Revelation 20:4

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—the ancient serpent, who is the devil and satan—and bound him for a thousand years. 3He also threw him into the abyss and locked and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed. After these things, he must be released for a short while. Then I saw thrones, and people sat upon them—those to whom authority to judge was given. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Yeshua and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image, nor had they received his mark on their forehead or on their hand. And they came to life and reigned with the Messiah for a thousand years. 5The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. 6How fortunate and holy is the one who has a share in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no authority, but they shall be kohanim of God and the Messiah, and they shall reign with Him for a thousand years.

Revelation 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• I sawὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• thronesθρόνοςthronos · throneG2362
• they satκαθίζωkathizō · to seatG2523
• uponἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• judgmentκρίμαkrima · judgmentG2917
• was givenδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• the soulsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the soulsψυχήpsuchē · soulG5590
• that were beheadedπελεκίζωpelekizō · to beheadG3990
• forδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• the witnessμαρτυρίαmarturia · testimonyG3141
• of JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• the wordλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• whichὅστιςhostis hētis ho6ti · who/whichG3748
• hadπροσκυνέωproskuneō · to worshipG4352
• notοὐou · noG3756
• the beastθηρίονthērion · wild animalG2342
• neitherοὔτεoute · neitherG3777
• imageεἰκώνeikōn · imageG1504
• had receivedλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
• markχάραγμαcharagma · image/markG5480
• foreheadsμέτωπονmetopon · foreheadG3359
• handsχείρcheir · handG5495
• they livedζάωzaō · to liveG2198
• reignedβασιλεύωbasileuō · to reignG936
• withμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
• a thousandχίλιοιchilioi · thousandG5507
• yearsἔτοςetos · yearG2094

Cross-references for Revelation 20:4

• Daniel 7:9“While I was watching, thrones were set up, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His garment was as white as snow, and the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames, its wheels a burning fire.
• Matthew 19:28And Yeshua said to them, “Amen, I tell you, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne in the new world, you who have followed Me shall also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
• Luke 22:30that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and you shall sit upon thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
• 1 Corinthians 6:2Don’t you know that the kedoshim will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to judge trivial matters?
• Revelation 6:9When the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those slaughtered for the sake of the word of God and for the witness they had.
• Matthew 17:10The disciples questioned Him, saying, “Why then do the Torah scholars say that Elijah must come first?”
• Mark 9:11And they questioned Him, saying, “Why do the Torah scholars say that Elijah must come first?”
• Luke 1:17And he will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to the children and the disobedient ones to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready for Adonai a prepared people.
• Luke 9:7Now Herod the tetrarch heard all that was happening. He was very confused, because some were saying that John had been raised from the dead,
• Matthew 24:10And then many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one other.
• Mark 6:16But when Herod heard, he said, “John, the one I beheaded, has been raised!”
• Luke 9:9But Herod said, “I beheaded John, but who is this about whom I hear such things?” And he kept trying to see Him.
• Revelation 1:9I, John, your brother and fellow partaker with you in the tribulation and kingdom and patient endurance that are in Yeshua, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Yeshua.
• Revelation 11:3And I will grant authority to My two witnesses and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, dressed in sackcloth.”
• Revelation 12:11They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives even in the face of 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

• Animals
• Beheading
• Church
• Jesus Continued
• Millennium
• Persecution
• Resurrection
• Righteous
• Vision
• Year

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• God
• Jesus
• Christ, Messiah
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Word of God
• Forehead
• Millennium
• Seal

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