And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown 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.
- KJV And whosoever was not found written in the book of life 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.
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 3:36One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but one who disobeys the Son won’t see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”
- Matt 13:50and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.”
- Acts 4:12There is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved!”
- 1 Jn 5:11–12The testimony is this, that God gave to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
- Matt 25:41Then he will say also to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels;
- John 14:6Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.
- Rev 19:20The beast was taken, and with him the false prophet who worked the signs in his sight, with which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.
- Heb 2:3how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation — which at the first having been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard;
- Rev 20:12I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and they opened books. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works.
- John 3:18–19He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn’t believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.
- Heb 12:25See that you don’t refuse him who speaks. For if they didn’t escape when they refused him who warned on the earth, how much more will we not escape who turn away from him who warns from heaven,
- Mark 16:16He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who disbelieves will be condemned.
- Mark 9:43–48If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having your two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire,
- Matt 13:42and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be weeping and the 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.