραγίζω verb · aorist active indicative, 3rd person singular G4972
  • ἐπάνω ἐπάνω adverb G1883
  • αὐτοῦ, αὐτός personal pronoun · genitive singular masculine G846

Punctuation is editorial — the manuscripts carry none.

See also 5
  1. Revelation 17:8 The beast that you saw was, and is not; and is about to come up out of the abyss and to go into destruction. Those who dwell on the earth and whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel when they see that the beast was, and is not, and shall be present.
  2. Revelation 20:1 I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand.
  3. Revelation 12:9 The great dragon was thrown down, the old serpent, he who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
  4. 2 Thessalonians 2:9 even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
  5. Daniel 6:17 A stone was brought, and laid on the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.
Revelation 20:4 WEB
I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and such as didn't worship the beast nor his image, and didn't receive the mark on their forehead and on their hand. They lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
discussed above
Greek Nestle 1904

Καὶ εἶδον θρόνους, καὶ ἐκάθισαν ἐπ’ αὐτούς, καὶ κρίμα ἐδόθη αὐτοῖς, καὶ τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν πεπελεκισμένων διὰ τὴν μαρτυρίαν Ἰησοῦ καὶ διὰ τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ οἵτινες οὐ προσεκύνησαν τὸ θηρίον οὐδὲ τὴν εἰκόνα αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἔλαβον τὸ χάραγμα ἐπὶ τὸ μέτωπον καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν χεῖρα αὐτῶν· καὶ ἔζησαν καὶ ἐβασίλευσαν μετὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ χίλια ἔτη.

  • Καὶ καί conjunction G2532
  • εἶδον ὁράω verb · aorist active indicative, 1st person singular G3708
  • θρόνους, θρόνος noun · accusative plural masculine G2362
  • καὶ καί conjunction G2532
  • ἐκάθισαν καθίζω verb · aorist active indicative, 3rd person plural G2523
  • ἐπ’ ἐπί preposition G1909
  • αὐτούς, αὐτός personal pronoun · accusative plural masculine G846
  • καὶ καί conjunction G2532
  • κρίμα κρίμα noun · nominative singular neuter G2917
  • ἐδόθη δίδωμι verb · aorist passive indicative, 3rd person singular G1325
  • αὐτοῖς, αὐτός personal pronoun · dative plural masculine G846
  • καὶ καί conjunction G2532

Punctuation is editorial — the manuscripts carry none.

See also 5
  1. Daniel 7:27 The kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole sky, will be given to the people of the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions will serve and obey him.'
  2. Daniel 7:18 But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.'
  3. Matthew 19:28 Jesus said to them, "Most certainly I tell you that you who have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on the throne of his glory, you also will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
  4. 1 Corinthians 6:2 Don't you know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
  5. 2 Timothy 2:12 If we endure, we will also reign with him. If we deny him, he also will deny us.
Revelation 20:5 WEB
The rest of the dead didn't live until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
discussed above
Greek Nestle 1904

οἱ λοιποὶ τῶν νεκρῶν οὐκ ἔζησαν ἄχρι τελεσθῇ τὰ χίλια ἔτη. αὕτη ἡ ἀνάστασις ἡ πρώτη.

  • οἱ ὁ article · nominative plural masculine G3588
  • λοιποὶ λοιπός adjective · nominative plural masculine G3062
  • τῶν ὁ article · genitive plural masculine G3588
  • νεκρῶν νεκρός adjective · genitive plural masculine G3498
  • οὐκ οὐ particle · nominative G3756
  • ἔζησαν ζάω verb · aorist active indicative, 3rd person plural G2198
  • ἄχρι ἄχρι adverb G891
  • τελεσθῇ τελέω verb · aorist passive subjunctive, 3rd person singular G5055
  • τὰ ὁ article · nominative plural neuter G3588
  • χίλια χίλιοι adjective · nominative plural neuter G5507
  • ἔτη. ἔτος noun · nominative plural neuter G2094
  • αὕτη οὗτος demonstrative pronoun · nominative singular feminine G3778

Punctuation is editorial — the manuscripts carry none.

See also 5
  1. Philippians 3:11 if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
  2. Ezekiel 37:2 He caused me to pass by them all around; and behold, there were very many in the open valley, and behold, they were very dry.
  3. Revelation 11:15 The seventh angel sounded, and great voices in heaven followed, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ. He will reign forever and ever!"
  4. Luke 14:14 and you will be blessed, because they don't have the resources to repay you. For you will be repaid in the resurrection of the righteous."
  5. Revelation 11:11 After the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered into them, and they stood on their feet. Great fear fell on those who saw them.
Revelation 20:6 WEB
Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over these, the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with him one thousand years.
discussed above
Greek Nestle 1904

μακάριος καὶ ἅγιος ὁ ἔχων μέρος ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει τῇ πρώτῃ· ἐπὶ τούτων ὁ δεύτερος θάνατος οὐκ ἔχει ἐξουσίαν, ἀλλ’ ἔσονται ἱερεῖς τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ βασιλεύσουσιν μετ’ αὐτοῦ τὰ χίλια ἔτη.

  • μακάριος μακάριος adjective · nominative singular masculine G3107
  • καὶ καί conjunction G2532
  • ἅγιος ἅγιος adjective · nominative singular masculine G40
  • ὁ ὁ article · nominative singular masculine G3588
  • ἔχων ἔχω verb · present active participle, nominative singular masculine G2192
  • μέρος μέρος noun · accusative singular neuter G3313
  • ἐν ἐν preposition G1722
  • τῇ ὁ article · dative singular feminine G3588
  • ἀναστάσει ἀνάστασις noun · dative singular feminine G386
  • τῇ ὁ article · dative singular feminine G3588
  • πρώτῃ· πρῶτος adjective · dative singular feminine G4413
  • ἐπὶ ἐπί preposition G1909

Punctuation is editorial — the manuscripts carry none.

See also 5
  1. Revelation 2:11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. He who overcomes won't be harmed by the second death.
  2. Revelation 1:6 and he made us to be a Kingdom, priests to his God and Father—to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
  3. 1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
  4. Revelation 5:10 and made us kings and priests to our God; and we will reign on the earth."
  5. 2 Timothy 2:12 If we endure, we will also reign with him. If we deny him, he also will deny us.
Revelation 20:7 WEB
And after the thousand years, Satan will be released from his prison
discussed above
Greek Nestle 1904

Καὶ ὅταν τελεσθῇ τὰ χίλια ἔτη, λυθήσεται ὁ Σατανᾶς ἐκ τῆς φυλακῆς αὐτοῦ,

  • Καὶ καί conjunction G2532
  • ὅταν ὅταν conjunction G3752
  • τελεσθῇ τελέω verb · aorist passive subjunctive, 3rd person singular G5055
  • τὰ ὁ article · nominative plural neuter G3588
  • χίλια χίλιοι adjective · nominative plural neuter G5507
  • ἔτη, ἔτος noun · nominative plural neuter G2094
  • λυθήσεται λύω verb · future passive indicative, 3rd person singular G3089
  • ὁ ὁ article · nominative singular masculine G3588
  • Σατανᾶς Σατανᾶς noun · nominative singular masculine G4567
  • ἐκ ἐκ preposition G1537
  • τῆς ὁ article · genitive singular feminine G3588
  • φυλακῆς φυλακή noun · genitive singular feminine G5438

Punctuation is editorial — the manuscripts carry none.

See also 1
  1. Revelation 20:2 He seized the dragon, the old serpent, who is the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole inhabited earth, and bound him for a thousand years,
Revelation 20:8 WEB
and he will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to the war, whose number is as the sand of the sea.
discussed above
Greek Nestle 1904

καὶ ἐξελεύσεται πλανῆσαι τὰ ἔθνη τὰ ἐν ταῖς τέσσαρσιν γωνίαις τῆς γῆς, τὸν Γὼγ καὶ Μαγώγ, συναγαγεῖν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸν πόλεμον, ὧν ὁ ἀριθμὸς αὐτῶν ὡς ἡ ἄμμος τῆς θαλάσσης.

  • καὶ καί conjunction G2532
  • ἐξελεύσεται ἐξέρχομαι verb · future middle deponent indicative, 3rd person singular G1831
  • πλανῆσαι πλανάω verb · aorist active infinitive G4105
  • τὰ ὁ article · accusative plural neuter G3588
  • ἔθνη ἔθνος noun · accusative plural neuter G1484
  • τὰ ὁ article · accusative plural neuter G3588
  • ἐν ἐν preposition G1722
  • ταῖς ὁ article · dative plural feminine G3588
  • τέσσαρσιν τέσσαρες adjective · dative plural feminine G5064
  • γωνίαις γωνία noun · dative plural feminine G1137
  • τῆς ὁ article · genitive singular feminine G3588
  • γῆς, γῆ noun · genitive singular feminine G1093

Punctuation is editorial — the manuscripts carry none.

See also 5
  1. Ezekiel 38:1 Yahweh's word came to me, saying,
  2. Revelation 16:14 for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole inhabited earth, to gather them together for the war of that great day of God the Almighty.
  3. Revelation 20:3 and cast him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more until the thousand years were finished. After this, he must be freed for a short time.
  4. Revelation 20:10 The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are also. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
  5. Hebrews 11:12 Therefore as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as innumerable as the sand which is by the sea shore, were fathered by one man, and him as good as dead.

From the interpretive tradition

Our old history ends with the cross; our new history begins with the resurrection.
Watchman Nee The Normal Christian Life, ch. 3 pastor · chinese house church
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is either one of the most wicked, vicious, heartless hoaxes ever foisted upon the minds of men, or it is the most remarkable fact of history.
Josh McDowell More Than a Carpenter, ch. 9 apologist · evangelical

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