Revelation 20:9-12

20:9 They ¹  went up ²  on the broad plain of the earth ³  and encircled ⁴  the camp ⁵  of the saints and the beloved city, but ⁶  fire came down from heaven and devoured them completely. ⁷  20:10 And the devil who deceived ⁸  them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, ⁹  where the beast and the false prophet are ¹⁰  too, and they will be tormented there day and night forever and ever.

The Great White Throne

20:11 Then ¹¹  I saw a large ¹²  white throne and the one who was seated on it; the earth and the heaven ¹³  fled ¹⁴  from his presence, and no place was found for them. 20:12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne. Then ¹⁵  books were opened, and another book was opened – the book of life. ¹⁶  So ¹⁷  the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to their deeds. ¹⁸ 

[20:9]  ¹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[20:9]  ² tn The shift here to past tense reflects the Greek text.

[20:9]  ³ tn On the phrase “broad plain of the earth” BDAG 823 s.v. πλάτος states, “τὸ πλάτος τῆς γῆς Rv 20:9 comes fr. the OT (Da 12:2 LXX. Cp. Hab 1:6; Sir 1:3), but the sense is not clear: breadth = the broad plain of the earth is perh. meant to provide room for the countless enemies of God vs. 8, but the ‘going up’ is better suited to Satan (vs. 7) who has recently been freed, and who comes up again fr. the abyss (vs. 3).” The referent here thus appears to be a plain large enough to accommodate the numberless hoards that have drawn up for battle against the Lord Christ and his saints.

[20:9]  ⁴ tn Or “surrounded.”

[20:9]  ⁵ tn On the term παρεμβολή (parembolh) BDAG 775 s.v. states, “Mostly used as a military t.t.…so always in our lit.…1. a (fortified) camp…ἡ παρεμβολὴ τῶν ἁγίων Rv 20:9 is also to be understood fr. the OT use of the word.”

[20:9]  ⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[20:9]  ⁷ tn See L&N 20.45 for the translation of κατεσθίω (katesqiw) as “to destroy utterly, to consume completely.”

[20:10]  ⁸ tn Or “misled.”

[20:10]  ⁹ tn Traditionally, “brimstone.”

[20:10]  ¹⁰ tn The verb in this clause is elided. In keeping with the previous past tenses some translations supply a past tense verb here (“were”), but in view of the future tense that follows (“they will be tormented”), a present tense verb was used to provide a transition from the previous past tense to the future tense that follows.

[20:11]  ¹⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

[20:11]  ¹⁶ tn Traditionally, “great,” but μέγας (megas) here refers to size rather than importance.

[20:11]  ¹⁷ tn Or “and the sky.” The same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky,” and context usually determines which is meant. In this apocalyptic scene, however, it is difficult to be sure what referent to assign the term.

[20:11]  ¹⁸ tn Or “vanished.”

[20:12]  ²² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[20:12]  ²³ tn Grk “another book was opened, which is of life.”

[20:12]  ²⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the books being opened.

[20:12]  ²⁵ tn Grk “from the things written in the books according to their works.”