independentparticipialrelativepurposeconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended
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The binding of the dragon 20:1–3
1
Καὶ εἶδον ἄγγελον καταβαίνοντα ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ,independent — καὶ εἶδον — a new vision-panel (19:11, 17, 19); an unnamed angel suffices against the dragon
ἔχοντα τὴν κλεῖν τῆς ἀβύσσου καὶ ἅλυσιν μεγάλην ἐπὶ τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ.participial — the instruments of imprisonment — the key of 9:1, now to lock rather than open; the chain sized to its captive
2
καὶ ἐκράτησεν τὸν δράκοντα,independent — the arrest — κρατέω, the grip of superior force (Isa 24:21–22 behind the whole panel)
ὁ ὄφις ὁ ἀρχαῖος,phrase modifier — SOLECISM kept — nominative apposition to the accusative τὸν δράκοντα (as 12:9); the serpent of Gen 3, named ad sensum
ὅς ἐστιν Διάβολος καὶ ὁ Σατανᾶς,relative — the unmasking relative — the four names of 12:9 repeated: slanderer (Greek) and accuser (Hebrew), one enemy
καὶ ἔδησεν αὐτὸν χίλια ἔτη,independent — the binding — accusative of extent; the first of the section's six χίλια ἔτη
3
καὶ ἔβαλεν αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν ἄβυσσον,independent — the first ἔβαλεν of the chapter — the abyss a holding-cell, not yet the lake
καὶ ἔκλεισεν καὶ ἐσφράγισεν ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ,independent — shut and sealed — Dan 6:17: the stone sealed over the pit; the objects left unexpressed
ἵνα μὴ πλανήσῃ ἔτι τὰ ἔθνη,purpose — the point of the binding — πλανάω, the dragon's defining verb (12:9; 13:14), suspended, not cured
ἄχρι τελεσθῇ τὰ χίλια ἔτη·conditional — ἄχρι + aorist subjunctive (without ἄν), anchored backward — the ban has a built-in term
μετὰ ταῦτα δεῖ λυθῆναι αὐτὸν μικρὸν χρόνον.independent — δεῖ — the divine must (1:1); the release of vv. 7–10 announced in advance, and only μικρὸν χρόνον
The thrones and the first resurrection 20:4–6
4
Καὶ εἶδον θρόνους,independent — Dan 7:9 — thrones were set; the panel is Daniel's court scene reconvened
καὶ ἐκάθισαν ἐπ’ αὐτούς,independent — subjectless ἐκάθισαν — the occupants left unnamed; the layout does not fill the seats
καὶ κρίμα ἐδόθη αὐτοῖς,independent — Dan 7:22 — κρίμα ἐδόθη, the divine passive: judgment given to the saints
καὶ τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν πεπελεκισμένων διὰ τὴν μαρτυρίαν Ἰησοῦ καὶ διὰ τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ,independent — accusative resuming εἶδον across the parataxis — the souls of 6:9; πεπελεκισμένων, the axe of Roman execution; the book's word-pair (1:2, 9)
καὶ οἵτινες οὐ προσεκύνησαν τὸ θηρίον οὐδὲ τὴν εἰκόνα αὐτοῦrelative — SOLECISM kept — nominative οἵτινες loosely coordinated with the accusative ψυχάς; read as extending the company to all the refusers of ch. 13
καὶ οὐκ ἔλαβον τὸ χάραγμα ἐπὶ τὸ μέτωπον καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν χεῖρα αὐτῶν·relative — the relative chain continued — the χάραγμα of 13:16–17 refused at the cost of livelihood and life
καὶ ἔζησαν καὶ ἐβασίλευσαν μετὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ χίλια ἔτη.independent — the panel's payoff and the chapter's storm-center — ἔζησαν: bodily resurrection (premillennial) or vindicated life above (amillennial); the grammar gives one aorist pair to the whole company
5
οἱ λοιποὶ τῶν νεκρῶν οὐκ ἔζησανindependent — the parenthesis — absent from a few witnesses, kept with the earliest text; ἔζησαν repeated with the negative
ἄχρι τελεσθῇ τὰ χίλια ἔτη.conditional — the ἄχρι-refrain of v. 3, anchored backward — the two resurrections separated by the millennium
αὕτη ἡ ἀνάστασις ἡ πρώτη.independent — verbless identification — αὕτη reaches back past the parenthesis to v. 4's ἔζησαν; πρώτη implies a second, never so named
6
μακάριος καὶ ἅγιος ὁ ἔχων μέρος ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει τῇ πρώτῃ·independent — the fifth of the book's seven beatitudes (1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 22:7, 14) — only here ἅγιος is added
ἐπὶ τούτων ὁ δεύτερος θάνατος οὐκ ἔχει ἐξουσίαν,independent — τούτων plural ad sensum for the singular ὁ ἔχων — the second death (2:11) named before it is defined (v. 14)
ἀλλ’ ἔσονται ἱερεῖς τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ,independent — the ἀλλά-counter — not merely exempt but priests (1:6; 5:10; Exod 19:6)
καὶ βασιλεύσουσιν μετ’ αὐτοῦ χίλια ἔτη.independent — v. 4's aorist turned future promise — singular μετ’ αὐτοῦ after the double genitive: God and Christ share one 'him'
Satan released — Gog and Magog 20:7–10
vv. 7–8 — the release and the muster of the nations
7
Καὶ ὅταν τελεσθῇ τὰ χίλια ἔτη,conditional — ὅταν — temporal protasis leaning on the release below; the term of v. 3 reached
λυθήσεται ὁ Σατανᾶς ἐκ τῆς φυλακῆς αὐτοῦ,independent — the futures interrupt the aorist vision-narrative (through v. 8) — v. 3's δεῖ λυθῆναι enacted; the abyss now called φυλακή
8
καὶ ἐξελεύσεταιindependent — the release is for one last sortie — two purpose infinitives hang from this verb
πλανῆσαι τὰ ἔθνη τὰ ἐν ταῖς τέσσαρσιν γωνίαις τῆς γῆς,purpose — purpose infinitive — the banned verb of v. 3 resumed at once; the four corners (7:1): the sweep is worldwide
τὸν Γὼγ καὶ Μαγώγ,phrase modifier — apposition to τὰ ἔθνη — Ezek 38–39: prince and land fused into a name-pair; one article, one enemy
συναγαγεῖν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸν πόλεμον,purpose — second purpose infinitive — τὸν πόλεμον with the article: THE war (16:14; 19:19)
ὧν ὁ ἀριθμὸς αὐτῶν ὡς ἡ ἄμμος τῆς θαλάσσης.relative — SOLECISM kept — pleonastic αὐτῶν doubling ὧν (Hebraism); verbless comparison: the promise-formula (Gen 22:17) turned against the promise-people's besiegers
vv. 9–10 — the march, the fire, and the lake
9
καὶ ἀνέβησαν ἐπὶ τὸ πλάτος τῆς γῆς,independent — the aorists resume — ἀνέβησαν, the invasion verb of Ezek 38:11, 16
καὶ ἐκύκλευσαν τὴν παρεμβολὴν τῶν ἁγίων καὶ τὴν πόλιν τὴν ἠγαπημένην.independent — the encirclement — παρεμβολή, Israel's wilderness camp; the beloved city (Pss 78:68; 87:2): two names, one people
καὶ κατέβη πῦρ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦindependent — Ezek 38:22; 39:6; 2 Kgs 1:10 — the shorter text ('from heaven') read; no battle is narrated
καὶ κατέφαγεν αὐτούς·independent — κατεσθίω — devoured whole; the war is over in two verbs
10
καὶ ὁ διάβολος ὁ πλανῶν αὐτοὺς ἐβλήθη εἰς τὴν λίμνην τοῦ πυρὸς καὶ θείου,independent — ὁ πλανῶν — the deceiver's title become his epitaph; ἐβλήθη, the second casting: abyss then, lake now
ὅπου καὶ τὸ θηρίον καὶ ὁ ψευδοπροφήτης,relative — verbless local relative — the trio of 16:13 reunited where 19:20 left the other two
καὶ βασανισθήσονται ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτὸς εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων.independent — future third plural — devil, beast, and false prophet its compound subject; the doxological 'for ever and ever' (1:6) turned to judgment (14:11)
The great white throne 20:11–15
vv. 11–12 — the throne, the fleeing cosmos, and the opened books
11
Καὶ εἶδον θρόνον μέγαν λευκὸν καὶ τὸν καθήμενον ἐπ’ αὐτόν,independent — the final tableau — great, white, and singular against v. 4's plural thrones; the enthroned one unnamed, as at 4:2
οὗ ἀπὸ τοῦ προσώπου ἔφυγεν ἡ γῆ καὶ ὁ οὐρανός,relative — on τὸν καθήμενον — Ps 114:3, 7: creation flees the Presence; the de-creation before 21:1's new heaven and earth
καὶ τόπος οὐχ εὑρέθη αὐτοῖς.relative — the relative continued paratactically — pleonastic dative αὐτοῖς, verbatim from Dan 2:35 Θ: nowhere left to flee
12
καὶ εἶδον τοὺς νεκρούς,independent — the third εἶδον of the chapter — the dead themselves now the vision
τοὺς μεγάλους καὶ τοὺς μικρούς,phrase modifier — the merism in apposition — no rank exempts (11:18; 19:5)
ἑστῶτας ἐνώπιον τοῦ θρόνου,participial — predicative participle with εἶδον — the dead on their feet for judgment; ἐνώπιον τοῦ θρόνου read over the variant τοῦ θεοῦ
καὶ βιβλία ἠνοίχθησαν·independent — Dan 7:10 — the court sat and the books were opened: the ledgers of deeds
καὶ ἄλλο βιβλίον ἠνοίχθη,independent — singular against the plural — one registry beside the ledgers
ὅ ἐστιν τῆς ζωῆς·relative — the identification — the book of life (3:5; 13:8; Exod 32:32–33; Dan 12:1): names, not deeds
καὶ ἐκρίθησαν οἱ νεκροὶ ἐκ τῶν γεγραμμένων ἐν τοῖς βιβλίοις κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτῶν.independent — the verdict-line — ἐκ names the evidence, κατά the norm (Ps 62:12; Rom 2:6)
vv. 13–15 — the surrender of the dead and the second death
13
καὶ ἔδωκεν ἡ θάλασσα τοὺς νεκροὺς τοὺς ἐν αὐτῇ,independent — the first surrender — the unburied of the deep; no death evades the summons
καὶ ὁ θάνατος καὶ ὁ ᾅδης ἔδωκαν τοὺς νεκροὺς τοὺς ἐν αὐτοῖς,independent — the pair of 1:18 and 6:8 personified — their keys were his all along; ἔδωκαν, the second and third giving-up
καὶ ἐκρίθησαν ἕκαστος κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτῶν.independent — the refrain of v. 12 — plural verb with distributive ἕκαστος (ad sensum): judgment universal but one by one
14
καὶ ὁ θάνατος καὶ ὁ ᾅδης ἐβλήθησαν εἰς τὴν λίμνην τοῦ πυρός.independent — the third casting — the emptied jailers jailed; the last enemy destroyed (1 Cor 15:26; cf. 21:4)
οὗτος ὁ θάνατος ὁ δεύτερός ἐστιν,independent — the seer's own gloss — v. 6's ὁ δεύτερος θάνατος finally defined
ἡ λίμνη τοῦ πυρός.phrase modifier — nominative apposition completing the equation — the lake IS the second death
15
καὶ εἴ τις οὐχ εὑρέθη ἐν τῇ βίβλῳ τῆς ζωῆς γεγραμμένος,conditional — εἰ + aorist indicative, leaning on the apodosis below — the case put as fact, not hypothesis; the registry the last test
ἐβλήθη εἰς τὴν λίμνην τοῦ πυρός.independent — the fourth and last ἐβλήθη — the chapter closes on the verb of vv. 3, 10, 14; the book of life has the final say (21:27)
Analysis. The most contested chapter in the book has the book's simplest grammar, and the shape shows it: four vision-panels, each a column of flush-left aorists marching down the margin in καί-chains, with almost nothing subordinated — the deepest line in the chapter sits only two steps in. The binding (vv. 1–3) runs seized–bound–cast–shut–sealed in five main verbs before its one subordinate cluster: the ἵνα-purpose (no more deceiving) with its ἄχρι-term hanging beneath it. The throne-panel of vv. 4–6 keeps the seer's loose accusatives and nominatives as he left them: the subjectless ἐκάθισαν is flagged, not filled in; τὰς ψυχάς resumes εἶδον across the parataxis; and the nominative οἵτινες-chain is read as extending the martyr-company to the refusers of the mark, all of whom are the subject of ἔζησαν. Satan's release (vv. 7–10) opens on the chapter's only forward-leaning protasis (ὅταν τελεσθῇ) and briefly speaks in futures before the aorists of the march and the fire resume; Γὼγ καὶ Μαγώγ stands as apposition to the nations (Ezek 38–39), and the relative of the numberless horde keeps its pleonastic αὐτῶν. The white-throne panel (vv. 11–15) is a tableau — throne, fleeing cosmos (with the pleonastic dative αὐτοῖς, straight out of Dan 2:35), standing dead, opened books — closed by the three surrender-lines with their κατὰ τὰ ἔργα refrain and the fourfold ἐβλήθη of the lake of fire. Interpretive choices: the solecisms are kept and tagged (the nominative apposition ὁ ὄφις ὁ ἀρχαῖος against the accusative τὸν δράκοντα chief among them); v. 5a is printed with the earliest text and treated as a parenthesis; ἐνώπιον τοῦ θρόνου is read at v. 12; and ἔζησαν — the storm-center — is laid out structurally as the martyrs' coming-to-life that v. 5 calls the first resurrection, while the millennial construals (premillennial bodily resurrection; the amillennial reading of ἔζησαν as heavenly vindication or regeneration) are named in the tags as views, not adjudicated by the layout.