Revelation 20:2 BSB

Revelation 20:2

He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

And he laid hold on the dragon, the old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years,

KJV

And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

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Commentary

4 voices

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible (1832)

The dragon - See the notes on Rev 12:9. That old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan - He who is called the old serpent is the Devil - the calumniator, and Satan - the opposer. He who supposes that the term old serpent here plainly proves that the creature that tempted our first parents was actually a snake, must enjoy his opinion; and those who can receive such a saying, why let them receive it. Selah. A thousand years - In what this binding of Satan consists, who can tell?

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

The woman's bringing forth is followed by the casting of the dragon out of heaven to the earth. With this is connected the third woe, whereby the dragon through, and with, the beast, rages horribly. At the conclusion of the third woe the beast is overthrown and cast into "the lake of fire." At the same time the other grand enemy, the dragon, shall be bound and shut up.

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

The power of Satan was broken in part by the setting up of the gospel kingdom in the world; it was further reduced by the empire's becoming Christian; it was yet further broken by the downfall of the mystical Babylon; but still this serpent had many heads, and, when one is wounded, another has life remaining in it.

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

(1.) He laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil, and Satan. Neither the strength of the dragon, nor the subtlety of the serpent, was sufficient to rescue him out of the hands of Christ; he caught hold, and kept his hold.

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

19 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
καὶ	kai	And	G2532 →
ἐκράτησεν	ekratēsen	he seized	G2902 →
τὸν	ton	the	G3588 →
δράκοντα,	drakonta	dragon,	G1404 →
ὁ	ho	the	G3588 →
ὄφις	ophis	serpent	G3789 →
ὁ	ho	<the>	G3588 →
ἀρχαῖος,	archaios	ancient,	G744 →
ὅς	hos	who	G3739 →
ἐστιν	estin	is	G1510 →
διάβολος	diabolos	[the] devil	G1228 →
καὶ	kai	and	G2532 →
ὁ	ho	<the>	G3588 →
Σατανᾶς.	Satanas	Satan;	G4567 →
καὶ	kai	and	G2532 →
ἔδησεν	edēsen	bound	G1210 →
αὐτὸν	auton	him	G846 →
χίλια	chilia	for a thousand	G5507 →
ἔτη	etē	years	G2094 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
2 Peter 2:4
For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them deep into hell, placing them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment;
leads to
- Matthew 25:41
  Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- Jude 1:6
  And the angels who did not stay within their own domain but abandoned their proper dwelling—these He has kept in eternal chains under darkness, bound for judgment on that great day.
- Romans 8:32
  He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things?
Through
Jude 1:6
And the angels who did not stay within their own domain but abandoned their proper dwelling—these He has kept in eternal chains under darkness, bound for judgment on that great day.
leads to
- 2 Peter 2:4
  For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them deep into hell, placing them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment;
- Ephesians 6:12
  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
Through
John 12:31
Now judgment is upon this world; now the prince of this world will be cast out.
leads to
- 1 John 5:19
  We know that we are of God, and that the whole world is under the power of the evil one.
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- 2 Corinthians 4:4
  The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Through
Revelation 12:9
And the great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
leads to
- Luke 10:18
  So He told them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.