Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire.
Parallel translations
- WEB Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
- KJV And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
- NKJV Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
- NASB Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
- NLT Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death.
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.
Quick answer
Death and Hades themselves are thrown into the lake of fire, called the second death. The last enemy is at last destroyed.
Overview
Death, the final enemy, is abolished forever (1 Corinthians 15:26), fulfilling the promise that mortality is swallowed up in victory. The 'second death' is eternal separation from God, distinct from physical death. Because Christ conquered death by his resurrection, his people need not fear this second death (Revelation 2:11; 20:6).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- 1 Cor 15:26The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
- Rev 20:6Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with Him for a thousand years.
- Rev 21:8But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.”
- Rev 19:20But the beast was captured along with the false prophet, who on its behalf had performed signs deceiving those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. Both the beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.
- Rev 1:18the Living One. I was dead, and behold, now I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of Death and of Hades.
- Rev 20:13The sea gave up its dead, and Death and Hades gave up their dead, and each one was judged according to his deeds.
- Rev 20:10And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, into which the beast and the false prophet had already been thrown. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
- Rev 21:4‘He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,’ and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.”
- Hos 13:14I will ransom them from the power of Sheol; I will redeem them from Death. Where, O Death, are your plagues? Where, O Sheol, is your sting? Compassion is hidden from My eyes.
- Rev 20:15And if anyone was found whose name was not written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
- 1 Cor 15:53For the perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 20:14 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.