Revelation 20 (NET)

The Thousand Year Reign

1 Then1 I saw an angel descending from heaven, holding2 in his hand the key to the abyss and a huge chain. 2 He3 seized the dragon – the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan – and tied him up for a thousand years. 3 The angel4 then5 threw him into the abyss and locked6 and sealed it so that he could not deceive the nations until the one thousand years were finished. (After these things he must be released for a brief period of time.)

4 Then7 I saw thrones and seated on them were those who had been given authority to judge.8 I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. These9 had not worshiped the beast or his image and had refused to receive his mark on their forehead or hand. They10 came to life11 and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were finished.)12 This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who takes part13 in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them,14 but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

Satan’s Final Defeat

7 Now15 when the thousand years are finished, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive16 the nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog,17 to bring them together for the battle. They are as numerous as the grains of sand in the sea.18 9 They19 went up20 on the broad plain of the earth21 and encircled22 the camp23 of the saints and the beloved city, but24 fire came down from heaven and devoured them completely.25 10 And the devil who deceived26 them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur,27 where the beast and the false prophet are28 too, and they will be tormented there day and night forever and ever.

The Great White Throne

11 Then29 I saw a large30 white throne and the one who was seated on it; the earth and the heaven31 fled32 from his presence, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne. Then33 books were opened, and another book was opened – the book of life.34 So35 the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to their deeds.36 13 The37 sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Death38 and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each one was judged according to his deeds. 14 Then39 Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death – the lake of fire. 15 If40 anyone’s name41 was not found written in the book of life, that person42 was thrown into the lake of fire.

1tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative. 2tn The word “holding” is implied. The two clauses “having the key of the abyss” and “a huge chain in his hand” can be construed in two ways: (1) both are controlled by the participle ἔχοντα (econta) and both are modified by the phrase “in his hand” – “having in his hand the key to the abyss and a huge chain.” (2) The participle ἔχοντα refers only to the key, and the phrase “in his hand” refers only to the chain – “having the key of the abyss and holding a huge chain in his hand.” Because of the stylistic tendency in Rev to use the verb ἔχω (ecw) to mean “hold (something)” and the phrase “in his hand” forming a “bracket” along with the verb ἔχω around both the phrases in question, the first option is preferred. 3tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. 4tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel introduced in v. 1) has been specified in the translation for clarity. 5tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision. 6tn Or “and shut.” While the lexical force of the term is closer to “shut,” it is acceptable to render the verb ἔκλεισεν (ekleisen) as “locked” here in view of the mention of the key in the previous verse. 7tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative. 8tn Grk “I saw thrones, and those seated on them, and judgment was given to them.” BDAG 567 s.v. κρίμα 3 says, “judging, judgment, the κρίμα ἐδόθη αὐτοῖς authority to judge was given to them Rv 20:4.” 9tn Grk “God, and who.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the pronoun “these” as subject. 10tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. 11tn On the use of the aorist ἔζησαν (ezhsan) BDAG 425 s.v. ζάω 1.a.β says, “of dead persons who return to life become alive again: of humans in general (3 Km 17:23) Mt 9:18; Ac 9:41; 20:12; Rv 20:4, 5.” 12sn This statement appears to be a parenthetical comment by the author. 13tn Grk “who has a share.” 14tn The shift from the singular pronoun (“the one”) to the plural (“them”) in the passage reflects the Greek text: The singular participle ὁ ἔχων (Jo ecwn) is followed by the plural pronoun τούτων (toutwn). In the interests of English style, this is obscured in most modern translations except the NASB. 15tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic. 16tn Or “mislead.” 17sn The battle with Gog and Magog is described in the OT in Ezek 38:1-39:20. 18tn Grk “of whom the number of them [is] like the sand of the sea” (an allusion to Isa 10:22). 19tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. 20tn The shift here to past tense reflects the Greek text. 21tn On the phrase “broad plain of the earth” BDAG 823 s.v. πλάτος states, “τὸ πλάτος τῆς γῆς Rv 20:9 comes fr. the OT (Da 12:2 LXX. Cp. Hab 1:6; Sir 1:3), but the sense is not clear: breadth = the broad plain of the earth is perh. meant to provide room for the countless enemies of God vs. 8, but the ‘going up’ is better suited to Satan (vs. 7) who has recently been freed, and who comes up again fr. the abyss (vs. 3).” The referent here thus appears to be a plain large enough to accommodate the numberless hoards that have drawn up for battle against the Lord Christ and his saints. 22tn Or “surrounded.” 23tn On the term παρεμβολή (parembolh) BDAG 775 s.v. states, “Mostly used as a military t.t.…so always in our lit.…1. a (fortified) camp…ἡ παρεμβολὴ τῶν ἁγίων Rv 20:9 is also to be understood fr. the OT use of the word.” 24tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context. 25tn See L&N 20.45 for the translation of κατεσθίω (katesqiw) as “to destroy utterly, to consume completely.” 26tn Or “misled.” 27tn Traditionally, “brimstone.” 28tn The verb in this clause is elided. In keeping with the previous past tenses some translations supply a past tense verb here (“were”), but in view of the future tense that follows (“they will be tormented”), a present tense verb was used to provide a transition from the previous past tense to the future tense that follows. 29tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative. 30tn Traditionally, “great,” but μέγας (megas) here refers to size rather than importance. 31tn Or “and the sky.” The same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky,” and context usually determines which is meant. In this apocalyptic scene, however, it is difficult to be sure what referent to assign the term. 32tn Or “vanished.”sn The phrase the earth and the heaven fled from his presence can be understood (1) as visual imagery representing the fear of corruptible matter in the presence of God, but (2) it can also be understood more literally as the dissolution of the universe as we know it in preparation for the appearance of the new heaven and new earth (Rev 21:1). 33tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision. 34tn Grk “another book was opened, which is of life.” 35tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the books being opened. 36tn Grk “from the things written in the books according to their works.” 37tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. 38sn Here Death is personified (cf. 1 Cor 15:55). 39tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative. 40tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. 41tn The word “name” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. 42tn Grk “he”; the pronoun has been intensified by translating as “that person.”