Revelation 20:11-15
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Dead Are Judged
11 Then I saw a great white throne and the one who sat on it; the earth and the heaven fled from his[a] presence, and no place was found for them.(A) 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, the book of life. And the dead were judged according to their works, as recorded in the books.(B) 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and all were judged according to what they had done.(C) 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire,(D) 15 and anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
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- 20.11 Gk the
Revelation 20:11-15
New English Translation
The Great White Throne
11 Then[a] I saw a large[b] white throne and the one who was seated on it; the earth and the heaven[c] fled[d] from his presence, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne. Then[e] books were opened, and another book was opened—the book of life.[f] So[g] the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to their deeds.[h] 13 The[i] sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Death[j] and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each one was judged according to his deeds. 14 Then[k] Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire. 15 If[l] anyone’s name[m] was not found written in the book of life, that person[n] was thrown into the lake of fire.
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- Revelation 20:11 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
- Revelation 20:11 tn Traditionally, “great,” but μέγας (megas) here refers to size rather than importance.
- Revelation 20:11 tn Or “and the sky.” The same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky,” and context usually determines which is meant. In this apocalyptic scene, however, it is difficult to be sure what referent to assign the term.
- Revelation 20:11 tn Or “vanished.”sn The phrase the earth and the heaven fled from his presence can be understood (1) as visual imagery representing the fear of corruptible matter in the presence of God, but (2) it can also be understood more literally as the dissolution of the universe as we know it in preparation for the appearance of the new heaven and new earth (Rev 21:1).
- Revelation 20:12 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
- Revelation 20:12 tn Grk “another book was opened, which is of life.”
- Revelation 20:12 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the books being opened.
- Revelation 20:12 tn Grk “from the things written in the books according to their works.”
- Revelation 20:13 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
- Revelation 20:13 sn Here Death is personified (cf. 1 Cor 15:55).
- Revelation 20:14 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
- Revelation 20:15 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
- Revelation 20:15 tn The word “name” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
- Revelation 20:15 tn Grk “he”; the pronoun has been intensified by translating as “that person.”
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