Revelation 20:4 - An Understandable Version (2005 edition)

⁴ Then I saw thrones, with individuals sitting on them who had been given [authority] to judge. And I [also] saw the souls of those who had been decapitated because they had testified about Jesus and [had proclaimed] the message of God. [They are] the ones who had refused to worship the beast or his statue, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And these ones lived again and ruled with Christ for a thousand years.

More versions

King James Version (Oxford) 1769

⁴ And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Amplified Bible - Classic Edition

⁴ Then I saw thrones, and sitting on them were those to whom authority to act as judges and to pass sentence was entrusted. Also I saw the souls of those who had been slain with axes [beheaded] for their witnessing to Jesus and [for preaching and testifying] for the Word of God, and who had refused to pay homage to the beast or his statue and had not accepted his mark or permitted it to be stamped on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived again and ruled with Christ (the Messiah) a thousand years. [Dan. 7:9, 22, 27.]

American Standard Version (1901)

⁴ And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of God, and such as worshipped not the beast, neither his image, and received not the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they lived, and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Common English Bible

⁴ Then I saw thrones, and people took their seats on them, and judgment was given in their favor. They were the ones who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and God’s word, and those who hadn’t worshipped the beast or its image, who hadn’t received the mark on their forehead or hand. They came to life and ruled with Christ for one thousand years.

Catholic Public Domain Version

⁴ And I saw thrones. And they sat upon them. And judgment was given to them. And the souls of those beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the Word of God, and who did not adore the beast, nor his image, nor accept his character on their foreheads or on their hands: they lived and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

Revelation 20:4 Cross References

Matthew 19:28

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, [since] you have become my followers, in the time of new beginnings [i.e., the church age], when the Son of man sits on His glorious throne, you apostles will also sit on twelve thrones, judging [i.e., through their writings] the twelve tribes of Israel [i.e., God’s people].

Matthew 24:10

And then many people will fall away [from God] and they will turn one another over [i.e., to the authorities for punishment], and they will hate one another.

Mark 6:16

But when King Herod heard [about Jesus], he said, “John, whom I [had] decapitated, has risen.”

Mark 6:27

And immediately the king sent a soldier who served as his guard and ordered him to bring John’s head to him. So, he went and decapitated him in the prison,

Mark 9:11

Then His disciples asked Him, “Why is it, [since you are obviously the Messiah], that the experts in the Law of Moses say that Elijah must come first?”

Luke 1:17

He will go on ahead of the Messiah [See verse 76], in the spirit and power of Elijah, to rekindle the affections of fathers for their children, and [to influence] disobedient people to live wisely like righteous people. And he will prepare the people to be ready for [the coming of] the Lord.”

Luke 14:14

Then you will receive a blessing, because these people do not have anything to pay you back with, for you will be paid back when righteous people are raised from the dead.”

Luke 22:30

so you can eat and drink at my table in my [coming] kingdom. [Also] you will sit on [twelve] thrones [See Matt. 19:28], judging the twelve tribes of Israel [i.e., judging God’s people through their writings].

John 14:19

After a little while [longer] the world will not see me anymore, but you men will see me. Because I [will continue to] live, you will live also.

Romans 11:15

For if their rejection [by God] meant that [the rest of] the world could be restored to favor [with God], what would [God’s] receiving the Jews back into fellowship be, except like dead people coming back to life?

Romans 8:17

And if we are [His] children, then we have an inheritance from God [i.e., blessings here and hereafter] and are fellow-sharers with Christ [of such blessings], providing we [are willing to] suffer with Him, so we can also be honored with Him [i.e., in the future life. See verses 18-25].

2 Timothy 2:12

If we endure [i.e., remain faithful through suffering], we will also rule with Him [i.e., both here and hereafter]. If we deny Him, He will also deny us. [See Matt. 10:33].

Revelation 1:2

[So], John testified concerning everything he saw of God’s message and Jesus Christ’s testimony [of it].

Revelation 1:9

I [am] John, your brother who participates with you in the suffering and kingdom and endurance [which we experience] in [fellowship with] Jesus. I was on the island called Patmos for [preaching] God’s message and for testifying about Jesus. [Note: Patmos was located in the Aegean Sea between present-day Greece and Turkey].

Revelation 11:11

And after three and a half days, God breathed life into them and they stood up on their feet, and the people who saw them became terrified.

Revelation 11:15

Then the seventh angel sounded its trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord [i.e., God] and of His Christ, and He will rule forever and ever.”

Revelation 11:3

And I will give [authority] to my two witnesses and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, wearing sackcloth” [i.e., a black, coarse cloth made of goat’s hair].

Revelation 11:7

And when they have completed their testimony, the beast that comes up from the pit [See 13:1ff; 17:3,7] will wage war against them, and overpower and kill them.

Revelation 12:11

And they [i.e., the brothers. See 6:9- 11] gained the victory over Satan by the blood of the Lamb, and by [remaining true to] the message of their testimony. And they did not love their lives [so much that they refused] to die [for their faith].

Revelation 14:11

And the smoke of their suffering will ascend forever and ever and there will not be any rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his statue and who receive the mark of his name.”

Revelation 15:2

And I saw what seemed to be an ocean of glass, mixed with fire, and those who had been victorious over the beast, his statue and the number of his name. They were standing beside [or, “on”] the ocean of glass and held harps [given to them] by God.

Revelation 17:8

The beast you saw once existed, but now does not, and [yet] is about to come up out of the pit and go to [his] destruction. And those people living on the earth, whose names have not been recorded in the book of life from the creation of the world, will be amazed when they see the beast, because he had once existed, but now does not, and yet will come [again].

Revelation 2:26

“And to the person who has victory [in the Christian life], and who continues to do what I want until the end [of his life], I will give him authority over the nations. [Note: This probably refers to a spiritual reign with Christ during the Christian age. See 20:4].

Revelation 20:6

The person who shares in this first resurrection is blessed and holy [i.e., for being so dedicated to God]. The second death does not have power over these people, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will rule with Him for the thousand years.

Revelation 22:5

And it will never be nighttime there anymore; they will not need the light of a lamp nor of the sun, for the Lord will give them light. And they [i.e., God’s servants] will rule [with Christ, See 20:4] forever and ever.

Revelation 3:21

The person who has victory [in the Christian life], I will grant him [the privilege of] sitting down with me on my throne, as I also had victory and sat down with my Father on His throne.

Revelation 4:4

And around God’s throne there were twenty-four [other] thrones, with twenty-four elders sitting on them. [Note: These “elders” are generally considered to represent all the saved of both covenants. The number twenty-four is thought to be derived from the twelve patriarchs and the twelve apostles]. They were dressed in white clothing and had golden crowns on their heads.

Revelation 6:9

And when the Lamb broke open the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed for [believing and preaching] God’s message, and for the testimony [about Jesus] which they had maintained.

Revelation 7:3

saying, “Do not harm the land, or the ocean, or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God [with a mark] on their foreheads.”