American King James Version - AKJV - 1999
Revelation 20
1
And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
Reference
2
And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
Reference
Evil
Revelation 12:9
Hebrews 2:14
1 Peter 5:8
Parallel theme
2 Peter 2:4
Isaiah 27:1
John 12:31
Jude 1:6
Genesis 3:15
Romans 16:20
John 16:11
3
And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
Reference
4
And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark on their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Reference
Judgment
Daniel 7:22
Kingdom
Daniel 7:27
Daniel 7:18
2 Timothy 2:12
Revelation 20:6
Luke 22:30
Parallel theme
Revelation 3:21
Daniel 7:9
References Jesus
Matthew 19:28
Word
Revelation 6:9
5
But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Reference
6
Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection: on such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
Reference
Blessing
Daniel 12:12
Revelation 22:7
Revelation 14:13
Holy
1 Peter 2:9
Kingdom
Revelation 1:6
Revelation 5:10
2 Timothy 2:12
Parallel theme
Revelation 2:11
Revelation 20:14
References Christ
Romans 8:17
7
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Reference
Parallel theme
Revelation 20:2
8
And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
Reference
📍 Gog
9
And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
Reference
Holy
Ezekiel 38:16
Parallel theme
Ezekiel 39:6
Ezekiel 38:22
Ezekiel 38:9
Psalm 97:3
Psalm 106:18
Revelation 13:13
Revelation 11:5
Luke 17:29
References God
2 Thessalonians 1:8
10
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Reference
Evil
Matthew 25:41
Parallel theme
Matthew 25:46
Revelation 20:8
Prophecy
Revelation 19:20
Revelation 16:13
11
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Reference
12
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Reference
13
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Reference
Summary of Revelation 20
Revelation 20 describes the thousand-year reign of Christ, Satan's temporary imprisonment and final rebellion, Satan's permanent defeat, and the great white throne judgment, culminating in the destruction of death and the lake of fire, thereby preparing the way for the new heaven, new earth, and eternal kingdom described in the following chapters.
The chapter begins with an angel descending from heaven carrying a key to the bottomless pit and a great chain.
The angel seizes Satan, identified as the dragon, Devil, and deceiver.
Satan is bound and imprisoned for one thousand years.
During this period, he cannot deceive the nations as he previously did.
The thousand-year period is commonly called the Millennium.
Christians have historically understood this passage in several different ways.
Some understand the thousand years as a future literal reign of Christ on earth.
Others understand it symbolically as representing the present church age or the extended period between Christ's first and second coming.
Still others interpret the passage through different combinations of literal and symbolic elements.
The text itself emphasizes that Satan's power is restricted by God's authority.
John then sees thrones and people who receive authority to judge.
Those who remained faithful to Jesus, including those who refused to worship the beast or receive its mark, live and reign with Christ for one thousand years.
They participate in what the chapter calls the first resurrection.
Those who share in this resurrection are described as blessed and holy.
The second death has no authority over them.
They serve as priests of God and Christ and reign with Him during the thousand years.
After the thousand years end, Satan is released for a short period.
He immediately returns to his old purpose of deceiving the nations.
The nations are symbolically identified as Gog and Magog and are gathered for a final attack against God's people.
The armies surround the beloved city, but the rebellion ends almost immediately.
Fire comes down from heaven and consumes them.
Satan is then thrown into the lake of fire where the beast and false prophet already are.
His final judgment demonstrates that the power behind humanity's rebellion has finally been defeated permanently.
The scene then shifts to the great white throne.
Heaven and earth flee from the presence of the One sitting upon the throne.
The dead stand before God, including people from every level of society.
Books are opened, and another book called the Book of Life is opened.
The dead are judged according to their works.
The sea, death, and Hades give up the dead so that everyone can stand before God's judgment.
Nothing can hide anyone from this final accounting.
Death and Hades are then thrown into the lake of fire.
This is called the second death.
The destruction of death itself is one of the chapter's most important themes.
Death, which entered humanity's experience through sin and has remained a universal enemy, will eventually have no continuing place in God's creation.
Finally, anyone whose name is not found in the Book of Life is thrown into the lake of fire.
The chapter therefore moves from Satan's temporary restraint to his final destruction, from Christ's reign to the final judgment, and from humanity's experience of death toward the complete removal of death.
Revelation 20 shows that Satan's influence is ultimately temporary and completely subject to God's authority, Christ will reign with His faithful people, the final rebellion will be destroyed, Satan will face permanent judgment, and every person will stand before God's great white throne, where death itself will finally be defeated and those whose names are written in the Book of Life will be separated from those who remain under final judgment.
The chapter begins with an angel descending from heaven carrying a key to the bottomless pit and a great chain.
The angel seizes Satan, identified as the dragon, Devil, and deceiver.
Satan is bound and imprisoned for one thousand years.
During this period, he cannot deceive the nations as he previously did.
The thousand-year period is commonly called the Millennium.
Christians have historically understood this passage in several different ways.
Some understand the thousand years as a future literal reign of Christ on earth.
Others understand it symbolically as representing the present church age or the extended period between Christ's first and second coming.
Still others interpret the passage through different combinations of literal and symbolic elements.
The text itself emphasizes that Satan's power is restricted by God's authority.
John then sees thrones and people who receive authority to judge.
Those who remained faithful to Jesus, including those who refused to worship the beast or receive its mark, live and reign with Christ for one thousand years.
They participate in what the chapter calls the first resurrection.
Those who share in this resurrection are described as blessed and holy.
The second death has no authority over them.
They serve as priests of God and Christ and reign with Him during the thousand years.
After the thousand years end, Satan is released for a short period.
He immediately returns to his old purpose of deceiving the nations.
The nations are symbolically identified as Gog and Magog and are gathered for a final attack against God's people.
The armies surround the beloved city, but the rebellion ends almost immediately.
Fire comes down from heaven and consumes them.
Satan is then thrown into the lake of fire where the beast and false prophet already are.
His final judgment demonstrates that the power behind humanity's rebellion has finally been defeated permanently.
The scene then shifts to the great white throne.
Heaven and earth flee from the presence of the One sitting upon the throne.
The dead stand before God, including people from every level of society.
Books are opened, and another book called the Book of Life is opened.
The dead are judged according to their works.
The sea, death, and Hades give up the dead so that everyone can stand before God's judgment.
Nothing can hide anyone from this final accounting.
Death and Hades are then thrown into the lake of fire.
This is called the second death.
The destruction of death itself is one of the chapter's most important themes.
Death, which entered humanity's experience through sin and has remained a universal enemy, will eventually have no continuing place in God's creation.
Finally, anyone whose name is not found in the Book of Life is thrown into the lake of fire.
The chapter therefore moves from Satan's temporary restraint to his final destruction, from Christ's reign to the final judgment, and from humanity's experience of death toward the complete removal of death.
Revelation 20 shows that Satan's influence is ultimately temporary and completely subject to God's authority, Christ will reign with His faithful people, the final rebellion will be destroyed, Satan will face permanent judgment, and every person will stand before God's great white throne, where death itself will finally be defeated and those whose names are written in the Book of Life will be separated from those who remain under final judgment.