Revelation of John 20:6 · Bible study
Revelation 20:6 Commentary: The First Resurrection and Its Blessings
Greek · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
What is the first resurrection in Revelation 20:6? Interpretations and meaning of this beatitude for those who share in Christ's reign.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Participants in the first resurrection are secure from final judgment and serve Christ as priests and kings.
- Key words: Blessed (makarios), holy (hagios), first resurrection (prōtē anastasis), second death (deuteros thanatos), exousia (authority/power).
- Main debate: Whether the first resurrection is a literal bodily resurrection at the millennium’s start or a spiritual resurrection of believers in the present age.
- Theological theme: Assurance of eternal life for the faithful; the priestly and royal status of believers in Christ.
- Best use: Comfort for suffering Christians; teaching on the certainty of final deliverance.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with Him for a thousand years.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over these, the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with him one thousand years.
KJV King James Version 1769
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: over these the second death hath no power; but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Happy and holy is he who is having part in the first rising again; over these the second death hath not authority, but they shall be priests of God and of the Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Blessed and holy he who has part in the first resurrection: over these the second death has no power; but they shall be priests of God and of the Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection. In these the second death hath no power. But they shall be priests of God and of Christ: and shall reign with him a thousand years.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Bienaventurado y santo el que tiene parte en la primera resurrección: la segunda muerte no tiene potestad en éstos; antes serán sacerdotes de Dios y de Cristo, y reinarán con él mil años.
Bem-aventurado e santo é aquele que tem parte na primeira ressurreição; sobre estes a segunda morte não tem poder; mas sim, eles serão sacerdotes de Deus e de Cristo, e reinarão com ele por mil anos.
Heureux et saints ceux qui ont part à la première résurrection! La seconde mort n’ a point de pouvoir sur eux; mais ils seront sacrificateurs de Dieu et de Christ, et ils régneront avec lui pendant mille ans.
Selig ist der und heilig, der teilhat an der ersten Auferstehung. Über solche hat der andere Tod keine Macht; sondern sie werden Priester Gottes und Christi sein und mit ihm regieren tausend Jahre.
Zalig en heilig is hij, die deel heeft in de eerste opstanding; over deze heeft de tweede dood geen macht, maar zij zullen priesters van God en Christus zijn, en zij zullen met Hem als koningen heersen duizend jaren.
Beato e santo è colui che partecipa alla prima risurrezione. Su loro non ha potestà la morte seconda, ma saranno sacerdoti di Dio e di Cristo e regneranno con lui quei mille anni.
Błogosławiony i święty, który ma część w pierwszem zmartwychwstaniu; albowiem nad tymi wtóra śmierć mocy nie ma; ale będą kapłanami Bożymi i Chrystusowymi, i będą z nim królować tysiąc lat.
Блажен и свят имеющий участие в воскресении первом: над ними смерть вторая не имеет власти, но они будут священниками Бога и Христа и будут царствовать с Ним тысячу лет.
在 頭一次 復活 有 分 的有福了， 聖潔了！第二次 的死 在他們 身上 沒 有 權柄。 他們必作 神 和 基督 的祭司，並要 與基督 一同 作王 一千 年。
Happy and holy is he who has a part in this first coming: over these the second death has no authority, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will be ruling with him a thousand years.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Revelation of John 20:6
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this verse pronounces a double blessing, blessed and holy, on those who share in the first resurrection. The Greek participle ἔχων (echōn, “having”) is present tense, indicating an ongoing participation. Vincent notes that this phrase is characteristic of John (cf. John 13:8). The resurrection itself is defined by context: those who “lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years” (v.4). But what kind of resurrection? Adam Clarke identifies it as the resurrection of martyrs, while Gill sees it as the spiritual resurrection belonging to all who are regenerated and sanctified. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown argue for a translation of the faithful church at Christ’s coming and a subsequent conversion of Israel. The Cambridge Bible emphasizes the phrase “priests of God and of Christ” as a strong testimony to Christ’s deity. What is clear for all: the second death (the lake of fire) holds no power over them. The word ἐξουσίαν (exousian) means authority or jurisdiction, the second death has no legal claim. Participants will reign with Christ for a thousand years.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: High
Main views:
- Literal bodily resurrection of martyrs/saints at the millennium’s start: Focuses on v.4 (“souls of those who had been beheaded”) and v.5 (“the rest of the dead didn’t live”). Argues the first resurrection is a physical event before the final judgment.
- Spiritual resurrection of all believers (regeneration) and present reign with Christ: Emphasizes the present tense of “live and reign” in v.4 and the parallel with being made alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:5-6). The millennium is the church age.
- Combined view: translation of the church at Christ’s coming and conversion of nations: Jamieson-Fausset-Brown and others see a two-stage fulfillment: the transfigured church reigns in heaven while converted Israel and Gentiles reign on earth during a literal millennium.
What is clear: There is a first resurrection that delivers participants from the second death, and they share in a priestly reign with Christ for a thousand years.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| First resurrection | It is the resurrection that leads to life and deliverance from the second death. | Some Christians understand it as a literal bodily resurrection of martyrs (or all believers) at the start of the millennium. Others interpret it as a spiritual resurrection (regeneration) that occurs now, with the millennium representing the church age. |
| Second death | The second death is the lake of fire, final judgment and eternal separation from God. | No significant debate; all traditions agree on the basic meaning. |
| Priests of God and of Christ | Believers serve God in a priestly capacity, offering worship and representing Him. | Some see this as a strong proof of Christ’s deity (because priests serve both God and Christ), while others view it as a description of shared ministry. |
| Thousand-year reign | It is a period when Christ reigns with His people and Satan is bound. | Historic premillennialism expects a literal future 1,000-year reign on earth. Amillennialism understands the reign as Christ’s present heavenly rule with the church. Postmillennialism sees it as a coming golden age of gospel triumph before Christ’s return. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Revelation was written to churches in Asia Minor suffering under Roman persecution, likely under Domitian. The millennium vision gives hope that evil is bound and the faithful will reign. The imagery draws on Jewish apocalyptic: the binding of Satan, the resurrection of the righteous, and the “second death”, a rabbinic term for final punishment (Clarke cites Erubin 19:1; Chagiga 27:1). The phrase “first resurrection” implies a second resurrection for judgment (v.5). The priestly role echoes Isaiah 61:6 and 1 Peter 2:5. The number “thousand” symbolizes a complete period.
Poole notes that the thrones of v.4 have been interpreted as the judgment seats where the beast’s officials condemned believers, linking the promise directly to those who suffered for their testimony. The beatitude extends beyond just martyrs, however, to all who “have part.” Early interpreters like Papias (referenced by Barnes) read this as a literal earthly reign, while others, such as Augustine, allegorized the millennium as the present church age. Lange observes that the judgments in Revelation become progressively shorter, and this millennium vision is the most condensed, suggesting the focus is on the secure status of the participants rather than the mechanics of the reign. This diversity continues across Christian traditions, but all affirm the central hope: Christ’s victory is final and His people share in it.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Revelation 20:6. The reading is consistent across major manuscripts.
Reception History
In the early church, some fathers like Papias (mentioned by Barnes) and Justin Martyr expected a literal thousand-year reign of Christ on earth, a view known as chiliasm. Others, following Origen and later Augustine, interpreted the millennium symbolically as the present church age. This allegorical reading dominated through the Middle Ages and the Reformation. Since the 19th century, premillennialism has regained prominence, especially in evangelical circles, often connecting the first resurrection with the future resurrection of believers at Christ’s return. The beatitude has been sung in hymns of hope and quoted in funeral liturgies as a promise of final security.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- Blessed and Holy, The participants are declared “blessed” (makarios) and “holy” (hagios). The Cambridge Bible calls this “indefeasibly consecrated to God.” Their holiness flows from their relation to God, not from their own merit.
- No Power of the Second Death, The word exousia means authority or jurisdiction. The second death, final condemnation, has no claim over them. This is absolute security.
- Priests Who Reign, They serve as priests, offering worship to God and Christ, and they reign with Christ for a thousand years. Priesthood and royalty merge.
Five-Point Outline
- Beatitude pronounced over the participants
- The nature of the first resurrection (spiritual or literal)
- The second death: its authority broken
- Priesthood: service and worship of God and Christ
- Reigning with Christ: a share in His victory
Illustration Hooks
- Courtroom scene: A defendant receives a verdict of “not guilty” and is told no court can ever try that case again. The second death has no jurisdiction over the participant.
- Priestly service: A church member who feels ordinary or unnoticed discovers that in Christ they have a royal priestly calling, their prayers and service matter eternally.
- Security in suffering: A martyr’s family receives word that their loved one now reigns with Christ, a comfort that death has lost its sting.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- What is the first resurrection, and am I part of it right now?
- Does this verse guarantee that I will escape judgment after death?
- What does it mean to be a priest and also to reign? Is that for now or only later?
Leading a Discussion
This beatitude sits within John’s visions of judgment and hope. The promise of the first resurrection offers assurance to those who belong to Christ, no matter how severe their trials. The group is invited to explore what this means for their faith and how it shapes their daily life.
Discussion Questions
- Read Revelation 20:4-6. What do you notice about the people described as sharing in the first resurrection?
- Why do you think John calls them both “blessed” and “holy”? What do those words mean in this context?
- What is the “second death,” and why does it have no power over these participants? (See also Revelation 20:14).
- How does the promise that participants “will be priests of God and of Christ” connect with Old Testament passages like Isaiah 61:6 or New Testament passages like 1 Peter 2:5?
- The verse says they “will reign with him a thousand years.” In what ways might believers reign with Christ even now?
- How would this promise have encouraged Christians facing persecution in John’s day? How does it encourage you today?
- Some Christians believe the first resurrection is a literal bodily event; others see it as a spiritual reality (new birth or life after death). How does your tradition understand it, and why does it matter for daily hope?
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)
| Isaiah 4:3 | It will happen that he who is left in Zion and he who remains in Jerusalem shall be called holy, even everyone who is written among the living in Jerusalem, |
| Isaiah 61:6 | But you will be called Yahweh’s priests. Men will call you the servants of our God. You will eat the wealth of the nations. You will boast in their glory. |
| Daniel 12:12 | Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred thirty-five days. |
| Luke 14:15 | When one of those who sat at the table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is he who will feast in God’s Kingdom!” |
| Romans 8:17 | and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him. |
| Romans 12:1 | Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. |
| II Timothy 2:12 | If we endure, we will also reign with him. If we deny him, he also will deny us. |
| I Peter 2:5 | You also as living stones are built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. |
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
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke stresses that blessedness belongs to those who are holy, not just happy, and who suffer for Jesus. He draws on Jewish rabbinical sources to show that "second death" means eternal punishment and that the righteous are under no authority of that death.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes sees this verse as a direct encouragement for believers facing persecution. He emphasizes that the blessedness belongs only to those with a settled character of holiness, and he stresses that this resurrection guarantees complete and eternal freedom from every form of death.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible points to the phrase "of God and of Christ
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill identifies participants in the first resurrection as those already blessed with justifying righteousness and regenerating grace. When raised, they are perfectly blessed and holy, immune to the second death. They serve as priests of God and Christ and reign with him the full thousand years.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB sees two distinct priestly groups in the millennium: the transfigured Church ruling from heaven and a restored Israel serving as priest-kings on earth over the converted nations. Israel's earthly priesthood and kingship fulfill the ceremonial and civil law from within, while the heavenly Church exercises a spiritual reign of love and blessing.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange distinguishes the elect of the first resurrection, who are forever secure from the second death, from the brute heathen nations of Gog and Magog. These savage peoples from the remote Orient, hardened against the heavenly order, mount a final irrational assault on the holy city driven by Satan's convulsive rebellion.
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.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent observes that the phrase "hath part" is distinctive to John's writings when it refers to a person, not a thing. He also ties the mention of the second death back to its earlier appearance in the same book.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley argues that calling believers priests of God and of Christ places Christ on equal footing with the Father, proving He is God. He further notes that these priests reign with Christ for a thousand years.