1 T hen I saw an angel descending from heaven; he was holding the key of the Abyss (the bottomless pit) and a great chain was in his hand.

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven. He had in his hand a key to the hole without a bottom. He also had a strong chain.

2 A nd he gripped and overpowered the dragon, that old serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.

He took hold of the dragon, that old snake, who is the Devil, or Satan, and chained him for 1, 000 years.

3 T hen he hurled him into the Abyss (the bottomless pit) and closed it and sealed it above him, so that he should no longer lead astray and deceive and seduce the nations until the thousand years were at an end. After that he must be liberated for a short time.

The angel threw the devil into the hole without a bottom. He shut it and locked him in it. He could not fool the nations anymore until the 1, 000 years were completed. After this he must be free for awhile.

4 T hen I saw thrones, and sitting on them were those to whom authority to act as judges and to pass sentence was entrusted. Also I saw the souls of those who had been slain with axes for their witnessing to Jesus and for the Word of God, and who had refused to pay homage to the beast or his statue and had not accepted his mark or permitted it to be stamped on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived again and ruled with Christ (the Messiah) a thousand years.

Then I saw thrones. Those who were sitting there were given the power to judge. I saw the souls of those who had been killed because they told about Jesus and preached the Word of God. They had not worshiped the wild animal or his false god. They had not received his mark on their foreheads or hands. They lived again and were leaders along with Christ for 1, 000 years.

5 T he remainder of the dead were not restored to life again until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection.

The rest of the dead did not come to life again until the 1, 000 years were finished. This is the first time many people are raised from the dead at the same time.

6 B lessed (happy, to be envied) and holy (spiritually whole, of unimpaired innocence and proved virtue) is the person who takes part (shares) in the first resurrection! Over them the second death exerts no power or authority, but they shall be ministers of God and of Christ (the Messiah), and they shall rule along with Him a thousand years.

Those who are raised from the dead during this first time are happy and holy. The second death has no power over them. They will be religious leaders of God and of Christ. They will be leaders with Him for 1, 000 years. Satan Is Destroyed Forever

7 A nd when the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his place of confinement,

When the 1, 000 years are finished, Satan will be free to leave his prison.

8 A nd he will go forth to deceive and seduce and lead astray the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth—Gog and Magog—to muster them for war; their number is like the sand of the sea.

He will go out and fool the nations who are over all the world. They are Gog and Magog. He will gather them all together for war. There will be as many as the sand along the sea-shore.

9 A nd they swarmed up over the broad plain of the earth and encircled the fortress (camp) of God’s people (the saints) and the beloved city; but fire descended from heaven and consumed them.

They will spread out over the earth and all around the place where God’s people are and around the city that is loved. Fire will come down from God out of heaven and destroy them.

10 T hen the devil who had led them astray was hurled into the fiery lake of burning brimstone, where the beast and false prophet were; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever (through the ages of the ages).

Then the devil who fooled them will be thrown into the lake of fire burning with sulphur. The wild animal and the false preacher are already there. They will all be punished day and night forever. The Guilty Will Be Punished

11 T hen I saw a great white throne and the One Who was seated upon it, from Whose presence and from the sight of Whose face earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.

Then I saw a great white throne. I saw the One Who sat on it. The earth and the heaven left Him in a hurry and they could be found no more.

12 I saw the dead, great and small; they stood before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is of Life. And the dead were judged (sentenced) by what they had done '> their whole way of feeling and acting, their aims and endeavors] in accordance with what was recorded in the books.

I saw all the dead people standing before God. There were great people and small people. The books were opened. Then another book was opened. It was the book of life. The dead people were judged by what they had done as it was written in the books.

13 A nd the sea delivered up the dead who were in it, death and Hades ( the state of death or disembodied existence) surrendered the dead in them, and all were tried and their cases determined by what they had done.

The sea gave up the dead people who were in it. Death and hell gave up the dead people who were in them. Each one was judged by what he had done.

14 T hen death and Hades ( the state of death or disembodied existence) were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.

Then death and hell were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.

15 A nd if anyone’s was not found recorded in the Book of Life, he was hurled into the lake of fire.

If anyone’s name was not written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.