Revelation 20-21
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 20
The Thousand-year Reign. 1 [a]Then I saw an angel come down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the abyss[b] and a heavy chain.(A) 2 He seized the dragon, the ancient serpent, which is the Devil or Satan,[c] and tied it up for a thousand years(B) 3 and threw it into the abyss, which he locked over it and sealed, so that it could no longer lead the nations astray until the thousand years are completed. After this, it is to be released for a short time.
4 Then I saw thrones; those who sat on them were entrusted with judgment. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast or its image nor had accepted its mark[d] on their foreheads or hands. They came to life and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years.(C) 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were over. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed[e] and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over these; they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for [the] thousand years.
7 [f]When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison. 8 He will go out to deceive the nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog,[g] to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea.(D) 9 They invaded the breadth of the earth[h] and surrounded the camp of the holy ones and the beloved city. But fire came down from heaven and consumed them.(E) 10 The Devil who had led them astray was thrown into the pool of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet were. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
The Large White Throne.[i] 11 Next I saw a large white throne and the one who was sitting on it. The earth and the sky fled from his presence and there was no place for them.(F) 12 I saw the dead, the great and the lowly, standing before the throne, and scrolls were opened. Then another scroll was opened, the book of life.[j] The dead were judged according to their deeds, by what was written in the scrolls.(G) 13 The sea gave up its dead; then Death and Hades[k] gave up their dead. All the dead were judged according to their deeds. 14 (H)Then Death and Hades were thrown into the pool of fire. (This pool of fire is the second death.[l]) 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the pool of fire.
VI. The New Creation[m]
Chapter 21
The New Heaven and the New Earth. 1 (I)Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.[n] 2 I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem,[o] coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.(J) 3 I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race.(K) He will dwell with them and they will be his people[p] and God himself will always be with them [as their God].[q] 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, [for] the old order has passed away.”(L)
5 The one who sat on the throne[r] said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Then he said, “Write these words down, for they are trustworthy and true.”(M) 6 He said to me, “They are accomplished.[s] I [am] the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give a gift from the spring of life-giving water.(N) 7 The victor[t] will inherit these gifts, and I shall be his God, and he will be my son.(O) 8 But as for cowards,[u] the unfaithful, the depraved, murderers, the unchaste, sorcerers, idol-worshipers, and deceivers of every sort, their lot is in the burning pool of fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”(P)
The New Jerusalem.[v] 9 One of the seven angels who held the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come here. I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”[w] 10 He took me in spirit to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.(Q) 11 It gleamed with the splendor of God. Its radiance was like that of a precious stone, like jasper, clear as crystal.(R) 12 It had a massive, high wall, with twelve gates where twelve angels were stationed and on which names were inscribed, [the names] of the twelve tribes of the Israelites. 13 There were three gates facing east, three north, three south, and three west.(S) 14 The wall of the city had twelve courses of stones as its foundation, on which were inscribed the twelve names of the twelve apostles[x] of the Lamb.(T)
15 [y]The one who spoke to me held a gold measuring rod to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. 16 The city was square, its length the same as [also] its width. He measured the city with the rod and found it fifteen hundred miles[z] in length and width and height. 17 He also measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits[aa] according to the standard unit of measurement the angel used. 18 [ab]The wall was constructed of jasper, while the city was pure gold, clear as glass. 19 The foundations of the city wall were decorated with every precious stone; the first course of stones was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald,(U) 20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh hyacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made from a single pearl; and the street of the city was of pure gold, transparent as glass.
22 [ac](V)I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God almighty and the Lamb. 23 [ad]The city had no need of sun or moon to shine on it,(W) for the glory of God gave it light, and its lamp was the Lamb. 24 The nations will walk by its light,[ae] and to it the kings of the earth will bring their treasure.(X) 25 During the day its gates will never be shut, and there will be no night there. 26 The treasure and wealth of the nations will be brought there, 27 but nothing unclean will enter it, nor any[one] who does abominable things or tells lies. Only those will enter whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.(Y)
Footnotes
- 20:1–6 Like the other numerical values in this book, the thousand years are not to be taken literally; they symbolize the long period of time between the chaining up of Satan (a symbol for Christ’s resurrection-victory over death and the forces of evil) and the end of the world. During this time God’s people share in the glorious reign of God that is present to them by virtue of their baptismal victory over death and sin; cf. Rom 6:1–8; Jn 5:24–25; 16:33; 1 Jn 3:14; Eph 2:1.
- 20:1 Abyss: see note on Rev 9:1.
- 20:2 Dragon…serpent…Satan: see notes on Rev 12:3, 9, 10, 15.
- 20:4 Beast…mark: see Rev 13 and its notes.
- 20:6 Blessed: see note on Rev 1:3. Second death: see note on Rev 2:11. Priests: as in Rev 1:6; 5:10; cf. 1 Pt 2:9.
- 20:7–10 A description of the symbolic battle to take place when Satan is released at the end of time, when the thousand years are over; see note on Rev 20:1–6.
- 20:8 Gog and Magog: symbols of all pagan nations; the names are taken from Ez 38:1–39:20.
- 20:9 The breadth of the earth: Palestine. The beloved city: Jerusalem; see note on Rev 14:1.
- 20:11–15 A description of the final judgment. After the intermediate reign of Christ, all the dead are raised and judged, thus inaugurating the new age.
- 20:12 The book of life: see note on Rev 3:5. Judged…scrolls: see note on Rev 14:12.
- 20:13 Hades: the netherworld; see note on Rev 1:18.
- 20:14 Second death: see note on Rev 2:11.
- 21:1–22:5 A description of God’s eternal kingdom in heaven under the symbols of a new heaven and a new earth; cf. Is 65:17–25; 66:22; Mt 19:28.
- 21:1 Sea…no more: because as home of the dragon it was doomed to disappear; cf. Jb 7:12.
- 21:2 New Jerusalem…bride: symbol of the church (Gal 4:26); see note on Rev 19:7.
- 21:3–4 Language taken from Ez 37:27; Is 25:8; 35:10; cf. Rev 7:17.
- 21:3 People: other ancient manuscripts read a plural, “peoples.”
- 21:5 The one…on the throne: God himself; cf. Rev 4:1–11.
- 21:6 They are accomplished: God’s reign has already begun; see note on Rev 20:1–6. Alpha…Omega: see note on Rev 1:8. Life-giving water: see note on Rev 7:17.
- 21:7 The victor: over the forces of evil; see the conclusions of the seven letters (Rev 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21). He will be my son: the victorious Christian enjoys divine affiliation by adoption (Gal 4:4–7; Rom 8:14–17); see note on Rev 2:26–28.
- 21:8 Cowards: their conviction is so weak that they deny Christ in time of trial and become traitors. Second death: see note on Rev 2:11.
- 21:9–22:5 Symbolic descriptions of the new Jerusalem, the church. Most of the images are borrowed from Ez 40–48.
- 21:9 The bride, the wife of the Lamb: the church (Rev 21:2), the new Jerusalem (Rev 21:10); cf. 2 Cor 11:2.
- 21:14 Courses of stones…apostles: literally, “twelve foundations”; cf. Eph 2:19–20.
- 21:15–17 The city is shaped like a gigantic cube, a symbol of perfection (cf. 1 Kgs 6:19–20). The measurements of the city and its wall are multiples of the symbolic number twelve; see note on Rev 7:4–9.
- 21:16 Fifteen hundred miles: literally, twelve thousand stades, about 12,000 furlongs (see note on Rev 14:20); the number is symbolic: twelve (the apostles as leaders of the new Israel) multiplied by 1,000 (the immensity of Christians); cf. Introduction. In length and width and height: literally, “its length and width and height are the same.”
- 21:17 One hundred and forty-four cubits: the cubit was about eighteen inches in length. Standard unit of measurement the angel used: literally, “by a human measure, i.e., an angel’s.”
- 21:18–21 The gold and precious gems symbolize the beauty and excellence of the church; cf. Ex 28:15–21; Tb 13:16–17; Is 54:11–12.
- 21:22 Christ is present throughout the church; hence, no temple is needed as an earthly dwelling for God; cf. Mt 18:20; 28:20; Jn 4:21.
- 21:23 Lamp…Lamb: cf. Jn 8:12.
- 21:24–27 All men and women of good will are welcome in the church; cf. Is 60:1, 3, 5, 11. The…book of life: see note on Rev 3:5.
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.