New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Revelation 20
1
I saw an angel coming down out of heaven. He had the key to the Abyss. In his hand he held a heavy chain.
Reference
2
He grabbed the dragon, that old serpent. The serpent is also called the devil, or Satan. The angel put him in chains for 1,000 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
Then he threw him into the Abyss. He locked it and sealed him in. This was to keep Satan from fooling the nations anymore until the 1,000 years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.
Reference
4
I saw thrones. Those who had been given authority to judge were sitting on them. I also saw the souls of those whose heads had been cut off because they had given witness for Jesus and because of God's word. They had not worshiped the beast or his statue. They had not received his mark on their foreheads or hands. They came to life and ruled with Christ for 1,000 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
This is the first resurrection. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the 1,000 years were ended.
Reference
6
Blessed and holy are those who take part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them. They will be priests of God and of Christ. They will rule with him for 1,000 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
When the 1,000 years are over, Satan will be set free from his prison.
Reference
Parallel theme
Revelation 20:2
8
He will go out to fool the nations. He will gather them from the four corners of the earth. He will bring Gog and Magog together for battle. Their troops are as many as the grains of sand on the seashore.
Reference
📍 Gog
9
They marched across the whole earth. They surrounded the place where God's people were camped. It was the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and burned them up.
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
The devil, who fooled them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur. That is where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will all suffer 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
I saw a great white throne and the One who was sitting on it. When the earth and sky saw his face, they ran away. There was no place for them.
Reference
12
I saw the dead, great and small, standing in front of the throne. Books were opened. Then another book was opened. It was the Book of Life. The dead were judged by what they had done. The things they had done were written in the books.
Reference
13
The sea gave up the dead that were in it. And Death and Hell gave up their dead. Each of the dead was judged by what he had done.
Reference
14
Then Death and Hell were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.
Reference
Chapter Summary
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.