20:1 {Coming down out of heaven} (katabainonta ek tou ouranou). As in 10:1; 18:1.
{The key of the abyss} (tˆn klein tˆs abussou). As in 9:1.
{A great chain} (halusin megalˆn). Paul wore a halusis (alpha privative and lu“, to loose) in Rome (2Ti 1:16;, as did Peter in prison in Jerusalem (Ac 12:6). {In his hand} (epi tˆn cheira autou). "Upon his hand," ready for use. See epi with the genitive in 1:20.

20:2 {He laid hold on} (ekratˆsen). First aorist active indicative of krate“, to seize.
{The dragon} (ton drakonta). Accusative after ekratˆsen instead of the genitive as in 2:1. He has been behind the beast and the false prophet from the start. Now he is seized.
{The old serpent} (ho ophis ho archaios). Precisely the description in 12:9, only the nominative is here retained, though in apposition with the accusative ton drakonta, a frequent anacoluthon in the Apocalypse (1:5, etc.). Swete calls it a parenthesis.
{Which is} (hos estin). The relative here relieves the construction and takes the place of ho kaloumenos in 12:9 before Diabolos kai ho Satanƒs.
{And bound him} (kai edˆsen auton). First aorist active indicative of de“.
{For a thousand years} (chilia etˆ). Accusative of extent of time. Here we confront the same problem found in the 1260 days. In this book of symbols how long is a thousand years? All sorts of theories are proposed, none of which fully satisfy one. Perhaps Peter has given us the only solution open to us in 2Pe 3:8 when he argues that "one day with the Lord is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day." It will help us all to remember that God's clock does not run by ours and that times and seasons and programs are with him. This wonderful book was written to comfort the saints in a time of great trial, not to create strife among them.

20:3 {Into the abyss} (eis tˆn abusson). The one in 9:1f. and the one spoken of by the legion of demons in Lu 8:31 under the charge of the angel of the abyss (Apollyon, Re 9:11) who is either Satan himself or a kindred power. "Already he has been cast out of Heaven (12:9), now he is cast out of the earth, and returns to his own place" (Swete).
{Shut it and sealed it} (ekleisen kai esphragisen). Effective first aorists active indicative of klei“ and sphragiz“.
{That he should deceive no more} (hina mˆ planˆsˆi). Negative purpose clause with hina mˆ and the first aorist active subjunctive of plana“. Glorious relief after the strain of the previous visions of conflict. Small wonder that Christians today cherish this blessed hope whatever the actual meaning may be.
{Until should be finished} (achri telesthˆi). Temporal clause of future purpose with achri (as a conjunction like he“s) and the first aorist passive subjunctive of tele“. Repeated in verse 5 and see achri and the subjunctive in 7:3; 15:8.
{He must be loosed} (dei luthˆnai). Sad necessity, alas, with dei and the first aorist passive infinitive of lu“.
{For a little time} (mikron chronon). Accusative of time. Whatever the thousand years means, it is here said plainly that after it is over the devil will again have power on earth "for a little time."

20:4 {And they sat upon them} (kai ekathisan ep' autous). First aorist active indicative of kathiz“. Another period here apparently synchronous (verse 7) with the confinement of Satan in the abyss. No subject is given for this plural verb. Apparently Christ and the Apostles (Mt 19:28; Lu 22:30) and some of the saints (1Co 6:3), martyrs some hold.
{Judgment was given unto them} (krima edothˆ autois). First aorist passive of did“mi. Picture of the heavenly court of assizes.
{The souls} (tas psuchas). Accusative after eidon at the beginning of the verse.
{Of them that had been beheaded} (t“n pepelekismen“n). Genitive of the articular perfect passive participle of pelekiz“, old word (from pelekus an axe, the traditional instrument for execution in republican Rome, but later supplanted by the sword), to cut off with an axe, here only in N.T. See 6:9; 18:24; 19:2 for previous mention of these martyrs for the witness of Jesus (1:9; 12:17; 19:10). Others also besides martyrs shared in Christ's victory, those who refused to worship the beast or wear his mark as in 13:15; 14:9ff.; 16:2; 19:20. {And they lived} (kai ezˆsan). First aorist active indicative of za“. If the ingressive aorist, it means "came to life" or "lived again" as in 2:8 and so as to verse 5. If it is the constative aorist here and in verse 5, then it could mean increased spiritual life. See Joh 5:21-29 for the double sense of life and death (now literal, now spiritual) precisely as we have the second death in Re 2:11; 20:6,14.
{And reigned with Christ} (kai ebasileusan meta tou Christou). Same use of the first aorist active indicative of basileu“, but more clearly constative. Beckwith and Swete take this to apply solely to the martyrs, the martyrs' reign with Christ.

20:5 {The rest of the dead} (hoi loipoi t“n nekr“n). "All except the martyrs, both the righteous and the unrighteous" (Beckwith). But some take this to mean only the wicked.
{Lived not until the thousand years should be finished} (ouk ezˆsan achri telesthˆi ta chilia etˆ). See verse 4 for the items here. "To infer from this statement, as many expositors have done, that the ezˆsan of v. 4 must be understood of bodily resuscitation, is to interpret apocalyptic prophecy by methods of exegesis which are proper to ordinary narrative" (Swete). I sympathize wholly with that comment and confess my own ignorance therefore as to the meaning of the symbolism without any predilections for post-millennialism or premillennialism.
{This is the first resurrection} (hautˆ hˆ anastasis hˆ pr“tˆ). Scholars differ as to the genuineness of this phrase. Accepting it as genuine, Swete applies it to "the return of the martyrs and confessors to life at the beginning of the Thousand Years." According to this view the first resurrection is a special incident in the present life before the Parousia. It has no parallel with 1Th 4:16, where the dead in Christ are raised before those living are changed. Some think that John here pictures the "Regeneration" (palingenesia) of Mt 19:28 and the "Restoration" (apokatastasis) of Ac 3:21. No effort is here made to solve this problem, save to call attention to the general judgment out of the books in 20:12 and to the general resurrection in Joh 5:29; Ac 24:15.

20:6 {Blessed and holy} (makarios kai hagios). A fifth beatitude (1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9) already and two more to come (22:7,14, seven in all). Here hagios is added to the usual makarios. The second death (ho deuteros thanatos). The spiritual death of 2:11; 20:14; 21:8 in contrast to the first or physical death. This language raises a question about the interpretation of the first and the second resurrections, whether both are of the body or one of the spirit. There seems no way to reach a solid conception about it. In 1Co 15:23 there is no mention of the resurrection of any save "those of Christ" (hoi tou Christou), though the end follows (verse 24). However, Paul elsewhere (Ac 24:15) speaks of the resurrection of the just and of the unjust as if one event.
{Priests of God and of Christ} (hiereis tou theou kai tou Christou). As in 1:6; 5:10; 22:3,5.
{Shall reign with him} (basileusousin met' autou). As promised in the same passages. The servants of God are to be priests with Christ and to reign with him (Mt 19:28). In 5:10 epi tˆs gˆs (upon earth) occurs, but this item does not appear here. "No hint is given as to where this service is to be rendered and this royalty to be exercised" (Swete).

20:7 {When are finished} (hotan telesthˆi). Indefinite future temporal clause with hotan and the first aorist passive subjunctive of tele“, "whenever are finished."
{Shall be loosed} (luthˆsetai). Future passive of lu“, no longer bound as in 20:2f. He uses the future as a prophet in verses 7,8, but in 9,10 he uses the aorist as a seer.
{Out of his prison} (ek tˆs phulakˆs autou). For phulakˆ in this sense see 2:10. Out of the abyss of verses 2,3.

20:8 {To deceive the nations} (planˆsai ta ethnˆ). First aorist active infinitive of purpose of plana“, Satan's chief task (chapters 12 to 18, in particular 12:9; 13:14; 19:20; 20:3,10). {Which are in the four corners of the earth} (ta en tais tessarsi g“niais tˆs gˆs). Clearly the reign with Christ, if on earth, was not shared in by all on earth, for Satan finds a large and ready following on his release. See 7:1 (Isa 11:12) for "the four corners of the earth."
{Gog and Magog} (ton G“g kai Mag“g). Accusative in explanatory apposition with ta ethnˆ (the nations). Magog is first mentioned in Ge 10:2. The reference here seems to be Eze 38:2, where both are mentioned. Josephus ("Ant". I. 6. 1) identifies Magog with the Scythians, with Gog as their prince. In the rabbinical writings Gog and Magog appear as the enemies of the Messiah. Some early Christian writers thought of the Goths and Huns, but Augustine refuses to narrow the imagery and sees only the final protest of the world against Christianity.
{To gather them together to the war} (sunagagein autous eis ton polemon). Second aorist active infinitive of purpose of sunag“, a congenial task for Satan after his confinement. See 16:14 for this very phrase and also 17:14; 19:19.
{Of whom} (h“n--aut“n). Pleonasm or redundant pronoun as in 3:8 and often (of whom--of them).
{As the sand of the sea} (h“s hˆ ammos tˆs thalassˆs). Already in 12:18. Clearly then the millennium, whatever it is, does not mean a period when Satan has no following on earth, for this vast host rallies at once to his standard.

20:9 {They went up} (anebˆsan). Second aorist active indicative of anabain“, a return to the manner of the seer as in verses 4,5.
{Over the breadth of the earth} (epi to platos tˆs gˆs). Platos is old word, in N.T. only here, 21:16; Eph 3:18. The hosts of Satan spread over the earth.
{Compassed} (ekukleusan). First aorist (prophetic) active indicative of kukleu“, to encircle, late verb (Strabo) from kuklos (circle), in N.T. only here and margin in Joh 10:24 (for ekukl“san from kuklo“). {The camp of the saints} (tˆn parembolˆn t“n hagi“n). Parembolˆ (para, en, ball“) is common late word for military camp, in LXX for the Israelites in the desert (Ex 29:14, etc.), in N.T. for Roman barracks (Ac 24:34,37) and for an army in line of battle (Heb 11:34; Re 20:9).
{The beloved city} (tˆn polin tˆn ˆgapˆmenˆn). Perfect passive participle of agapa“, "the city the beloved." See Ps 78:68; 87:2 for Jerusalem so described. So Charles takes it here, but Swete holds it to be "the Church the New Zion" that is meant.
{And fire came down out of heaven} (kai katebˆ pur ek tou ouranou). Second aorist (prophetic) active indicative of katabain“. Cf. Ge 19:24; 39:6; Eze 38:22; 2Ki 1:10,12; Lu 9:54 (about John).
{Devoured them} (katephagen autous). Second aorist (prophetic) active of katesthi“, to eat up (down). Vivid climax to this last great battle with Satan.

20:10 {Was cast} (eblˆthˆ). First aorist (prophetic, affective) passive indicative of ball“ (verse 3).
{Into the lake of fire and brimstone} (eis tˆn limnˆn tou puros kai theiou). As in 19:20 with the two beasts, as he adds, "where are also the beast and the false prophet" (hopou kai to thˆrion kai ho pseudoprophˆtˆs).
{They shall be tormented} (basanisthˆsontai). Return to the prophetic future of verses 7,8. For basaniz“ see 9:5; 14:10. For "day and night" (hˆmeras kai nuktos) see 4:8; 7:15; 12:10; 14:11. For "for ever and ever" (eis tous ai“nas ton ai“n“n) see 1:6,18; 4:9,10; 5:13; 7:12; 10:6; 11:15, etc. The devil was cast down from heaven (12:9), then imprisoned (20:2ff.), now he received his final doom.

20:11 {A great white throne} (thronon megan leukon). Here megan (great) is added to the throne pictures in 4:4; 20:4. The scene is prepared for the last judgment often mentioned in the N.T. (Mt 25:31-46; Ro 14:10; 2Co 5:10). "The absolute purity of this Supreme Court is symbolized by the colour of the Throne" (Swete) as in Da 7:9; Ps 9:1; 97:2. The name of God is not mentioned, but the Almighty Father sits upon the throne (4:2f.,9; 5:1,7,13; 6:16; 7:10,15; 19:4; 21:5), and the Son sits there with him (Heb 1:3) and works with the Father (Joh 5:19-21; 10:30; Mt 25:31ff.; Ac 17:31; 2Co 5:10; 2Ti 4:1).
{From whose face the earth and the heaven fled away} (hou apo pros“pou ephugen hˆ ge kai ho ouranos). Second aorist (prophetic) active of pheug“. See 16:20. The non-eternity of matter is a common teaching in the O.T. (Ps 97:5; 102:27; Isa 51:6) as in the N.T. (Mr 13:31; 2Pe 3:10).
{Was found} (heurethˆ). First aorist passive indicative of heurisk“. All is now spiritual. Even scientists today are speaking of the non-eternity of the universe.

20:12 {The dead, the great and the small} (tous nekrous tous megalous kai tous mikrous). The general resurrection of verse 13 is pictured by anticipation as already over. No living are mentioned after the battle of verses 7-10, though some will be living when Jesus comes to judge the quick and the dead (2Ti 4:1; 1Th 4:13ff.). All classes and conditions (11:18; 13:16; 19:5,18) John saw "standing before the throne" (hest“tas en“pion tou thronou).
{Books were opened} (biblia ˆnoichthˆsan). First aorist passive of anoig“. Like Da 7:10. The record of each human being has been kept in God's books. {Were judged} (ekrithˆsan). First aorist passive indicative of krin“. The sentence upon each rests upon written evidence. {Another book which is the book of life} (allo biblion ho estin tˆs z“ˆs). This book has already been mentioned (3:5; 13:8; 17:8). "It is the roll of living citizens of Jerusalem" (Swete), "the church of the first born enrolled in heaven" (Heb 12:23). The books are "the vouchers for the book of life" (Alford). We are saved by grace, but character at last (according to their works) is the test as the fruit of the tree (Mt 7:16,20; 10:32f.; 25:31-46; Joh 15:6; 2Co 5:10; Ro 2:10; Re 2:23; 20:12; 22:12).

20:13 {Gave up} (ed“ken). Just "gave" (first aorist active indicative of did“mi), but for the sea to give is to give up (effective aorist). Sea as well as land delivers its dead (all kinds of dead, good and bad). Swete notes that accidental deaths will not prevent any from appearing. Milligan is sure that the sea here means "the sea of the troubled and sinful world."
{Death and Hades} (ho thanatos kai ho hƒidˆs). "An inseparable pair" (Swete) as in 1:18; 6:8; 20:14. So in Mt 16:18 "the gates of Hades" means the power of death. Etymologically Hades is the unseen world where all who die are as opposed to this visible world, but in actual use Hades is sometimes treated as the abode of the unrighteous (Lu 16:23). Charles thinks that this is true here, though there is nothing to show it apart from the personification of death and Hades and the casting of both into the lake of fire in verse 14. Here again "each man" (hekastos) receives judgment according to his deeds (Mt 16:27; 1Co 3:13; 2Co 5:10; Ro 2:6; 14:12; 1Pe 1:17; Re 2:23).

20:14 {Were cast} (eblˆthˆsan). As the devil (20:10) followed the two beasts (19:20) into the same dread lake of fire. Death is personified and is disposed of, "the last enemy" (1Co 15:26) and Paul sings the paean of victory over death (1Co 15:54f., from Ho 13:14). Hades has no more terrors, for the saints are in heaven. There is no more fear of death (Heb 2:15), for death is no more (Re 21:4). The second death (2:11; 20:6; 21:8) is here identified as in 21:8 with the lake of fire.

20:15 {If any was not found written in the book of life} (ei tis ouch heurethˆ en tˆi bibl“i tˆs z“ˆs). Condition of first class with ei and the first aorist passive indicative of heurisk“. In this short sentence the doom is told of all who are out of Christ, for they too follow the devil and the two beasts into the lake of fire (the counterpart of the Gehenna of fire, Mt 5:22). There is no room here for soul sleeping, for an intermediate state, for a second chance, or for annihilation of the wicked. In Da 12:2 there is a resurrection to death as well as to life and so in Joh 5:29; Ac 24:15.