But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Parallel translations
- WEB The rest of the dead didn’t live until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
- BSB The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years were complete. This is the first resurrection.
- NKJV But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
- NASB The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection.
- NLT This is the first resurrection. (The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years had ended.)
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
The rest of the dead do not live until the thousand years end; this is the first resurrection. A distinction is drawn between two resurrections.
Overview
The verse contrasts those who share the first resurrection with the rest of the dead who await the end of the millennium. Interpreters differ on whether the 'first resurrection' is spiritual regeneration, the believer's entrance into heaven at death, or a bodily raising. Despite the debate, the passage assures that those in Christ are blessed beyond the reach of final death.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Phil 3:11If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
- Rev 11:15And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
- Ezek 37:2–14And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.
- Luke 14:14And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.
- Rev 11:11And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
- Rom 11:15For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?
- Rev 20:8–9And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
- Rev 19:20–21And 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.
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 20:5 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.