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A Thousand Years

¹ Then an angel rode out of heaven carrying the key to the bottomless pit and a heavy chain. ² He grabbed the dragon, that old snake—the devil or Satan—and hog tied him for a thousand years. ³ 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.

⁴ Then I saw a bunch of judge's chairs. Those cowboys sitting on them were given the authority to judge others. I also witnessed those who had their heads chopped off for not following the beast or taking his brand. They had told the truth about Jesus up to the very end. They were brought back to life and reigned like kings with Jesus for one thousand years. ⁵ (The rest of the dead did not come back to life until after the one thousand years were over.) This is the first raising of the dead. ⁶ There wasn't anyone who was raised to life who said it wasn't worth it. They were all happy. The second death has no power over them. They will be cowboy priests for Christ and God. They will rule for a thousand years.

Satan's Defeat

⁷ After a thousand years, Satan will be untied and dragged out of the pit. ⁸ Once again, he will be allowed to deceive the nations of the world—namely, Gog and Magog. Satan will rally the world once again and try to defeat God's people. Satan's army will number like the grains of sand on all the beaches. ⁹ They surrounded God's camp and his cowboys who he loves. But just as he was about to strike, fire came down from heaven and killed all of the devil's army. ¹⁰ Then that old snake was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur just like the beast and false prophet were. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

The Last Verdict

¹¹ Then I saw the great white throne and the one who sits there. Earth and heaven disappeared in his presence and were never seen again. ¹² Everyone who had ever died now stood before the throne. Their station in life, whether great or small, didn't matter in this moment. Different books were opened and then one book was brought out, the tally book of life. The dead were judged on how they'd lived their lives according to the deeds recorded in the books. ¹³ The dead came out of the sea as well as the ground. All were judged according to the lives they had lived. ¹⁴ Then death and hell were thrown into the lake of fire which is the second death. ¹⁵ Those whose names were not found in the tally book of life were thrown into the lake of fire.