Revelation 20:3

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible

and cast him into the abyss, and fastened and sealed it over him, - that he might not deceive the nations any more, until the thousand years, should be ended: after these, must he be loosed for a short time.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
Then the angel threw the dragon into the bottomless pit and closed it. The angel locked it over the dragon. The angel did this so that the dragon could not trick the people of the earth until the 1000 years were ended. After 1000 years the dragon must be made free for a short time.

Revised Standard Version
and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years were ended. After that he must be loosed for a little while.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
and cast him into the bottomlesse pit and he bounde him and set a seale on him yt he shuld desceaue the people no moare tyll the .M. yeares were fulfilled. And after yt he muste be loosed for a litell season.

Hebrew Names Version
and cast him into the abyss, and shut it, and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years were finished. After this, he must be freed for a short time.

New American Standard Bible
and he threw him into the abyss and shut it 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 time.

New Century Version
Then he threw him into the bottomless pit, closed it, and locked it over him. The angel did this so he could not trick the people of the earth anymore until the thousand years were ended. After a thousand years he must be set free for a short time.

Update Bible Version
and cast him into the abyss, and shut [it], and sealed [it] over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years should be finished: after this he must be loosed for a little time.

Webster's Bible Translation
And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled; and after that he must be loosed a little season.

World English Bible
and cast him into the abyss, and shut it, and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years were finished. After this, he must be freed for a short time.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he might deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled. After this he must be loosed for a small time.

Weymouth's New Testament
He closed the entrance and put a seal upon him in order that he might be unable to lead the nations astray any more until the thousand years were at an end. Afterwards he is to be set at liberty for a short time.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he sente hym `in to depnesse, and closide on hym, that he disseyue no more the folkis, til a thousynde yeeris be fillid. Aftir these thingis it bihoueth hym to be vnboundun a litil tyme.

English Revised Version
and cast him into the abyss, and shut it, and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years should be finished: after this he must be loosed for a little time.

Berean Standard Bible
And 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.

Contemporary English Version
Then the angel threw the dragon into the pit. He locked and sealed it, so that a thousand years would go by before the dragon could fool the nations again. But after that, it would have to be set free for a little while.

Amplified Bible
and the angel hurled him into the abyss, and closed it and sealed it above him [preventing his escape or rescue], so that he would no longer deceive and seduce the nations, until the thousand years were at an end. After these things he must be liberated for a short time.

American Standard Version
and cast him into the abyss, and shut it, and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years should be finished: after this he must be loosed for a little time.

Bible in Basic English
And put him into the great deep, and it was shut and locked over him, so that he might put the nations in error no longer, till the thousand years were ended: after this he will be let loose for a little time.

Complete Jewish Bible
He threw him into the Abyss, locked it and sealed it over him; so that he could not deceive the nations any more until the thousand years were over. After that, he has to be set free for a little while.

Darby Translation
and cast him into the abyss, and shut [it] and sealed [it] over him, that he should not any more deceive the nations until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be loosed for a little time.

International Standard Version
He threw him into the bottomless pit, locked it, and sealed it over him to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were over. After that he must be set free for a little while.Daniel 6:17; Revelation 16:8,14, 16;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
and cast him into the abyss, and shut and sealed over him, that he should no more seduce the nations, until the thousand years be completed: but after them he will be loosed a little time.

Murdock Translation
And he cast him into the abyss, and closed and sealed upon him; so that he might deceive the nations no more, until these thousand years shall be completed: but after that, he will be loosed for a little time.

King James Version (1611)
And cast him into the bottomlesse pit, and shut him vp, and set a seale vpon him, that he should deceiue the nations no more, till the thousand yeeres should bee fulfilled: and after that hee must be loosed a little season.

New Living Translation
The angel threw him into the bottomless pit, which he then shut and locked so Satan could not deceive the nations anymore until the thousand years were finished. Afterward he must be released for a little while.

New Life Bible
The angel threw the devil into the hole without a bottom. He shut it and locked him in it. He could not fool the nations anymore until the 1,000 years were completed. After this he must be free for awhile.

New Revised Standard
and threw him into the pit, and locked and sealed it over him, so that he would deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be let out for a little while.

English Standard Version
and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And cast him into the bottomles pit, and he shut him vp, and sealed the doore vpon him, that he should deceiue the people no more, till the thousand yeeres were fulfilled: for after that he must be loosed for a litle season.

George Lamsa Translation
And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up and set a seal over him, that he should no more deceive the nations until the thousand years should be fulfilled: after that he will be loosed for a short time.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he cast him into the bottomless pit and shut him up and set a seal upon him, that he should no more seduce the nations till the thousand years be finished. And after that, he must be loosed a little time.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And cast hym into the bottomlesse pit, and he shut hym vp, and set a seale on hym, that he shoulde deceaue the people no more, tyll the thousande yeres were fulfylled: and after that, he must be loosed for a litle season.

Good News Translation
The angel threw him into the abyss, locked it, and sealed it, so that he could not deceive the nations any more until the thousand years were over. After that he must be set loose for a little while.

Christian Standard Bible®
He threw him into the abyss, closed it, and put a seal on it so that he would no longer deceive the nations until the thousand years were completed. After that, he must be released for a short time.

King James Version
And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

Lexham English Bible
and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it above him, in order that he could not deceive the nations again until the thousand years are completed. After these things it is necessary for him to be released for a short time.

Literal Translation
and threw him into the abyss, and shut him up, and sealed over him, that he should not still lead astray the nations, until the thousand years are fulfilled. And after these things, he must be set loose a little time.

Young's Literal Translation
and he cast him to the abyss, and did shut him up, and put a seal upon him, that he may not lead astray the nations any more, till the thousand years may be finished; and after these it behoveth him to be loosed a little time.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and cast him in to the bottomlesse pyt, and he bounde him, and set a seale on him, that he shuld disceaue the people nomoare, tyll the thousand yeares were fulfilled. And after that muste he be lowsed for a littell season.

Mace New Testament (1729)
then cast him into the bottomless pit, there shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should seduce the nations no more, till the thousand years should he fulfilled: and after that, he was to be loosed for a short time.

New English Translation
The angel then threw him into the abyss and locked and sealed it so that he could not deceive the nations until the one thousand years were finished. (After these things he must be released for a brief period of time.)

New King James Version
and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.

Simplified Cowboy Version
The angel chunked him into the pit and locked it up tight. That old dragon wouldn't be able to deceive anyone for a thousand years. He'd be turned loose for a little while after that.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it 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 time.

Contextual Overview

¹ And I saw a messenger, coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss, and a great chain upon his hand; ² and he laid hold of the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is Adversary and the Accuser, and bound him for a thousand years, - ³ and cast him into the abyss, and fastened and sealed it over him, - that he might not deceive the nations any more, until the thousand years, should be ended: after these, must he be loosed for a short time. ⁴ And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and sentence of judgment was given unto them; and I saw the souls of them who had been beheaded because of the witness of Jesus and because of the word of God, and such as had not done homage unto the wild-beast or unto his image, nor had received the mark upon their forehead or upon their hand; and they lived and reigned with the Christ, for a thousand years. ⁵ The rest of the dead, lived not, until the thousand years, were ended. This, is the first resurrection. ⁶ Happy and holy, is he that hath part in the first resurrection: upon these, the second death, hath no authority; but they shall be priests of God and of the Christ, and shall reign with him for the thousand years. ⁷ And, as soon as the thousand years, shall be ended, the Accuser shall be loosed out of his prison, ⁸ and will go forth to deceive the nations that are in the four corners of the earth, the Gog and Magog, to gather them together unto the battle - the number of whom, is as the sand of the sea. ⁹ And they came up over the breadth of the land, and surrounded the camp of the saints, and the beloved city. And there came down fire out of heaven, and devoured them; ¹⁰ and, the Adversary that had been deceiving them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where were both the wild-beast and the false-prophet; and they shall be tormented, day and night, unto the ages of ages.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

cast: Revelation 20:1, Revelation 17:8

and set: Daniel 6:17, Matthew 27:66

should deceive: Revelation 20:8, Revelation 12:9, Revelation 13:14, Revelation 16:14-16, Revelation 17:2, Matthew 24:24, 2 Corinthians 11:3, 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, 2 Thessalonians 2:9-11

the thousand: Psalms 90:4, 2 Peter 3:8

and after: Revelation 20:7-10

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 13:6 - entice Deuteronomy 33:27 - thrust 1 Kings 22:22 - a lying spirit Job 38:11 - but Job 41:34 - he is Psalms 28:1 - I become Psalms 86:9 - All Isaiah 29:24 - also Isaiah 35:7 - in the Isaiah 44:20 - a deceived Isaiah 65:22 - for as Isaiah 65:25 - dust Daniel 2:35 - and filled Zechariah 9:11 - out Matthew 7:13 - for Matthew 12:26 - his Matthew 13:39 - enemy Mark 4:15 - Satan Luke 4:6 - All Luke 8:31 - the deep John 8:44 - When John 12:31 - now John 14:30 - the John 16:11 - the Acts 26:18 - and from Romans 8:39 - depth 2 Corinthians 4:4 - the god 2 Corinthians 11:15 - his Galatians 1:7 - pervert Ephesians 6:11 - the wiles Colossians 2:4 - lest Colossians 2:15 - having 1 Timothy 4:1 - seducing 2 Timothy 2:26 - out James 2:19 - the 2 Peter 2:4 - but 1 John 3:8 - this purpose 1 John 5:19 - in wickedness Revelation 20:10 - the devil

Cross-References

Genesis 20:1
And Abraham brake up from thence, towards the land of the South, and fixed his dwelling between Kadesh and Shur, so he sojourned in Gerar.

Genesis 20:7
Now, therefore restore the man's wife, for a prophet, is he, that he may pray for thee and live thou, - But if thou art not going to restore her, know, that thou shalt die, thou - and all that are thine.

Genesis 20:12
Moreover also, in truth, my sister daughter of my father, she is, only not daughter of my mother, - so she became my wife.

Genesis 20:13
And so it came to pass when the Gods caused me to wander from my fathers house, that I said to her, This, is thy lovingkindness, wherewith thou shalt deal with me, - Into what-soever place we enter, say of me My brother, is he.

Genesis 20:14
Then took Abimelech sheep and oxen and men - servants and maid-servants, and gave to Abraham, - and restored to him Sarah his wife.

Genesis 20:15
And Abimelech, said, Lo! my land is before thee, - wherever it may seem good in thine eyes, dwell.

Genesis 28:12
And he dreamed, and lo! a stairway, planted earthwards, with, its top, reaching towards the heavens, - and lo! messengers of God, ascending and descending thereon;

Genesis 31:24
And God went in unto Laban the Syrian in a dream of the night, - and said to him Take heed to thyself that thou speak not with Jacob either good or bad.

Genesis 37:5
And Joseph dreamed a dream, and told it to his brethren, and they went on yet more to hate him.

Genesis 37:9
Then dreamed he, yet another, dream, and related it to his brethren, and said: - Lo! I have dreamed a dream, yet again, Lo! then, the sun and the moon, and eleven stars, were bowing themselves down to me.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And cast him into the bottomless pit,.... Or deep, into which the devils desired they might not be sent, and which they dreaded as a torment, it may be, because a place of confinement, Luke 8:31 for this is called a prison, Revelation 20:7 and is distinguished from the lake of fire, into which the devil is afterwards cast, Revelation 20:10.

And shut him up; that so he might not rove about in the air, nor go to and fro in the earth, nor walk about like a roaring lion, seeking to affright, disturb, or devour:

and set a seal upon him; or upon the door of the pit, for further security, as was upon the stone at the mouth of the lion's den, Daniel 6:17 and of Christ's sepulchre, Matthew 27:66. The Jews u make mention of a stone they call "Shetijah", with which the Lord of the world "sealed the mouth of the great deep", or bottomless pit, at the beginning; but here not that, but Satan in it, is sealed. The Alexandrian copy reads, "and sealed him firmly", so that it was impossible for him to break out: the end of this apprehension, binding, imprisonment, and security of Satan is,

that he should deceive the nations no more; that is, by drawing them into idolatry, false worship, and false doctrine; and by exciting them to make war against the saints, or to persecute them, as appears from Revelation 20:8 as he had done before; and it is notorious enough that he has deceived them both these ways; he deceived the Pagan nations not only before, but since the coming of Christ, to worship the Heathen deities; and the Papists, who are called Gentiles, or nations, Revelation 11:2 to fall down to idols of gold, silver, stone, and wood; and the nation of the Jews to entertain a false and deluded notion of the Messiah; and all of them, in their turns, to persecute the people of God, as the Jews at the death of Stephen, and afterwards; the Pagan emperors for the first three hundred years after Christ; the Papists from the rise of the beast, who had power given him to make war with the saints, and overcome them; but now he will be under such restraint, and in such close confinement, that he will not be able to move the wicked nations to anything of this kind, as he will when he is loosed at the end of the thousand years; nor will he be able so much as to tempt any of the saints, during this term of time, nor give them the least molestation or uneasiness.

Till the thousand years shall be fulfilled; or ended, the whole space of them run out:

and after that he must be loosed a little season; a small space of time, in comparison of the thousand years; how long it will be exactly, cannot be said; and this "must" be, not because he cannot be held any longer, or through any weakness in Christ; but because of the decree of God, who has so appointed it, for the glorifying of himself, in the salvation of his people, and in the final destruction of the devil, and the Gog and Magog army.

u Targum Jon. in Exod. xxviii. 30.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And cast him into the bottomless pit - See the notes on Revelation 9:1. A state of peace and prosperity would exist as if Satan, the great disturber, were confined in the nether world as a prisoner.

And shut him up - Closed the massive doors of the dark prison-house upon him. Compare the notes on Job 10:21-22.

And set a seal upon him - Or, rather, “upon it” - ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ epanō autou. The seal was placed upon the “door” or “gate” of the prison, not because this would fasten the gate or door of itself, and make it secure, for this was secured by the key, but because it prevented intrusion, or any secret opening of it without its being known. See the Daniel 6:17 note, and Matthew 27:66 note. The idea here is, that every precaution was taken for absolute security.

That he should deceive the nations no more - That is, during the thousand years. Compare the notes on Revelation 12:9.

Till the thousand years should be fulfilled - That is, during that period there will be a state of things upon the earth as if Satan should be withdrawn from the world, and confined in the great prison where he is ultimately to dwell forever.

And after that he must be loosed a little season - See Revelation 20:7-8. That is, a state of things will then exist, for a brief period, as if he were again released from his prison-house, and suffered to go abroad upon the earth. The phrase “a little season” - μικρὸν χρόνον mikron chronon, “little time” - denotes properly that this would be brief as compared with the thousand years. No intimation is given as to the exact time, and it is impossible to conjecture how long it will be. All the circumstances stated, however, here and in Revelation 20:7-10, would lead us to suppose that what is referred to will be like the sudden outbreak of a rebellion in a time of general peace, but which will soon be quelled.

Section a. - Condition of the world in the period referred to in Revelation 20:1-3

It may be proper, in order to a correct understanding of this chapter, to present a brief summary under the different parts (see the Analysis of the chapter) of what, according to the interpretation proposed, may be expected to be the condition of things in the time referred to.

On the portion now before us Revelation 20:1-3, according to the interpretation proposed, the following suggestions may be made:

(1) This will be subsequent to the downfall of the papacy and the termination of the Muhammedan power in the world. Of course, then, this lies in the future - how far in the future it is impossible to determine. The interpretation of the various portions of this book, and the book of Daniel, have, however, led to the conclusion that the termination of those powers cannot now be remote. If so, we are on the eve of important events in the world’s history. The affairs of the world look as if things were tending to a fulfillment of the prophecies so understood.

(2) It will be a condition of the world “as if” Satan were bound; that is, where his influences will be suspended, and the principles of virtue and religion will prevail. According to the interpretation of the previous chapters, it will be a state in which all that has existed, and that now exists, in the papacy to corrupt mankind, to maintain error, and to prevent the prevalence of free and liberal principles, will cease; in which all that there now is in the Muhammedan system to fetter and enslave mankind - now controlling more than one hundred and twenty million of the race - shall have come to an end; and in which, in a great measure, all that occurs under the direct influence of Satan in causing or perpetuating slavery, war, intemperance, lust, avarice, disorder, scepticism, atheism, will be checked arid stayed. It is proper to say, however, that this passage does not require us to suppose that there will be a “total cessation” of Satanic influence in the earth during that period. Satan will, indeed, be bound and restrained as to his former influence and power. But there will be no change in the character of man as he comes into the world. There will still be corrupt passions in the human heart. Though greatly restrained, and though there will be a general prevalence of righteousness on the earth, yet we are to remember that the race is fallen, and that even then, if restraint should be taken away, man would act out his fallen nature. This fact, if remembered, will make it appear less strange that, after this period of prevalent righteousness, Satan should be represented as loosed again, and as able once more for a time to deceive the nations.

(3) It will be a period of long duration. On the supposition that it is to be literally a period of one thousand years, this is in itself long, and will give, especially under the circumstances, opportunity for a vast progress in human affairs. To form some idea of the length of the period, we need only place ourselves in imagination “back” for a thousand years - say in the middle of the ninth century - and look at the condition of the world then, and think of the vast changes in human affairs that have occurred during that period. It is to be remembered, also, that if the millennial period were soon to commence, it would find the world in a far different state in reference to future progress from what it was in the ninth century, and that it would “start off,” so to speak, with all the advantages in the arts and sciences which have been accumulated in all the past periods of the world.

Even if there were no special divine interposition, it might be presumed that the race, in such circumstances, would make great and surprising advances in the long period of a thousand years. And here a very striking remark of Mr. Hugh Miller may be introduced as illustrating the subject. “It has been remarked by some student of the Apocalypse,” says he, “that the course of predicted events at first moves slowly, as one after one, six of seven seals are opened; that, on the opening of the seventh seal, the progress is so considerably quickened that the seventh period proves as fertile in events - represented by the sounding of the seven trumpets - as the foregoing six taken together; and that on the seventh trumpet, so great is the further acceleration, that there is an amount of incident condensed in this seventh part of the seventh period equal, as in the former case, to that of all the previous six parts in one. There are three cycles, it has been said, in the scheme - cycle within cycle - the second comprised within a seventh portion of the first, and the third within a seventh portion of the second. Be this as it may, we may, at least, see something that exceedingly resembles it in that actual economy of change and revolution manifested in English history for the last two centuries. “It would seem as if eyelets, in their downward course, had come under the influence of that law of gravitation through which falling bodies increase in speed, as they descend, according to the squares of the distance” (First Impressions of England and its People, pp. 7, 8.). If to this we add the supposition, which we have seen (see the notes on Revelation 20:2) to be by no means improbable, that it is intended, in the description of the millennium in this chapter, that the world will continue under a reign of peace and righteousness for the long period of three hundred and sixty thousand years, it is impossible to anticipate what progress will be made during that period, or to enumerate the numbers that will be saved. On this subject, see some very interesting remarks in the “Old Red Sandstone,” by Hugh Miller, pp. 248-250, 258, 259. Compare Prof. Hitchcock’s “Religion and Geology,” pp. 370-409.

(4) What, then, will be the state of things during that long period of a thousand years?

(a) There will be a great increase in the population of the globe. Let wars cease, and intemperance cease, and slavery cease, and the numberless passions that now shorten life be stayed, and it is easy to see that there must be a vast augmentation in the number of the human species.

(b) There will be a general diffusion of intelligence upon the earth. Every circumstance would be favorable to it, and the world would be in a condition to make rapid advances in knowledge, Daniel 12:4.

(c) That period will be characterized by the universal diffusion of revealed truth, Isaiah 11:9; Isaiah 25:7.

(d) It will be marked by unlimited subjection to the scepter of Christ, Psalms 2:7; Psalms 22:27-29; Isaiah 2:2-3; Isaiah 66:23; Zechariah 9:10; Zechariah 14:9; Matthew 13:31-32; Revelation 11:15.

(e) There will be great progress in all that tends to promote the welfare of man. We are not to suppose that the resources of nature are exhausted. Nature gives no signs of exhaustion or decay. In the future there is no reason to doubt that there will yet be discoveries and inventions mere surprising and wonderful than the art of printing, or the use of steam, or the magnetic telegraph. There are profounder secrets of nature that may be delivered up than any of these, and the world is tending to their development.

(f) It will be a period of the universal reign of peace. The attention of mankind will be turned to the things which tend to promote the welfare of the race, and advance the best interests of society. The single fact that wars will cease will make an inconceivable difference in the aspect of the world; for if universal peace shall prevail through the long period of the millennium, and the wealth, the talent, and the science now employed in human butchery shall be devoted to the interests of agriculture, the mechanical arts, learning, and religion, it is impossible now to estimate the progress which the race will make, and the changes which will be produced on the earth. For Scripture “proofs” that it will be a time of universal peace, see Isaiah 2:4; Isaiah 11:6-9; Micah 4:3.

(g) There will be a “general” prevalence of evangelical religion. This is apparent in the entire description in this passage, for the two most formidable opposing powers that religion has ever known - the beast and the false prophet - will be destroyed, and Satan will be bound. In this long period, therefore, we are to suppose that the gospel will exert its fair influence on governments, on families, on individuals; in the contact of neighbors, and in the contact of nations. God will be worshipped in spirit and in truth, and not in the mere “forms” of devotion; and temperance, truth, liberty, social order, honesty, and love, will prevail over the world.

(h) It will be a time when the Hebrew people - the Jews - will be brought to the knowledge of the truth, and will embrace the Messiah whom their fathers crucified, Zechariah 12:10; Zechariah 13:1; Romans 11:26-29.

(i) Yet we are not necessarily to suppose that “all” the world will be absolutely and entirely brought under the power of the gospel. There will be still on the earth the remains of wickedness in the corrupted human heart, and there will be so much “tendency” to sin in the human soul, that Satan, when released for a time Revelation 20:7-8, will be able once more to deceive mankind, and to array a formidable force, represented by Gog and Magog, against the cause of truth and righteousness. We are not to suppose that the nature of mankind, as fallen, will be essentially changed, or that there may not be sin enough in the human heart to make it capable of the same opposition to the gospel of God which has thus far been evinced in all ages. From causes which are not fully stated Revelation 20:8-9, Satan will be enabled once more to rouse up their enmity, and to make one more desperate effort to destroy the kingdom of the Redeemer by rallying his forces for a conflict. See these views illustrated in the work entitled “Christ’s Second Coming,” by Rev. David Brown, of James’ Free Church, Glasgow, pp. 398-442; New York, 1851.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Revelation 20:3. He should deceive the nations no more — Be unable to blind men with superstition and idolatry as he had formerly done.