Chapter 20
15 verses — switch translations with the toolbar below.
Scripture
KJV1And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon 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.
4And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto 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 upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
7And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
8And 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.
9And 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.
10And 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.
11And 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.
12And 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.
13And 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.
14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
“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.”
Overview
An angel descends from heaven, seizes the dragon — that old serpent, the devil — and binds him in the bottomless pit for a thousand years. The saints reign with Christ during this period in what is called the first resurrection. After the thousand years, Satan is released, deceives the nations one final time, and is cast into the lake of fire forever. The great white throne judgment follows, where all the dead are judged according to their works, and death and hell are cast into the lake of fire.
Key Themes
Satan Bound and Defeated
The binding of Satan demonstrates that his power is entirely subject to God's authority — he is not God's equal opponent but a creature whose final destruction is certain.
The Reign of the Saints
Believers share in Christ's reign during the millennium, fulfilling the promise that the meek shall inherit the earth and that the faithful will rule with their King.
The Great White Throne
Every person who has ever lived stands before God's throne of judgment, and the books are opened — a sobering reminder that every life will be evaluated and that only those in the book of life are saved.
Study Questions
What does the binding of Satan for a thousand years teach us about God's control over the timing and extent of evil in the world?
What does it mean to share in 'the first resurrection,' and how does this promise encourage believers facing persecution?
Why does God release Satan after the thousand years, and what does his final deception reveal about the nature of evil?
How should the reality of the great white throne judgment shape our understanding of accountability before God?
What is the 'second death,' and how does the book of life determine who is spared from it?
Connection to Christ
Christ is the one who reigns for a thousand years with His saints, fulfilling every messianic promise of a righteous kingdom. The great white throne judgment demonstrates that all authority in heaven and earth belongs to Him. The ultimate destruction of Satan, death, and Hades confirms that Christ's victory on the cross was not partial but complete — every enemy is put under His feet.
Personal Reflection
Take time to journal or meditate on what God is teaching you through Revelation 20. How can these truths transform your thinking and actions today?