Revelation of John 20:10 · Bible study
Revelation 20:10 Commentary: Eternal Torment for the Devil
Greek · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
What does 'tormented day and night forever and ever' mean in Revelation 20:10?
Research Summary
- Meaning: Satan, after deceiving the nations one last time, is cast into the lake of fire where the beast and false prophet already reside, to be tormented endlessly.
- Key words: πλανῶν (planōn, deceiving, present participle); βασανισθήσονται (basanisthēsontai, they will be tormented, future passive); αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων (ages of the ages, strongest Greek expression for eternity).
- Main debate: Whether “forever and ever” denotes unending conscious torment (affirmed by all supplied commentators) or allows for eventual cessation (e.g., conditionalist views).
- Theological theme: The final victory of God over all evil powers; God’s justice is both final and eternal.
- Best use: A verse of hope and warning, hope that evil has an end, warning that rebellion against God has irreversible consequences.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, into which the beast and the false prophet had already been thrown. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
WEB World English Bible 2000
The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are also. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
KJV King James Version 1769
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where are also the beast and the false prophet; and they shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and the Devil, who is leading them astray, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where are the beast and the false prophet, and they shall be tormented day and night--to the ages of the ages.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And the devil who deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where [are] both the beast and the false prophet; and they shall be tormented day and night for the ages of ages.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And the false prophet shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y el diablo que los engañaba, fué lanzado en el lago de fuego y azufre, donde está la bestia y el falso profeta; y serán atormentados día y noche para siempre|strong="G3588, G0165" jamás|strong="G3588, G0165".
E o diabo, que os enganava, foi lançado no lago de fogo e enxofre, onde estão a besta e o falso profeta; e serão atormentados dia e noite para todo o sempre.
Et le diable, qui les séduisait, fut jeté dans l’ étang de feu et de soufre, où sont la bête et le faux prophète. Et ils seront tourmentés jour et nuit, aux siècles des siècles.
Und der Teufel, der sie verführte, ward geworfen in den feurigen Pfuhl und Schwefel, da auch das Tier und der falsche Prophet war; und sie werden gequält werden Tag und Nacht von Ewigkeit zu Ewigkeit.
En de duivel, die hen verleidde, werd geworpen in den poel des vuurs en sulfers, alwaar het beest en de valse profeet zijn; en zij zullen gepijnigd worden dag en nacht in alle eeuwigheid.
E il diavolo che le avea sedotte fu gettato nello stagno di fuoco e di zolfo, dove sono anche la bestia e il falso profeta; e saran tormentati giorno e notte, nei secoli dei secoli.
A dyjabeł, który je zwodził, wrzucony jest w jezioro ognia i siarki, gdzie jest ona bestyja i fałszywy prorok; i będą męczeni we dnie i w nocy, na wieki wieków.
а диавол, прельщавший их, ввержен в озеро огненное и серное, где зверь и лжепророк, и будут мучиться день и ночь во веки веков.
那迷惑 他們 的魔鬼 被扔 在硫磺 的 火 湖 裡， 就是獸 和 假先知 所在的地方。 他們必晝 夜 受痛苦，直到 永永遠遠。
And the Evil One who put them in error was sent down into the sea of ever-burning fire, where the beast and the false prophet are, and their punishment will go on day and night for ever and ever.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Revelation of John 20:10
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
All supplied commentators agree this verse describes the final, irreversible judgment of Satan. The devil, characterized by the present participle planōn (“the one who is deceiving”), is thrown into the lake of fire where the beast and the false prophet already reside (Revelation 19:20). Barnes notes the contrast with Satan’s earlier temporary confinement in the abyss (20:1, 3): now he shares the same doom as his allies. The phrase “tormented day and night forever and ever” translates the Greek eis tous aiōnas tōn aiōnōn, literally “to the ages of the ages.” The Cambridge Bible calls this “as strong an expression for absolute endlessness as Biblical language affords.” Gill and Wesley affirm that the torment is without intermission; Wesley says “strictly speaking, there is only night there.” Adam Clarke adds that the devil’s power is now “totally taken away.” The verse closes the narrative of active evil opposition, securing the eternal victory of God.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: All supplied commentators agree that the phrase 'forever and ever' denotes unending duration and that the verse describes the final, irreversible judgment of Satan.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Satan's final doom | All supplied commentators agree that this verse describes the devil's final, irreversible punishment in the lake of fire, ending his activity of deception. | No debate among these sources; some Christians in other traditions interpret the lake of fire as symbolic of total annihilation rather than eternal torment. |
| Meaning of 'forever and ever' | The phrase (eis tous aiōnas tōn aiōnōn) is understood as absolute endlessness. The Cambridge Bible calls it the strongest possible expression for eternity. | A minority of interpreters have argued that 'the ages of the ages' implies a limited period after which the punishment ends. This view does not appear in the supplied commentaries. |
| Identity of 'they will be tormented' | The verb is plural: it includes Satan, the beast, and the false prophet. Gill, Wesley, and the Cambridge Bible all state that all three are tormented day and night. | No debate among the supplied sources; the grammar is clear. |
| Timing of the judgment | Satan's judgment occurs after the thousand-year period and after the Gog-Magog rebellion. The beast and false prophet were already thrown in at Revelation 19:20. | Premillennialists (most supplied commentators) see this as a chronological sequence; amillennialists interpret the thousand-year period symbolically and may see this judgment as the same event as the final judgment at Christ's return. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Revelation 20:10 is the climax of John’s vision of Satan’s defeat, following the pattern of three great enemies of God judged in sequence: the harlot Babylon (ch. 17, 18), the beast and false prophet (19:20), and finally the dragon himself. The “lake of fire and sulfur” first appears in 19:20 for the beast and false prophet; now it becomes Satan’s permanent home. The imagery draws on Old Testament judgment scenes, Sodom and Gomorrah’s brimstone and fire (Genesis 19:24), Isaiah’s description of the Lord’s coming with fire (Isaiah 66:15, 16), and Ezekiel’s fire on Gog (Ezekiel 38, 39).
The devil’s role as “deceiver” (v. 10) links back to his deception of the nations in chapter 20:3, 8, and earlier in 12:9. His final rebellion, after a thousand-year binding and brief release, ends with a revolt that is immediately crushed (20:7, 9). John then telescopes forward to the great white throne judgment (20:11, 15). The lake of fire is identified there as “the second death” (20:14).
Lange’s Commentary notes that this judgment scene is remarkably brief, “a very little sketch” compared with the elaborate destruction of Babylon. The brevity itself testifies to the canonical restraint of the Apocalypse. Culturally, a “lake” of fire would evoke the volcanic landscapes of the Mediterranean (e.g., the Dead Sea region with its sulfur deposits). For John’s first readers, the image conveyed absolute finality: fire and sulfur could not be survived.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note one significant textual issue. The word “where” (Greek hopou) is followed by “also” (kai) in a number of important manuscripts and versions. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown mention that “where also” is read by Codices Sinaiticus (A) and Vaticanus (B), the Vulgate, and the Syriac. The Coptic version also supports this reading. The Cambridge Bible recommends reading “where also.” The difference is minor: it adds emphasis that the beast and false prophet are already present in that place. The verse’s meaning is not affected.
Reception History
Revelation 20:10 has shaped Christian reflection on the final fate of Satan from the early church onward. Augustine (City of God) understood the lake of fire as the eternal punishment of the devil and his angels, linking it to Matthew 25:41. Medieval theologians such as Thomas Aquinas (Summa Theologica) used this verse to argue for the perpetuity of hell’s torments. During the Reformation, commentators like Matthew Henry and John Wesley emphasized the comfort believers derive from knowing that their ultimate enemy has been permanently defeated. The phrase “day and night” was often interpreted without intermission, suggesting the complete absence of relief. Wesley noted that “strictly speaking, there is only night there: no day, no sun, no hope.” In the modern era, the verse has been central to debates between advocates of eternal conscious punishment and those who hold to conditional immortality or universal reconciliation. The supplied commentators, spanning Anglican, Baptist, Methodist, and Protestant traditions, all read it as teaching unending torment for the devil and his allies.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The deceiver’s final defeat. Satan, the one who “leads astray” (present participle, his characteristic action), is at last removed from the world stage. No more tempting, no more accusing, no more counterfeit miracles.
- Joined to his allies in judgment. The beast and the false prophet have been in the lake of fire for a thousand years (Rev 19:20). Now Satan joins them. Evil’s conspiracy collapses into shared ruin.
- Torment without end. “Day and night” and “forever and ever” (Greek eis tous aiōnas tōn aiōnōn) are the strongest terms John can use. The punishment is conscious, unceasing, and eternal.
Five-point outline
- The devil’s present participle: he is still deceiving, but not forever.
- The lake of fire as the permanent prison, not the temporary abyss (20:1, 3).
- The company: beast and false prophet are already there, evil’s leadership shares one fate.
- The grammar of finality: the verb “will be tormented” (future passive indicative) points to a future certainty Jesus promised (Matt 25:41).
- “Forever and ever”: the phrase appears also for the blessed (Rev 4:8; 22:5). Both destinies are equally unending
Illustration hooks
- A prison sentence changes to an execution: the abyss was temporary incarceration; the lake of fire is the death chamber. No parole, no appeal.
- A scam artist’s trail finally ends. For centuries the devil has run schemes. This verse pulls back the curtain: his end is as real as any swindler’s arrest.
- The last page of a long war novel: after many battles and seeming stalemates, the enemy commander is captured and led away. The war, the real war, is over.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does “forever and ever” really mean no end? How can a loving God allow eternal punishment?
- Is the devil in hell right now? What is the difference between the abyss and the lake of fire?
- If the beast and false prophet are already in the lake of fire, are they suffering for a thousand years before Satan joins them?
Leading a Discussion
Revelation 20:10 is the last time the devil appears in the biblical story. This verse answers how the great conflict between God and the powers of evil finally ends. As you work through the passage, pay attention to the words John chooses, especially the present tense for the devil’s deception and the future tense for the torment. What do these verb forms tell us about how John sees time and accountability?
Discussion questions
- Read Revelation 20:1, 3 and 20:7, 10. What differences do you see between Satan’s initial binding and his final judgment?
- The verse calls the devil “the one who deceives them” in the present tense. Why does John use this tense, and what does it imply about the devil’s character and activity?
- The lake of fire is first introduced in 19:20. Why does John wait until chapter 20 to place Satan there? What does the delay accomplish narratively and theologically?
- Translate “forever and ever” back to the Greek: eis tous aiōnas tōn aiōnōn. How does this phrase compare with other descriptions of eternity in Revelation (e.g., 4:8; 22:5)?
- Some Christians understand this passage to describe eternal conscious torment; others read it as symbolic of complete, final destruction. How does each view handle the phrase “tormented day and night”? What do Jesus’ words in Matthew 25:41, 46 add to the discussion?
- How does the defeat of evil in this verse shape your confidence in God’s justice and sovereignty today, especially when evil seems to prosper?
- If this is the end of the devil, how should it change how we pray, endure suffering, or share the gospel now?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Matthew 25:41 | Then 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; |
| Matthew 25:46 | These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” |
| Revelation of John 14:10 | he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of his anger. He will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. |
| Revelation of John 14:11 | The smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. They have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name. |
| Revelation of John 16:13 | I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits, something like frogs; |
| Revelation of John 19:20 | The 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. |
| Revelation of John 20:2 | He seized the dragon, the old serpent, who is the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole inhabited earth, and bound him for a thousand years, |
| Revelation of John 20:3 | and cast him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more until the thousand years were finished. After this, he must be freed for a short time. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
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What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
And the devil - was cast onto the lake - Before Satan was bound, that is, his power was curtailed and restrained; now, he is cast into the lake of fire, his power being totally taken away.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that Satan's final confinement to the lake of fire unites him with the beast and false prophet, ending every form of opposition to the church. This defeat, sudden and complete, clears the way for the gospel's final triumph. After the millennium's close, all hostile powers are destroyed forever, and the work of redemption is finished.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentary stresses precise translation of the Greek to confirm the endless conscious torment of the devil, beast, and false prophet. The phrase "to the ages of the ages" is Scripture's strongest statement of absolute endlessness, and "day and night" implies ongoing awareness of duration rather than a timeless eternity.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
And shall go out to deceiue the people, which are in the foure quarters of the earth: euen Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battell, whose number is, as the sand of the sea.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill observes that the devil is not yet in full torment; this verse anticipates his final judgment. He links the beast and false prophet as long-time partners in wickedness, and stresses that all three—devil, beast, and false prophet—will be tormented together eternally in the lake of fire.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB stresses that the lake of fire is Satan's final and eternal punishment, not just a temporary prison. Unlike the first Adam, who lost Paradise by Satan's deception, believers in the new creation will be perfectly secure, as Satan will never be allowed to enter it. His doom is unending.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange highlights that John's brief sketch of the final judgment is deliberately restrained—an apocalyptic fiction would have expanded it. The second death is not annihilation but endless ethical self-consumption in the lake of fire, an agitation without relief. This brevity testifies to the vision's truthfulness.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry sees the binding of Satan as a period when his power is drastically limited, giving the church an extended season of peace. During these thousand years, the souls of martyred believers reign with Christ as priests, untouched by the second death. After this, Satan must be briefly released before his final destruction.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley observes that the phrase "day and night" does not imply any cycle or relief. He stresses that the torment is unceasing, and he adds a sharp distinction: there is no literal day in hell, only endless night, no sun, and no hope at all.