Revelation 19:11–20:6

The Rider on the White Horse

¹¹Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse! Its rider is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and wages war.^{* 12}His eyes are like^x a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name inscribed that no one knows but himself.^{* 13}He is clothed in a robe dipped in^y blood, and his name is called The Word of God.^{* 14}And the armies of heaven, wearing fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. ¹⁵From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule^z them with a scepter of iron; he will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.^{* 16}On his robe and on his thigh he has a name inscribed, “King of kings and Lord of lords.”^*

The Beast and Its Armies Defeated

¹⁷Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly in midheaven, “Come, gather for the great supper of God,^{* 18}to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of the mighty, the flesh of horses and their riders—flesh of all, both free and slave, both small and great.”^{* 19}Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to wage war against the rider on the horse and against his army.^{* 20}And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed in its presence the signs by which he deceived those who had received the brand of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. ²¹And the rest were killed by the sword of the rider on the horse, the sword that came from his mouth, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.

The Thousand Years

²⁰Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. ²He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years^{* 3}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.^*

⁴Then I saw thrones, and those seated on them were given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony to Jesus^a and for the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its brand on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.^{* 5}(The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. ⁶Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. Over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him a thousand years.^*