1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key to the bottomless pit and a large chain in his hand.

2 He captured the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and tied him up for a thousand years.

3 He threw him into the bottomless pit, locked it, and sealed it over him to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were over. After that he must be set free for a little while.

4 Then I saw thrones, and those who sat on them were given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or hands. They came back to life and ruled with Christ for a thousand years.

5 The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years were over. This is the first resurrection.

6 How blessed and holy are those who participate in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them. They will be priests of God and Christ, and will rule with him for a thousand years.

7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be freed from his prison.

8 He will go out to deceive Gog and Magog, the nations at the four corners of the earth, and gather them for war. They are as numerous as the sands of the seashore.

9 They marched over the broad expanse of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. Fire came from God out of heaven and burned them up,

10 and the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet were. They will be tortured day and night forever and ever.

11 Then I saw a large, white throne and the one who was sitting on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and no place was found for them.

12 I saw the dead, both unimportant and important, standing in front of the throne, and books were open. Another book was opened—the Book of Life. The dead were judged according to their works, as recorded in the books.

13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and all were judged according to their works.

14 Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. (This is the second death—the lake of fire.)

15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.