1.
And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
saw. App-133 .
come = coming.
from. App-104 .
heaven. See Revelation 3:12 .
in = upon. Greek. epi.
2.
And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
laid hold on. Greek. krateo. Compare App-172 .
on = of.
dragon. See Revelation 12:3 .
that = the.
Satan. The texts add "the". See App-19 .
thousand years. i.e. the millennium.
3.
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.
him. Greek."it" (the pit).
set, &c. Literally sealed it over him.
that = in order that. Greek. hina.
should, &c. = should not ( App-105 ) deceive ( App-128 ).
more = longer.
fulfilled. Compare App-125 .
and. Omit.
after that. Greek. meta tauta, as Revelation 1:19 (hereafter).
season = time. Greek. chronos. App-195 . Satan is literal; the angel who binds him is literal; the abyss into which he is cast is literal; and the chain, whatever it may be composed of, is literal too.
4.
And 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.
they. i.e. the Father and Christ (Revelation 3:21 ), and the heavenly beings associated with them as assessors (Revelation 1:4 ; and compare Matthew 25:31 . 1 Timothy 5:21 ).
upon. App-104 .
judgment. App-177 .
was given. i.e. not judging or ruling authority, but sentence, or pronouncement, or award in their favour.
unto = for. No preposition. Dative case.
them. i.e. those who had been beheaded.
and = even.
I saw. Omit.
souls. App-110 . Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Part). App-6 .
were = had been.
witness = testimony. See Revelation 19:10 and p. 1511.
Jesus. App-98 .
word. App-121 .
which = whosoever. Greek. hoitines, as Matthew 5:39 , Matthew 5:41 .
had, &c. = did not ( App-105 ) worship ( App-137 )
neither. Greek. oude.
neither . . . received = and received (See Revelation 13:16 ) not ( App-105 ).
his = the.
or in = and upon(as above).
hands = hand.
lived. i.e. lived again. App-170 .
Christ. App-98 . The resurrection of these not mentioned but necessarily implied.
5.
But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
But. The texts omit.
the rest, &c. The texts read "the rest of the dead lived not until (i.e. again until)", which presumes that "the rest of the dead" are not living during the thousand years.
the rest. App-124 . Occurs: Romans 11:7 . 1 Corinthians 15:37 (other). 1 Thessalonians 4:13 (others); &c.
the dead. App-139 .
were = should be.
finished. See "fulfilled", Revelation 20:3 .
is. No verb.
resurrection. App-178 .
6.
Blessed 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.
Blessed. Greek. makarios. Forty-eighth occurances in N.T.
in. App-104 .
on such = over ( App-104 .) these.
power. App-172 .
priests. See Revelation 1:6 .
a. Some texts read "the". The "first resurrection" is the former of the two resurrections referred to in this passage. It is the antithesis of the resurrection implied though not specifically mentioned in Revelation 20:12 . This is the resurrection which was both the subject of revelation and the hope of Israel. Compare the antithesis in 2 John 1:6; 2 John 1:6 :29 . Acts 24:15 . This "first resurrection" should not be confused with 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 (see notes there and on Philippians 1:3 , Philippians 1:11 ).
7.
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
expired. See "fulfilled", Revelation 20:3 .
out of. App-104 .
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.
quarters. As Revelation 7:1 (corners).
earth. App-129 .4.
Gog and Magog. Here, apparently an inclusive term for all the Gentile nations; East (Gog) and West (Magog). The destruction of Gog and Magog, Ezekiel 39 , is pre-millennial. See Rev 39:25 .
battle = the war. The texts add the article. Reference to the war predicted and determined.
number. Greek. arithmos. One of the ten ( App-10 and App-197 .) occurances in Rev.
as the sand, &c. Greek. Paroemia. App-6 . Compare Hebrews 11:12 .
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.
earth. App-129 . Compare Isaiah 8:8 and Habakkuk 1:6 .
saints. See Daniel 7:18 , Daniel 7:27 . Acts 9:13 .
beloved. App-135 .
devoured. As Revelation 12:4 .
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.
lake, &c. See Revelation 19:20 .
where. The texts add "also".
beast, false prophet. See Revelation 19:20 .
are. No verb. Read "were", or "were cast".
and. Add "they".
tormented. Last of five occurances in Rev. Compare Revelation 9:5 .
for ever, &c. App-151 . a.
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.
great. That in Revelation 4:2-6 was seen by John in heaven; this on earth.
white. Indicating holiness and righteousness. No adjuncts mentioned. Only one throne and one Judge.
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.
the dead. Those of Revelation 20:5 . See App-139 .
small, &c. Read "the great and the small".
stand = standing.
God. The texts read "the throne".
the. Omit.
life. App-170 .
judged. App-122 .
those = the.
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.
hell = the grave. See Revelation 1:18 ; Revelation 6:8 and App-131 .
every man = each one.
14.
And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
death. The texts add "the lake of fire".
15.
And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
whosoever = if ( App-118 . a) any one ( App-123 .), Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton ( App-6 ) verses: Rev 20:9-18 .