Revelation 20:12 · Clearspring

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Other translations

WEBBE

I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and they opened books. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works.

BSB

And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne. And books were opened, and one of them was the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their deeds, as recorded in the books.

KJV

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

ASV

And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne; and books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works.

BBE

And I saw the dead, great and small, taking their places before the high seat; and the books were open, and another book was open, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged by the things which were in the books, even by their works.

Original Greek

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καὶ kai And G2532 εἶδον eidon I saw G1492 τοὺς tous the G3588 νεκρούς nekrous dead G3498 τοὺς tous (the) G3588 μεγάλους megalous great G3173 καὶ kai and G2532 τοὺς tous (the) G3588 μικρούς mikrous small G3398 ἑστῶτας hestōtas standing G2476 ἐνώπιον enōpion before G1799 τοῦ tou the G3588 θρόνου thronou throne G2362 καὶ kai and G2532 βιβλία biblia books G975 ἠνοίχθησαν ēnoichthēsan were opened G455 καὶ kai And G2532 ἄλλο allo another G243 βιβλίον biblion book G975 ἠνοίχθη ēnoichthē was opened G455 ὅ ho which G3739 ἐστιν estin is G1510 τῆς tēs the [one] G3588 ζωῆς zōēs of life G2222 καὶ kai And G2532 ἐκρίθησαν ekrithēsan were judged G2919 οἱ hoi the G3588 νεκροὶ nekroi dead G3498 ἐκ ek out of G1537 τῶν tōn the [things] G3588 γεγραμμένων gegrammenōn written G1125 ἐν en in G1722 τοῖς tois the G3588 βιβλίοις bibliois books G975 κατὰ kata according to G2596 τὰ ta the G3588 ἔργα erga deeds G2041 αὐτῶν autōn of them G846

The early church

He says he saw scrolls opened, and another scroll, but he makes clear the character of the latter, "which is the book of each person's life." The first scrolls he mentions, then, must represent the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. These will be opened to show the commandments of God, and the other scroll [will] show how these commandments were kept or disobeyed by each and every person. As for this latter scroll, if one considers it materially, it surpasses all powers of thought for size and length. And if it contains the entire life record of all people, how much time would it take to read it? Are we to suppose that there will be an equal number of angels and people present in the judgment and that each person will hear his life record read out by an angel accredited to him for this task? In this supposition, there would not be one book for all but a book for each. Yet, the Apocalypse wants us to think of one book.… No, the book in question must symbolize some divine action in virtue of which each person will recall his deeds, good or bad, and review them mentally so that, without a moment's delay, each one's conscience will be either burdened or unburdened and thus, collectively and individually, all will be judged at the same moment. And because, in virtue of this divine illumination, each person will, so to speak, read the record of his deeds, God's action is called a "book."

Augustine of Hippo · d. 430City of God

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 11–15

After the events just foretold, the end will speedily come; and there is no mention of any thing else, before the appearing of Christ to judge the world. This will be the great day: the Judge, the Lord Jesus Christ, will then put on majesty and terror. The persons to be judged are the dead, small and great; young and old, low and high, poor and rich. None are so mean, but they have some talents to account for; and none so great, as to avoid having to account for them. Not only those alive at the coming of Christ, but all the dead. There is a book of remembrance both for good and bad: and the book of the sinner's conscience, though formerly secret, will then be opened. Every man will recollect all his past actions, though he had long forgotten many of them. Another book shall be opened, the book of the Scriptures, the rule of life; it represents the Lord's knowledge of his people, and his declaring their repentance, faith, and good works; showing the blessings of the new covenant. By their works men shall be justified or condemned; he will try their principles by their practices. Those justified and acquitted by the gospel, shall be justified and acquitted by the Judge, and shall enter into eternal life, having nothing more to fear from death, or hell, or wicked men; for these are all destroyed together. This is the second death; it is the final separation of sinners from God. Let it be our great concern to see whether our Bibles justify or condemn us now; for Christ will judge the secrets of all men according to the gospel. Who shall dwell with devouring flames?

Read Matthew Henry on Revelation 20 →

Parallel passages

6

The same words or events elsewhere.

Philippians 4:3 Revelation 3:5 Revelation 13:8 Revelation 17:8 Revelation 20:15 Revelation 21:27

Cross-references

32

Topics

Death Judgment Vision Book