Revelation 20

And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

1Then I saw an angel come down from heaven. He held the key to the deep pit. He also carried a big chain in his hand.

NoteThe "bottomless pit" is a deep prison place with no floor. Some Bibles call it the Abyss.

2And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

2He grabbed the dragon, that old snake, who is the Devil, also called Satan. The angel tied him up for 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.

3He threw Satan into the deep pit. He shut it and sealed it over him. Now Satan could not trick the nations for a thousand years. After that, he must be let out for a short time.

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.

4Then I saw thrones. People sat on them and were given the right to judge. I saw the souls of people whose heads had been cut off. They died for telling about Jesus and for God's word. They had not worshipped the beast or its statue. They had not taken its mark on their forehead or hand. They came alive and ruled with Christ for a thousand years.

5But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

5The rest of the dead did not come alive until the thousand years were over. This first coming alive is called 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.

6Happy and holy are the people who share in that first resurrection. The second death cannot hurt them at all. They will be priests, helpers who serve God and Christ. They will rule with him for a thousand years.

7And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

7When the thousand years are over, Satan will be let 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.

8He will go out to trick the nations in all four corners of the earth. These nations are called Gog and Magog. He will gather them for battle. There will be as many of them as grains of sand at 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.

9They marched across the wide earth. They surrounded the camp of God's people and the city he loves. Then fire came down from heaven and burned them up.

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.

10The devil who tricked them was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur. The beast and the false prophet were already there. A false prophet is someone who says he speaks for God but does not. They will be in pain there day and night, forever and ever.

Note"Brimstone" is an old word for sulfur. It is a yellow rock that burns with a strong smell.

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.

11Then I saw a great white throne and the One sitting on it. The earth and the heavens ran away from him. No place was left for them anywhere.

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.

12I saw the dead standing before God, both important people and ordinary people. Books were opened. One more book was opened too, the book of life. The dead were judged by what they had done, just as the books said.

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.

13The sea gave back the dead who were in it. Death and the place of the dead gave back their dead too. Each person was judged by what he had done.

NoteThe KJV word "hell" here means Hades, the place where dead people are kept. It is not the same as the lake of fire mentioned in the next verse.

14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

14Then Death and the place of the dead were thrown into the lake of fire. That lake is the second death.

15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

15Anyone whose name was not written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.