Berean Standard Bible
Revelation 20:4
4Then I saw the thrones, and those seated on them had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or hands. And they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
Revelation 20:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I 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 their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
Context of Revelation 20:4
2He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3And 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. Then I saw the thrones, and those seated on them had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or hands. And they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years were complete. This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.
Read all of Revelation 20Revelation 20:4 word by word
Καὶ εἶδον θρόνους, καὶ ἐκάθισαν ἐπ᾽ αὐτούς, καὶ κρίμα ἐδόθη αὐτοῖς, καὶ τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν πεπελεκισμένων διὰ τὴν μαρτυρίαν Ἰησοῦ καὶ διὰ τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ, καὶ οἵτινες οὐ προσεκύνησαν τὸ θηρίον οὐδὲ τὴν εἰκόνα αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἔλαβον τὸ χάραγμα ἐπὶ τὸ μέτωπον καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν χεῖρα αὐτῶν, καὶ ἔζησαν καὶ ἐβασίλευσαν μετὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ χίλια ἔτη.Read the interlinear
- Thenκαίkai · andG2532
- I sawὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- thronesθρόνοςthronos · throneG2362
- those seatedκαθίζωkathizō · to seatG2523
- onἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- had been givenδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
- authority to judgeκρίμαkrima · judgmentG2917
- theὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- soulsψυχήpsuchē · soulG5590
- had been beheadedπελεκίζωpelekizō · to beheadG3990
- forδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- testimonyμαρτυρίαmarturia · testimonyG3141
- of JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
- wordλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- those whoὅστιςhostis hētis ho6ti · who/whichG3748
- had not worshipedοὐou · noG3756
- had not worshipedπροσκυνέωproskuneō · to worshipG4352
- beastθηρίονthērion · wild animalG2342
- ·οὐδέoude · norG3761
- imageεἰκώνeikōn · imageG1504
- had not receivedλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
- markχάραγμαcharagma · image/markG5480
- foreheadsμέτωπονmetopon · foreheadG3359
- handsχείρcheir · handG5495
- they came to lifeζάωzaō · to liveG2198
- reignedβασιλεύωbasileuō · to reignG936
- withμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
- ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
- for a thousandχίλιοιchilioi · thousandG5507
- yearsἔτοςetos · yearG2094
Cross-references for Revelation 20:4
- Daniel 7:9As I continued to watch, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took His seat. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.
- Matthew 19:28Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, in the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
- Luke 22:30so that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
- 1 Corinthians 6:2Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases?
- Revelation 6:9And when the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony they had upheld.
- Malachi 4:5Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome Day of the LORD.
- Matthew 17:10The disciples asked Him, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
- Mark 9:11And they asked Jesus, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
- Luke 1:17And he will go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
- Luke 9:7When Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, he was perplexed. For some were saying that John had risen from the dead,
- Matthew 24:10At that time many will fall away and will betray and hate one another,
- Mark 6:16But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has risen from the dead!”
- Luke 9:9“I beheaded John,” Herod said, “but who is this man I hear such things about?” And he kept trying to see Jesus.
- Revelation 1:9I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance that are in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and my testimony about Jesus.
- Revelation 11:3And I will empower my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”
- Revelation 12:11They have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. And they did not love their lives so as to shy away from death.
Commentaries on Revelation 20:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4I saw thrones - Christianity established in the earth, the kings and governors being all Christians. Reigned with Christ a thousand years - I am satisfied that this period should not be taken literally. It may signify that there shall be a long and undisturbed state of Christianity; and so universally shall the Gospel spirit prevail, that it will appear as if Christ reigned upon earth; which will in effect be the case, because his Spirit shall rule in the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4And I saw thrones - ́ thronousSee Revelation 1:4; Revelation 3:21; Revelation 4:3-4. John here simply says, that he saw in vision thrones, with persons sitting on them, but without intreating who they were that sat on them. It is not the throne of God that is now revealed, for the word is in the plural number, though the writer does not hint how “many” thrones there were. It is intimated, however, that these thrones were placed with some reference to…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-6Verses 4-6 Here is an account of the reign of the saints, for the same space of time as Satan is bound. Those who suffer with Christ, shall reign with him in his spiritual and heavenly kingdom, in conformity to him in his wisdom, righteousness, and holiness: this is called the first resurrection, with which none but those who serve Christ, and suffer for him, shall be favoured. The happiness of these servants of God is declared. None can be blessed but…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4thrones, and those seated on them: This image of a heavenly court includes the elders (Revelation 4:4) on thrones (see Daniel 7:9–10), the victorious martyrs (see Daniel 7:22), and all of God's people. beheaded for … Jesus: Beheading was a common execution method for Roman citizens. The faithful who refused the mark of the beast (Revelation 13:16–17) will judge the condemned (see 1 Corinthians 6:2–3) on thrones like those of the worshiping elders (see…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-54-5. they sat--the twelve apostles, and the saints in general. judgment was given unto there--(See on Da 7:22). The office of judging was given to them. Though in one sense having to stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, yet in another sense they "do not come into judgment (Greek), but have already passed from death unto life." souls--This term is made a plea for denying the literality of the first resurrection, as if the resurrection were the…Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 20:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Revelation 20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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