And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Parallel translations
- WEB If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.
- BSB And if anyone was found whose name was not written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
- NKJV And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
- NASB And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
- NLT And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.
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
Anyone whose name is not in the book of life is cast into the lake of fire. Final destiny hinges on belonging to the Lamb.
Overview
The verse soberly states the outcome for those outside the book of life, underscoring the seriousness of eternal judgment. The book of life belongs to the Lamb who was slain (13:8; 21:27), so inclusion is bound to Christ and his redeeming work. This urgent warning calls every reader to find refuge in him while there is time.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- John 3:36He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
- Matt 13:50And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
- Acts 4:12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
- 1 Jn 5:11–12And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
- Matt 25:41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
- John 14:6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
- Rev 19:20And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
- Heb 2:3How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
- Rev 20:12And 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.
- John 3:18–19He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
- Heb 12:25See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:
- Mark 16:16He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
- Mark 9:43–48And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
- Matt 13:42And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 20:15 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.