Revelation 20:2 WEB

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Revelation 20:1-3

19:11-20:15 THE TRIUMPH OF GODUp till now the visions have mainly been concerned with the power of evil and the sufferings of believers. Persecuted Christians have been encouraged to endure their trials by the assurance that God is still in control. He guards his people, allowing the wicked to exercise their power only within the limits that he has set according to his eternal plan. Leaving behind the subject of the power of evil in the world, the visions now move on to their climax. They... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Revelation 20:2

laid hold on. Greek. krateo. Compare App-172 . on = of. dragon. See Revelation 12:3 . that = the. Satan. The texts add "the". See App-19 . thousand years. i.e. the millennium. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Revelation 20:2

And he laid hold on the dragon, the old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years,Dragon ... serpent ... devil ... and Satan ... Note the fourfold name of the evil one. This ties in with the 12th chapter where this quadruple designation first occurs (Revelation 12:9), and where are also mentioned the 1,260 days. Neither the 1,000 years here nor the 1,260 days there should be literalized. Both refer to the same period of time, all the time between the two Advents... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Revelation 20:1-6

Revelation 20:1-6. And I saw an angel come down from heavens &c.— After the destruction of the beast, and the false prophet,there still remains the dragon, who had delegated his power unto them; that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, Revelation 20:2. but he is bound by an angel,—an especial minister of Providence; and the famous millennium, or the reign of the saints upon earth for a thousand years, commences. Binding him with a great chain, casting him into the bottomless pit,... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Revelation 20:2

2. that old—ancient serpent (Revelation 12:9). thousand years—As seven mystically implies universality, so a thousand implies perfection, whether in good or evil [AQUINAS on ch. 11]. Thousand symbolizes that the world is perfectly leavened and pervaded by the divine; since thousand is ten, the number of the world, raised to the third power, three being the number of God [AUBERLEN]. It may denote literally also a thousand years. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Revelation 20:1-3

1. The binding of Satan 20:1-3 read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Revelation 20:2

Four titles make the identity of the bound creature certain. The dragon is his most frequent name in Revelation (Revelation 12:3-4; Revelation 12:7; Revelation 12:13; Revelation 12:16-17; Revelation 13:2; Revelation 13:4; Revelation 13:11; Revelation 16:13). This title alludes to the serpent of old (cf. Genesis 3). This is an anacoluthon or parenthetical reference (cf. Revelation 1:5; et al.) [Note: Robertson, 6:257.] The Devil (Revelation 20:10; Revelation 2:10; Revelation 12:9; Revelation... read more

John Darby

Darby's Synopsis of the New Testament - Revelation 20:2

20:2 Satan, (c-16) Lit. 'the Satan.' The adversary. see ch. 12.9. read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 20:1-15

Satan conquered. The Last JudgmentIn this chapter the visions of the overthrow of Christ’s enemies are continued. The devil is bound for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:1-3); the martyrs reign with Christ for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:4-6). It is foretold that, at the end of the 1,000 years, Satan will be loosed, and will make a last assault against the saints, after which he is cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:7-10). A vision of the Last Judgment follows (Revelation 20:11-15).The binding... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Revelation 20:2

(2) And he laid hold on the dragon . . .—Or, And he laid hold of the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him a thousand years. The four words are thus used to describe the archenemy; they are the same as those used for the same purpose in Revelation 12:9. Over the world he has exercised in every quarter his power as prince of this world, and he has been found fierce as the dragon, subtle as the serpent, the slanderer of God and His people, and the adversary of all... read more