I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand.
Parallel translations
- KJV And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
- BSB Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the Abyss, holding in his hand a great chain.
- ESV Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain.
- NKJV Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
- NASB Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand.
- NLT Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the bottomless pit and a heavy chain in his hand.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Rev 1:18and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever more. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades.
- 2 Pet 2:4For if God didn’t spare angels when they sinned, but cast them down to Tartarus, and committed them to pits of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;
- Jude 1:6Angels who didn’t keep their first domain, but deserted their own dwelling place, he has kept in everlasting bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day.
- Rev 9:1–2The fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from the sky which had fallen to the earth. The key to the pit of the abyss was given to him.
- Rev 18:1After these things, I saw another angel coming down out of the sky, having great authority. The earth was illuminated with his glory.
- Rev 10:1I saw a mighty angel coming down out of the sky, clothed with a cloud. A rainbow was on his head. His face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire.
- Luke 8:31They begged him that he would not command them to go into the abyss.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Revelation ends the story with the slain-yet-standing Lamb who is worthy, the Lion of Judah, the Alpha and Omega, the returning King who makes all things new and dwells with his people forever.
How Revelation 20:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.