God’s Word Translation
Revelation 20:8
8He will go out to deceive Gog and Magog, the nations in the four corners of the earth, and gather them for war. They will be as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore.
Revelation 20:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
- New International Version (NIV)and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore.
- English Standard Version (ESV)and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea.
- New King James Version (NKJV)and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea.
Context of Revelation 20:8
6Blessed and holy are those who are included the first time that people come back to life. The second death has no power over them. They will continue to be priests of God and Christ. They will rule with him for 1,000 years. 7When 1,000 years are over, Satan will be freed from his prison. He will go out to deceive Gog and Magog, the nations in the four corners of the earth, and gather them for war. They will be as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore. 9⌞I saw that⌟ they spread over the broad expanse of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s holy people and the beloved city. Fire came from heaven and burned them up. 10The devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet were also thrown. They will be tortured day and night forever and ever.
Read all of Revelation 20Revelation 20:8 word by word
καὶ ἐξελεύσεται πλανῆσαι τὰ ἔθνη τὰ ἐν ταῖς τέσσαρσιν γωνίαις τῆς γῆς, τὸν Γὼγ καὶ Μαγώγ, συναγαγεῖν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸν πόλεμον, ὧν ὁ ἀριθμὸς αὐτῶν ὡς ἡ ἄμμος τῆς θαλάσσης.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- shall go outἐξέρχομαιexerchomai · to go outG1831
- to deceiveπλανάωplanaō · to lead astrayG4105
- the nationsἔθνοςethnos · GentilesG1484
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- the fourτέσσαρεςtessares tessara · fourG5064
- quartersγωνίαgōnia · cornerG1137
- of the earthγῆgē · earth: planetG1093
- GogΓώγGōg · GogG1136
- MagogΜαγώγMagōg · MagogG3098
- to gatherσυνάγωsunagō · to assembleG4863
- themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- toεἰςeis · towardG1519
- battleπόλεμοςpolēmos · warG4171
- the numberἀριθμόςarithmos · numberG706
- of whomὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
- the sandἄμμοςammos · sandG285
- of the seaθάλασσαthalassa · seaG2281
Cross-references for Revelation 20:8
- Revelation 20:3He threw it into the bottomless pit. The angel shut and sealed the pit over the serpent to keep it from deceiving the nations anymore until the 1,000 years were over. After that it must be set free for a little while.
- Ezekiel 38:1The Lord spoke his word to me. He said,
- Revelation 16:14They are spirits of demons that do miracles. These spirits go to the kings of the whole world and gather them for the war on the frightening day of God Almighty.
- Judges 7:12Midian, Amalek, and all of Kedem were spread out in the valley like a swarm of locusts. There were so many camels that they could not be counted. They were as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore.
- 1 Samuel 13:5The Philistines assembled to fight against Israel. They had 30,000 chariots, 6,000 horsemen, and as many soldiers as the sand on the seashore. They camped at Michmash, east of Beth Aven.
- 1 Kings 4:20The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They ate and drank and lived happily.
- Isaiah 10:22Although your people Israel may be as ⌞numerous as⌟ the grains of sand on the seashore, only a few will return. Destruction will be complete and fair.
- Jeremiah 33:22I will multiply the descendants of my servant David and the Levites who serve me like the stars of heaven that cannot be counted and the sand on the seashore that cannot be measured.”
- Hebrews 11:12Abraham was as good as dead. Yet, from this man came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the grains of sand on the seashore.
Commentaries on Revelation 20:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Gog and Magog - This seems to be almost literally taken from the Jerusalem Targum, and that of Jonathan ben Uzziel, on Numbers 11:26. I shall give the words at length: "And there were two men left in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, the name of the other was Medad, and on them the spirit of prophecy rested. Eldad prophesied and said, 'Behold, Moses the prophet, the scribe of Israel, shall be taken from this world; and Joshua the son of Nun…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8And shall go out to deceive the nations - See the notes on Revelation 12:9. The meaning here is, that he would again, for a time, act in his true character, and in some way delude the nations once more. In what way this would be done is not stated. It would be, however, clearly an appeal to the wicked passions of mankind, exciting a hope that they might yet overthrow the kingdom of God on the earth. Which are in the four quarters of the earth - Literally…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-10Verses 7-10 While this world lasts, Satan's power in it will not be wholly destroyed, though it may be limited and lessened. No sooner is Satan let loose, than he again begins deceiving the nations, and stirring them up to make war with the saints and servants of God. It would be well if the servants and ministers of Christ were as active and persevering in doing good, as his enemies in doing mischief. God will fight this last and decisive battle for his…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8Jewish traditions differ on where Gog and Magog are located. Symbolically, they are to the north (see Jeremiah 1:14–15), the direction from which enemies traditionally approached Megiddo and Jerusalem. The names represent nations and rulers from all over the earth that oppose God's people (see Ezekiel 38–39). to assemble them for battle: This repeats earlier scenes where God's enemies gather for battle (Revelation 16:16; 19:19). Here, Satan makes a final…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. Gog and Magog--(Eze 38:1-39:29; see on Eze 38:2). Magog is a general name for northern nations of Japheth's posterity, whose ideal head is Gog (Ge 10:2). A has but one Greek article to "Gog and Magog," whereby the two, namely, the prince and the people, are marked as having the closest connection. B reads the second article before Magog wrongly. Hiller [Onomasticon] explains both words as signifying "lofty," "elevated." For "quarters" the Greek is…Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 20:8
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries