The Vision of the Millennial Reign

1Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key to the bottomless pit,a with a large chain in his hand. 2He captured the dragon, that ancient serpent, also known as the devil and Satan, and tied him up for a thousand years. 3He threw him into the bottomless pit,b locked it, and sealed it over him to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were over. After that, he must be set free for a little while.

The Vision of the First Resurrection

4Then I saw thrones, and those who sat on them were given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshipped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or hands. They came back to life and ruled with the Messiahc for a thousand years. 5The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years were over. This is the first resurrection. 6How blessed and holy are those who participate in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them. They will be priests of God and the Messiah,d and will rule with him for a thousand years.

The Vision of the Final Judgment

7When the thousand years are over, Satan will be freed from his prison. 8He will go out to deceive Gog and Magog, the nations at the four corners of the earth, and gather them for war. They are as numerous as the sands of the seashore. 9They marched over the broad expanse of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. Fire came from Gode out of heaven and burned them up, 10and the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet were. They will be tortured day and night forever and ever.

The Vision of the White Throne Judgment

11Then I saw a large, white throne and the one who was sitting on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and no place was found for them. 12I saw the dead, both unimportant and important, standing in front of the throne, and books were open. Another book was opened—the Book of Life. The dead were judged according to their actions, as recorded in the books. 13The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Death and Hadesf gave up the dead that were in them, and all were judged according to their actions. 14Death and Hadesg were thrown into the lake of fire. (This is the second death—the lake of fire.) 15Anyone whose name was not found written in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.