Revelation 20
1 THEN I saw an angel descending from heaven; he was holding the key of the Abyss (the bottomless pit) and a great chain was in his hand.2 And he gripped and overpowered the dragon, that old serpent [of primeval times], who is the devil and Satan, and [securely] bound him for a thousand years.3 Then he hurled him into the Abyss (the bottomless pit) and closed it and sealed it above him, so that he should no longer lead astray and deceive and seduce the nations until the thousand years were at an end. After that he must be liberated for a short time.4 Then I saw thrones, and sitting on them were those to whom authority to act as judges and to pass sentence was entrusted. Also I saw the souls of those who had been slain with axes [beheaded] for their witnessing to Jesus and [for preaching and testifying] for the Word of God, and who had refused to pay homage to the beast or his statue and had not accepted his mark or permitted it to be stamped on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived again and ruled with Christ (the Messiah) a thousand years. 5 The remainder of the dead were not restored to life again until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection.6 Blessed (happy, to be envied) and holy (spiritually whole, of unimpaired innocence and proved virtue) is the person who takes part (shares) in the first resurrection! Over them the second death exerts no power or authority, but they shall be ministers of God and of Christ (the Messiah), and they shall rule along with Him a thousand years.7 And when the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his place of confinement,8 And he will go forth to deceive and seduce and lead astray the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth--Gog and Magog--to muster them for war; their number is like the sand of the sea. 9 And they swarmed up over the broad plain of the earth and encircled the fortress (camp) of God’s people (the saints) and the beloved city; but fire descended from heaven and consumed them. [II Kings 1:10-12; Ezek. 38:2, 22.]10 Then the devil who had led them astray [deceiving and seducing them] was hurled into the fiery lake of burning brimstone, where the beast and false prophet were; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever (through the ages of the ages).11 Then I saw a great white throne and the One Who was seated upon it, from Whose presence and from the sight of Whose face earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.12 I [also] saw the dead, great and small; they stood before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is [the Book] of Life. And the dead were judged (sentenced) by what they had done [their whole way of feeling and acting, their aims and endeavors] in accordance with what was recorded in the books.13 And the sea delivered up the dead who were in it, death and Hades (the state of death or disembodied existence) surrendered the dead in them, and all were tried and their cases determined by what they had done [according to their motives, aims, and works].14 Then death and Hades (the state of death or disembodied existence) 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 hurled into the lake of fire.
Revelation 20
The Thousand Year Reign
1 Thent I saw an angel descending from heaven, holdingt in his hand the key to the abyss and a huge chain.2 Het seized the dragon – the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan – and tied him up for a thousand years.
3 The angelt thent threw him into the abyss and lockedt 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 Thent I saw thrones and seated on them were those who had been given authority to judge.t I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. Theset had not worshiped the beast or his image and had refused to receive his mark on their forehead or hand. Theyt came to lifet 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.)s This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is the one who takes partt in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them,t 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 Nowt when the thousand years are finished, Satan will be released from his prison8 and will go out to deceivet the nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog,s to bring them together for the battle. They are as numerous as the grains of sand in the sea.t9 Theyt went upt on the broad plain of the eartht and encircledt the campt of the saints and the beloved city, butt fire came down from heaven and devoured them completely.t
10 And the devil who deceivedt them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur,t where the beast and the false prophet aret too, and they will be tormented there day and night forever and ever.
The Great White Throne
11 Thent I saw a larget white throne and the one who was seated on it; the earth and the heavent fledts 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. Thent books were opened, and another book was opened – the book of life.t Sot the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to their deeds.t13 Thet sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Deaths and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each one was judged according to his deeds.14 Thent Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death – the lake of fire.
15 Ift anyone’s namet was not found written in the book of life, that persont was thrown into the lake of fire.