Revelation 20

1 Then I saw [beheld, perceived] an angel [messenger, heavenly being] coming down [descending, falling] from heaven [the sky, God’s dwelling place] with the key [symbol of authority, power to unlock] to the Abyss [deep, bottomless pit, underworld], holding in his hand [grasping, possessing] a great [large, intense] chain [bond, restraint]. word study 2 He seized [laid hold on, grasped] the dragon [the ancient serpent, a mythical monster], that ancient [original, from the beginning of time] serpent [snake, symbolizing sly cunning or malice] who is the devil [the false accuser, Satan] and [also, additionally] Satan [the adversary, the accuser], and bound [tied, fastened] him for a thousand [a large number, a big quantity of] years [a period of time, an age]. word study 3 And he threw him into the Abyss [the deep, bottomless pit], shut it, and sealed [stamped with a mark of security] it over him, so that he could not deceive [lead astray, cause to wander] the nations [Gentiles, non-Jewish people] until the thousand [a large, complete number] years were complete [finished, fulfilled]. After that, he must be released [loosed, set free] for a brief [short, little] period of time. word study 4 Then I saw the thrones [seats of authority, judgment seats], and those seated on them had been given authority [the right, power] to judge. And I saw the souls [the essence of being, spiritual life] of those who had been beheaded [executed, martyred] for their testimony [witness, declaration] of Jesus [the Messiah, Christ] and for the word [message, revelation] of God [the Almighty, Creator], and those who had not worshiped [given reverence, bowed down to] the beast [the antichrist, enemy of God] or its image [idol, representation], and had not received [accepted, taken] its mark [sign, seal] on their foreheads [the center of thought, mind] or hands [the instruments of action, deeds]. And they came to life [were resurrected, revived] and reigned [ruled, governed] with Christ [the Anointed One, Savior] for a thousand [a large, complete] years. word study 5 The rest [remaining ones, those who are left] of the dead [lifeless, spiritually or physically] did not come back [live again, be resurrected] to life [have life, either physically or spiritually] until [at the end of, when completed] the thousand [a large number, a big quantity] years [a period of time] were complete [finished, executed, paid in full]. This [specific, particular] is [represents, signifies] the first resurrection [a standing up again from death, like Christ’s]. word study 6 Blessed [happy, supremely fortunate] and holy [set apart, dedicated to God] are those who share [have a part, participate] in the first resurrection [standing up again from death]! The second death [separation from God, eternal punishment] has no power [authority, control] over them, but they will be priests [spiritual leaders, mediators] of God [the Supreme Deity, Creator] and of Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah], and will reign [rule, have authority] with Him for a thousand [a large, complete number] years [periods of time, ages]. word study 7 When [at the end of, upon completion of] the thousand [large number, multitude of] years [periods of time, cycles] are complete [finished, fulfilled], Satan [the adversary, accuser] will be released [set free, loosed out] from his [own, personal] prison [place of confinement, guard], word study 8 and will go out [to deceive and lead astray] to deceive the nations [Gentiles, non-Jewish people] in the four corners [quarters, regions] of the earth—Gog [a future enemy of God’s people] and Magog [a foreign nation]—to assemble [gather, bring together] them for battle [war, conflict]. Their number [quantity, multitude] is like the sand [countless grains] of the seashore [the ocean’s edge, the beach]. word study 9 And they marched [across the whole earth, on a broad front] across the broad expanse [width, breadth] of the earth [soil, ground] and surrounded [encircled, compassed] the camp [barracks, military encampment] of the saints [holy ones, set apart] and the beloved [loved, cherished] city [town, Jerusalem]. But fire [flames, divine judgment] came down [from above, out of heaven] from heaven [the sky, God’s dwelling place] and consumed [devoured, destroyed] them. word study 10 And the devil [the false accuser, Satan] who had deceived them was thrown into the lake [a large body of fire] of fire [flames, God’s judgment] and sulfur [brimstone, a burning stone], into which the beast [a wild and dangerous animal] and the false prophet [one who falsely claims to speak for God] had already been thrown. There they will be tormented [suffering severe pain and distress] day and night [a 24-hour period, a time of darkness and light] forever and ever [for an age, an eternal period of time]. word study 11 Then I saw [beheld, perceived] a great [large, magnificent] white [pure, radiant] throne [seat of authority, judgment seat] and the One [Him who, the Almighty] seated [sitting, enthroned] on it [the throne, the seat of power]. Earth [the physical world, creation] and heaven [the spiritual realm, the sky] fled [ran away, disappeared] from His presence [face, countenance], and no [not any, none] place [location, space] was found [discovered, existed] for them [the earth and heaven, all creation]. word study 12 And I saw the dead [lifeless, spiritually and physically], great [of high rank or importance] and small [humble or lowly], standing [in an upright position] before the throne [the seat of God’s power and authority]. And there were open books [scrolls, written documents], and one of them was the Book of Life [the record of those who have eternal life]. And the dead [those who have died, physically or spiritually] were judged [evaluated, condemned or vindicated] according to their deeds [works, actions], as recorded [written, documented] in the books [scrolls, records of their lives]. word study 13 The sea [the vast ocean, the abyss] gave up its dead [the lifeless, the deceased], and Death [the state of being dead, the grave] and Hades [the place of the dead, the underworld] gave up their dead [the departed, the deceased], and each one [every individual, each person] was judged [evaluated, assessed] according to his deeds [works, actions, the things he had done]. word study 14 Then Death [physical and spiritual, the end of life] and Hades [the place of the dead, the grave] were thrown [cast with force, hurled] into the lake [a large body of water] of fire [flames]. This is the second [subsequent, following the first] death [the end of all things, separation from God]—the lake [a place of eternal punishment] of fire [eternal flames, God’s wrath]. word study 15 And if anyone [whosoever, any person] was found [discovered, met with] whose name [the person’s identity, character] was not written [recorded, inscribed] in the Book [scroll, written document] of Life [eternal existence, spiritual vitality], he was thrown [cast, hurled] into the lake [sea, large body of water] of fire [judgment, purification]. word study