Revelation Chapter 20 verse 3 Holy Bible

Ellicott's Commentary

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(3) And cast him into the bottomless pit . . .--Rather, and cast him into the abyss (same word as in Revelation 20:1), and locked and sealed (the door or mouth) above him, that he may not deceive the nations any more until the thousand years shall have been finished; after these things he must be loosed for a little time. The sealing reminds us of the sealing employed when the wicked one had power through man's agency to imprison God's messengers. (Comp. Daniel 6:17, and Matthew 27:66.) Of the exact moment when this binding and imprisoning took place it is not needful to inquire too curiously. That which in the vision is described as the work of a moment may in the fact and fulfilment be a very gradual work; or rather, the full manifestation of its accomplishment may be only gradually made clear. To fix it therefore, to any incident (for example, as Hengstenberg is disposed to do to the coronation of Charlemagne), is to fall into the "vicious realism" against which he rightly protests. The same applies to the duration of the imprisonment; it is not to be understood literally any more than the other numbers in the book; it symbolises a lengthened period. This period is followed by the loosing again of the devil for a short time. (See Note on Revelation 20:7.)Parallel Commentaries ...GreekAndκαὶ (kai)ConjunctionStrong's 2532: And, even, also, namely. he threwἔβαλεν (ebalen)Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularStrong's 906: (a) I cast, throw, rush, (b) often, in the weaker sense: I place, put, drop. A primary verb; to throw.himαὐτὸν (auton)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person SingularStrong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.intoεἰς (eis)PrepositionStrong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.theτὴν (tēn)Article - Accusative Feminine SingularStrong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.Abyss,ἄβυσσον (abysson)Noun - Accusative Feminine SingularStrong's 12: The abyss, unfathomable depth, an especially Jewish conception, the home of the dead and of evil spirits. Depthless, i.e. 'abyss'.shut [it],ἔκλεισεν (ekleisen)Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularStrong's 2808: To shut, shut up. A primary verb; to close.andκαὶ (kai)ConjunctionStrong's 2532: And, even, also, namely. sealed [it]ἐσφράγισεν (esphragisen)Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularStrong's 4972: To seal, set a seal upon. From sphragis; to stamp for security or preservation; by implication, to keep secret, to attest.overἐπάνω (epanō)PrepositionStrong's 1883: From epi and ano; up above, i.e. Over or on.him,αὐτοῦ (autou)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person SingularStrong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.so thatἵνα (hina)ConjunctionStrong's 2443: In order that, so that. Probably from the same as the former part of heautou; in order that.he could not deceiveπλανήσῃ (planēsē)Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person SingularStrong's 4105: To lead astray, deceive, cause to wander. From plane; to roam.theτὰ (ta)Article - Accusative Neuter PluralStrong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.nationsἔθνη (ethnē)Noun - Accusative Neuter PluralStrong's 1484: Probably from etho; a race, i.e. A tribe; specially, a foreign one.untilἄχρι (achri)ConjunctionStrong's 891: As far as, up to, until, during. Or achris akh'-rece; akin to akron; until or up to.theτὰ (ta)Article - Nominative Neuter PluralStrong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.thousandχίλια (chilia)Adjective - Nominative Neuter PluralStrong's 5507: A thousand. Plural of uncertain affinity; a thousand.yearsἔτη (etē)Noun - Nominative Neuter PluralStrong's 2094: A year. Apparently a primary word; a year.were complete.τελεσθῇ (telesthē)Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 3rd Person SingularStrong's 5055: (a) I end, finish, (b) I fulfill, accomplish, (c) I pay. From telos; to end, i.e. Complete, execute, conclude, discharge.After that,μετὰ (meta)PrepositionStrong's 3326: (a) gen: with, in company with, (b) acc: (1) behind, beyond, after, of place, (2) after, of time, with nouns, neut. of adjectives. heαὐτὸν (auton)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person SingularStrong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.mustδεῖ (dei)Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularStrong's 1163: Third person singular active present of deo; also deon deh-on'; neuter active participle of the same; both used impersonally; it is Necessary.be releasedλυθῆναι (lythēnai)Verb - Aorist Infinitive PassiveStrong's 3089: A primary verb; to 'loosen'.for a briefμικρὸν (mikron)Adjective - Accusative Masculine SingularStrong's 3398: Little, small. Including the comparative mikroteros apparently a primary word; small (figuratively) dignity).period of time.χρόνον (chronon)Noun - Accusative Masculine SingularStrong's 5550: A space of time or interval; by extension, an individual opportunity; by implication, delay.Jump to PreviousAbyss Bottomless Cast Closed Deceive End Entrance Finished Freed Fulfilled Longer Loosed Nations Order Pit Seal Sealed Short Shut Thousand Threw Time Unable