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The Thousand Years: Satan Is Bound

20 And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss, and a great chain on his hand. And he seized the dragon— the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan[a]— and bound him for a thousand[b] years. And he threw him into the abyss, and shut and sealed it over him in order that he might not deceive the nations anymore until the thousand years are finished. After these things he must be released for a short time.

The Thousand Years: Saints Reign With Christ

And I saw thrones— and they[c] sat-down on them, and judgment[d] was given to them— and the souls of the ones having been beheaded[e] because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and[f] they who did not worship the beast nor his image, and did not receive the mark upon the forehead and upon their hand. And they came-to-life[g] and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come-to-life until the thousand years were finished. This is the first[h] resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one having a part in the first resurrection. The second death does not have authority over these, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with Him for the thousand years.

The End of The Thousand Years: Satan Is Defeated Forever

And when the thousand years are finished, Satan will be released from his prison. And he will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth— Gog and Magog— to gather them together for the battle, whose number is like the sand of the sea. And they went-up over the breadth[i] of the earth, and surrounded[j] the camp[k] of the saints and[l] the city having been loved. And fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil, the one deceiving them, was thrown into the lake of fire and sulphur— where both[m] the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented by day and by night forever and ever.

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 20:2 These four names are also in 12:9.
  2. Revelation 20:2 Some think 20:1-10 continues on in time from 19:21, describing a thousand year period after Christ’s return. Others think 20:1-10 gives another overview of the time between the two comings of Christ.
  3. Revelation 20:4 That is, Christ and His army, 19:19, the souls named next being a subgroup of them. Or, this may anticipate the souls John speaks of next.
  4. Revelation 20:4 That is, authority to judge and the work of judging.
  5. Revelation 20:4 That is, executed.
  6. Revelation 20:4 Or, even. This is either describing a second group who were not beheaded, or giving further details about the beheaded group.
  7. Revelation 20:4 Or, lived, became alive. This can refer to resurrection life or to spiritual life with God.
  8. Revelation 20:5 The second may be the physical resurrection of a different group; or, the physical resurrection of this same group raised spiritually to God here.
  9. Revelation 20:9 Or, width.
  10. Revelation 20:9 Or, encircled.
  11. Revelation 20:9 This word can have a general or a military sense here.
  12. Revelation 20:9 Or, even.
  13. Revelation 20:10 Or, also.

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)

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Footnotes

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