Revelation 20 (MSG)

15 verses · The Message · Contemporary paraphrase

The Message by Eugene Peterson presents the Bible in the rhythms and idioms of contemporary American English. More than a translation, it is a paraphrase designed to help readers experience Scripture's impact as if hearing it for the first time.

Revelation Chapter 20 contains 15 verses and is presented here in the The Message (MSG), which uses a contemporary paraphrase approach. Read the full text below, compare with other translations, or navigate to any of the 22 chapters in Revelation.

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Chapter 19Chapter 21

1I saw an Angel descending out of Heaven. He carried the key to the Abyss and a chain—a huge chain.

2He grabbed the Dragon, that old Snake—the very Devil, Satan himself!—chained him up for a thousand years,

3dumped him into the Abyss, slammed it shut and sealed it tight. No more trouble out of him, deceiving the nations—until the thousand years are up. After that he has to be let loose briefly.

4I saw thrones. Those put in charge of judgment sat on the thrones. I also saw the souls of those beheaded because of their witness to Jesus and the Word of God, who refused to worship either the Beast or his image, refused to take his mark on forehead or hand—they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years!

5The rest of the dead did not live until the thousand years were up. This is the first resurrection—

6and those involved most blessed, most holy. No second death for them! They're priests of God and Christ; they'll reign with him a thousand years.

7When the thousand years are up, Satan will be let loose from his cell,

8and will launch again his old work of deceiving the nations, searching out victims in every nook and cranny of earth, even Gog and Magog! He'll talk them into going to war and will gather a huge army, millions strong.

9They'll stream across the earth, surround and lay siege to the camp of God's holy people, the Beloved City. They'll no sooner get there than fire will pour out of Heaven and burn them up.

10The Devil who deceived them will be hurled into Lake Fire and Brimstone, joining the Beast and False Prophet, the three in torment around the clock for ages without end.

11I saw a Great White Throne and the One Enthroned. Nothing could stand before or against the Presence, nothing in Heaven, nothing on earth.

12And then I saw all the dead, great and small, standing there—before the Throne! And books were opened. Then another book was opened: the Book of Life. The dead were judged by what was written in the books, by the way they had lived.

13Sea released its dead, Death and Hell turned in their dead. Each man and woman was judged by the way he or she had lived.

14Then Death and Hell were hurled into Lake Fire. This is the second death—Lake Fire.

15Anyone whose name was not found inscribed in the Book of Life was hurled into Lake Fire.

Chapter 19Read in NIVChapter 21

About This Translation

What is Revelation 20 in the MSG?

Revelation 20 in the The Message (MSG) contains 15 verses. The MSG uses a contemporary paraphrase approach, first published in 2002.

How does the MSG translate Revelation 20 differently?

The The Message uses contemporary paraphrase, rendering the text as a modern paraphrase in contemporary idioms. Compare this with the NIV (dynamic equivalence) version of Revelation 20 for a different perspective.

How many verses are in Revelation 20 (MSG)?

Revelation Chapter 20 contains 15 verses in the The Message. The book of Revelation has 22 chapters total.

Revelation (MSG) — All 22 Chapters