Book of Common Prayer

The dragon is bound for a thousand years. The dead arise and receive judgment.

20 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. ² And he took the dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil and Satan, and he bound him a thousand years, ³ and cast him into the bottomless pit. And he bound him and set a seal on him, that he should deceive the people no more till the thousand years were fulfilled. And after that, he must be loosed for a little season.

⁴ And I saw seats, and they that sat upon them; and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshipped the beast, nor his image, neither had taken his mark upon their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. ⁵ But the others of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is that first resurrection. ⁶ Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. For on such the second death shall have no power. For they shall be the priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

⁷ And when the thousand years are expired, Satan will be loosed out of his prison, ⁸ and will go out to deceive the people who are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. ⁹ And they went up on the plain of the earth and compassed the tents of the saints about, and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. ¹⁰ And the devil who deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet were, and shall be tormented day and night forevermore.

³⁰ I can of my own self do nothing at all. As I hear, I judge. And my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will, but the will of the Father who has sent me.

³¹ If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. ³² There is another who bears witness of me, and I know that the witness he bears of me is true: ³³ you sent to John, and he bore witness to the truth. ³⁴ But I do not need the testimony of man. Nevertheless, I say these things so that you might be saved. ³⁵ He was a burning and a shining light, and you were willing for a season to enjoy his light.

³⁶ But I have greater witness than the witness of John. For the works which the Father has given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father sent me.

³⁷ And the Father himself who has sent me bears witness of me. You have not heard his voice at any time, nor have you seen his nature, ³⁸ and his words you do not have abiding in you. For whom he has sent, him you do not believe.

³⁹ Search the scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life, and it is they that testify of me. ⁴⁰ And yet you will not come to me so that you might have life. ⁴¹ I do not need praise from men, ⁴² but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. ⁴³ I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, him you will receive. ⁴⁴ How can you believe, who receive honour from one another, and do not seek the honour that comes from God only?

⁴⁵ Do not think that I will accuse you to my Father. There is one who accuses you: even Moses, in whom you trust. ⁴⁶ For had you believed Moses, you would have believed me. For he wrote of me. ⁴⁷ But seeing you do not believe his writing, how will you believe my words?