Revelation 20:3

1 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 laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
And he threw him into the Abyss, shut it, and sealed it over him, so that he could not deceive the nations until the thousand years were complete. After that, he must be released for a brief period of time.
KJV
And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
WEB
and cast him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more until the thousand years were finished. After this, he must be freed for a short time.
ASV
and cast him into the abyss, and shut [it], and sealed [it] over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years should be finished: after this he must be loosed for a little time.
DARBY
and cast him into the abyss, and shut [it] and sealed [it] over him, that he should not any more deceive the nations until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be loosed for a little time.
BLB
And he cast him into the Abyss, and shut and sealed [it] over him, so that he should not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years should be completed. After these things, it is necessary for him to be released for a little time.
ÅB
og kastet ham i avgrunnen og lukket til og satte segl over ham, for at han ikke lenger skulle forføre folkene, inntil de tusen år var til ende; og etter den tid skal han løses en kort stund.
OTB
Han kastet ham i avgrunnen, lukket den og forseglet den over ham, for å hindre ham i å bedra nasjonene lenger før de tusen år var fullført. Etter dette må han slippes løs for en kort periode.
B1930
og kastet ham i avgrunnen og lukket til og satte segl over ham, forat han ikke lenger skulde forføre folkene, inntil de tusen år var til ende; og efter den tid skal han løses en kort stund.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Revelation 17:8

    The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

    Read in context
  • Revelation 20:1

    And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

    Read in context
  • Daniel 6:17

    And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.

    Read in context
  • 2 Thessalonians 2:9–11

    Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

    Read in context
  • Revelation 12:9

    And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

    Read in context
  • Revelation 20:7–10

    And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

    Read in context
  • Matthew 27:66

    So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.

    Read in context
  • 2 Corinthians 11:3

    But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

    Read in context