Discovery BoxRevelation 20:1-3 
Context20:1 Then 1 I saw an angel descending from heaven, holding 2 in his hand the key to the abyss and a huge chain. 20:2 He 3 seized the dragon – the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan – and tied him up for a thousand years. 20:3 The angel 4 then 5 threw him into the abyss and locked 6 and sealed it so that he could not deceive the nations until the one thousand years were finished. (After these things he must be released for a brief period of time.)
Revelation 20:11-15
Context20:11 Then 7 I saw a large 8 white throne and the one who was seated on it; the earth and the heaven 9 fled 10 from his presence, and no place was found for them. 20:12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne. Then 11 books were opened, and another book was opened – the book of life. 12 So 13 the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to their deeds. 14 20:13 The 15 sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Death 16 and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each one was judged according to his deeds. 20:14 Then 17 Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death – the lake of fire. 20:15 If 18 anyone’s name 19 was not found written in the book of life, that person 20 was thrown into the lake of fire.
1 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
2 tn The word “holding” is implied. The two clauses “having the key of the abyss” and “a huge chain in his hand” can be construed in two ways: (1) both are controlled by the participle ἔχοντα (econta) and both are modified by the phrase “in his hand” – “having in his hand the key to the abyss and a huge chain.” (2) The participle ἔχοντα refers only to the key, and the phrase “in his hand” refers only to the chain – “having the key of the abyss and holding a huge chain in his hand.” Because of the stylistic tendency in Rev to use the verb ἔχω (ecw) to mean “hold (something)” and the phrase “in his hand” forming a “bracket” along with the verb ἔχω around both the phrases in question, the first option is preferred.
3 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
4 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel introduced in v. 1) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
5 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
6 tn Or “and shut.” While the lexical force of the term is closer to “shut,” it is acceptable to render the verb ἔκλεισεν (ekleisen) as “locked” here in view of the mention of the key in the previous verse.
7 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
8 tn Traditionally, “great,” but μέγας (megas) here refers to size rather than importance.
9 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.
10 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).
11 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
12 tn Grk “another book was opened, which is of life.”
13 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the books being opened.
14 tn Grk “from the things written in the books according to their works.”
15 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
16 sn Here Death is personified (cf. 1 Cor 15:55).
17 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
18 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
19 tn The word “name” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
20 tn Grk “he”; the pronoun has been intensified by translating as “that person.”
