Satan Is Chained for One Thousand Years

20 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 He took hold of the dragon, that old snake, who is the Devil, or Satan, and chained him for 1,000 years. ³ 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 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 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 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 When the 1,000 years are finished, Satan will be free to leave his prison. ⁸ 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 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 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 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 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 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 Then death and hell were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. ¹⁵ If anyone’s name was not written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.