1I saw an angel coming down out of heaven. He had the key to the Abyss. In his hand he held a heavy chain.

2He grabbed the dragon, that old serpent. The serpent is also called the devil, or Satan. The angel put him in chains for 1,000 years.

3Then he threw him into the Abyss. He locked it and sealed him in. This was to keep Satan from causing the nations to believe his lies anymore. Satan will be locked away until the 1,000 years are ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.

4I saw thrones. Those who had been given authority to judge were sitting on them. I also saw the souls of those whose heads had been cut off. They had been killed because they had spoken what was true about Jesus. They had also been killed because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its statue. They had not received its mark on their foreheads or hands. They came to life and ruled with Christ for 1,000 years.

5This is the first resurrection. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the 1,000 years were ended.

6Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them. They will be priests of God and of Christ. They will rule with him for 1,000 years.

7When the 1,000 years are over, Satan will be set free from his prison.

8He will go out to cause the nations to believe lies. He will gather them from the four corners of the earth. He will bring Gog and Magog together for battle. Their troops are as many as the grains of sand on the seashore.

9They marched across the whole earth. They surrounded the place where God’s holy people were camped. It was the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and burned them up.

10The devil had caused them to believe lies. He was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur. That is where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will all suffer day and night for ever and ever.

11I saw a great white throne. And I saw God sitting on it. When the earth and sky saw his face, they ran away. There was no place for them.

12I saw the dead, great and small, standing in front of the throne. Books were opened. Then another book was opened. It was the book of life. The dead were judged by what they had done. The things they had done were written in the books.

13The sea gave up the dead that were in it. And Death and Hell gave up their dead. Each person was judged by what they had done.

14Then Death and Hell were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.

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