Revelation 20:9

Revelation 20:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them,
• New King James Version (NKJV)They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.
• New Living Translation (NLT)And I saw them as they went up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded God’s people and the beloved city. But fire from heaven came down on the attacking armies and consumed them.

Context of Revelation 20:9

7When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8and 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. They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 11Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.

Revelation 20:9 word by word

καὶ ἀνέβησαν ἐπὶ τὸ πλάτος τῆς γῆς καὶ ἐκύκλευσαν τὴν παρεμβολὴν τῶν ἁγίων καὶ τὴν πόλιν τὴν ἠγαπημένην. καὶ κατέβη πῦρ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ κατέφαγεν αὐτούς.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• they went upἀναβαίνωanabainō · to ascendG305
• onἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• the breadthπλάτοςplatos · widthG4114
• of the earthγῆgē · earth: planetG1093
• compassedκυκλόωkukloō · to surroundG2944
• the campπαρεμβολήparembolē · barracksG3925
• of the saintsἅγιοςhagios · holy: saintG40
• the belovedἀγαπάωagapaō · to loveG25
• cityπόλιςpolis · cityG4172
• fireπῦρpur · fireG4442
• came downκαταβαίνωkatabainō · to come/go downG2597
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• out ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
• devouredκατεσθίωkatesthiō · to devourG2719
• themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846

Cross-references for Revelation 20:9

• Isaiah 8:7therefore the Lord is about to bring against them the mighty floodwaters of the Euphrates— the king of Assyria with all his pomp. It will overflow all its channels, run over all its banks
• Ezekiel 38:9You and all your troops and the many nations with you will go up, advancing like a storm; you will be like a cloud covering the land.
• Habakkuk 1:6I am raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless and impetuous people, who sweep across the whole earth to seize dwellings not their own.
• 2 Kings 6:15When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.
• Micah 2:13The One who breaks open the way will go up before them; they will break through the gate and go out. Their King will pass through before them, the Lord at their head.”
• Matthew 16:16Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
• Luke 19:43The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side.
• Luke 21:20“When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near.
• Psalms 48:1Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain.
• Psalms 74:2Remember the nation you purchased long ago, the people of your inheritance, whom you redeemed— Mount Zion, where you dwelt.
• Psalms 125:1Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.
• Hebrews 13:13Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore.
• Revelation 11:5If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die.
• Revelation 13:13And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people.
• Genesis 19:24Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the Lord out of the heavens.
• Exodus 9:23When Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, the Lord sent thunder and hail, and lightning flashed down to the ground. So the Lord rained hail on the land of Egypt;

Commentaries on Revelation 20:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9The beloved city - Primarily, Jerusalem, typically, the Christian Church.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9And they went up on the breadth of the earth - They spread over the earth in extended columns. The image is that of an invading army that seems, in its march, to spread all over a land. The reference here is to the hosts assembled from the regions of Gog and Magog; that is, to the formidable enemies of the gospel that would be roused up at the close of the period properly called the “millennial” period - the period of the thousand years. It is not…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. 9No battle happens (see Revelation 16:16–21; 19:19–21) because fire from heaven comes down and consumes them, just like in Sodom (Genesis 19:24; see also 2 Kings 1:10–12; Ezekiel 38:22–23; 39:6). God's enemies cannot stand against him.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. on the breadth of the earth--so as completely to overspread it. Perhaps we ought to translate, "... of the [holy] land." the camp of the saints and the beloved city--the camp of the saints encircling the beloved city, Jerusalem (Ecclesiasticus 24:11). Contrast "hateful" in Babylon (Re 18:2; De 32:15, Septuagint). Ezekiel's prophecy of Gog and Magog (Eze 38:1-39:29) refers to the attack made by Antichrist on Israel before the millennium: but this attack…Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 20:9

• Fire
• Millennium
• Vision

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Seal
• Print; Printing; Printed
• Revelation of John
• Satan
• Urim and Thummim
• beloved
• saint

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