Revelation 20:3 Meaning and Explanation
“And 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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The angel casts Satan into the abyss, shuts and seals it so he can deceive the nations no more, until he is briefly released after the thousand years.
What Does Revelation 20:3 Mean?
Three actions follow the binding: he is cast down, shut in, and sealed. The piling up of verbs underlines how thorough the restraint is. The stated purpose is that he should deceive the nations no more for that span. Yet the vision adds a sober note: afterward he must be loosed for a little season.
For a long appointed age, the great deceiver is silenced. Deception is named here as his chief weapon, and its restraint is itself a mercy to the nations. That he must be loosed afterward reminds us that God's purposes unfold in stages we do not fully control. The faithful are not asked to chart the timing, only to trust the One who sets the seal and keeps the key.
Revelation 20:3 in the Original Language
sphragizo (σφραγίζω), 'set a seal' -- to mark with a seal that secures and authenticates, here sealing the pit shut by God's authority.
Frequently Asked Questions About Revelation 20:3
What does Revelation 20:3 mean?
The angel casts Satan into the abyss, shuts and seals it so he can deceive the nations no more, until he is briefly released after the thousand years.