Revelation 20:2-3
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The text piles on descriptors for this enemy—dragon, ancient serpent, devil, Satan—not just to identify him, but to emphasize that all his varied forms of opposition and deception are being definitively brought under control by a superior power. It highlights that the one behind all the chaos is being personally seized and restrained.
And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.
English Standard Version (ESV)
An angel descends from heaven, holding a key to the abyss and a great chain, ready to subdue the ultimate enemy. This powerful, ancient being, identified by multiple names – the dragon, the old serpent, the devil, and Satan – is seized and bound for a thousand years, preventing him from deceiving the nations during this extended period of peace. This binding signifies a significant victory for God and a period of rest for His people, occurring after the destruction of the beast and false prophet.
Why does Revelation give Satan so many titles in this single verse? It's more than just a name change – it reveals the multifaceted nature of our adversary.
Revelation 20:2 calls Satan "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan." This isn't just a list of aliases; it's a theological description of his character and role:
By using all these names, John emphasizes that the being bound is the ultimate source of all these evils – the cosmic enemy in his fullest scope.
Who is doing the binding? It's not just any angel, and it's not a weak force. This act reveals the ultimate authority and power at play.
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The verse states, 'And he seized the dragon... and bound him.' The 'he' here refers to the mighty angel coming down from heaven mentioned in Revelation 20:1, who has the 'key of the bottomless pit' and a 'great chain.'
This isn't a battle of equals. The power to seize and bind such a formidable enemy comes from God Himself. As commentators note, the Greek word for 'seized' (ekratēsen) implies strength and force, indicating a superior power at work.
This act assures us that:
When we hear 'a thousand years,' our minds often jump to a literal calendar. But in Revelation, numbers often carry deeper meaning.
While Revelation 20:2 mentions Satan being bound 'for a thousand years,' the meaning of this number is debated. However, a strong case can be made that 'a thousand' here signifies completeness and perfection, rather than a strict, literal duration.
Think about it:
This highlights that God's victory over Satan is thorough and complete, even if the final consummation takes time.
Understand the original words
drakōn · Greek Noun
A term used to describe the adversary of God and humanity, acting as the primary tempter, accuser, and source of evil in the world, whose final defeat is assured.
diabolos · Greek Noun
The primary personal enemy of God and humanity, the adversary who leads the rebellion against God’s kingdom and seeks to deceive the world.
Satanas · Hebrew/Greek Noun
A title meaning 'adversary' or 'accuser,' designating the chief supernatural opponent of God, who actively works to oppose God's people and sovereignty.
planaō · Greek Verb
The act of leading people into error, specifically regarding spiritual truth, often involving trickery or false appearances to turn people away from the Gospel.
This is the first prophecy of Christ's victory over the serpent (Satan), directly linking to the description of Satan as the 'ancient serpent' being seized and bound.
Isaiah 14:12-15This passage describes the fall of Satan (the 'morning star') from heaven, paralleling the idea of him being overthrown and bound, though from an Old Testament prophetic perspective.
Luke 10:18Jesus himself declares that he saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven, a powerful statement that prefigures the ultimate binding and defeat described in Revelation.
John 12:31-32Jesus speaks of the prince of this world being cast out and drawing all people to himself through his crucifixion, which is understood as the act that initiated Satan's binding.
Colossians 2:15This verse speaks of Christ disarming the powers and authorities and triumphing over them, which is directly related to the 'binding' of Satan mentioned in Revelation 20:2.
barnesRevelation 20:2: "And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,"
And he laid hold on - Seized him by violence - ἐκράτησεν ekratēsen. The word denotes "the employment of strength" or "force"; and it implies that he had power superior to that of the dragon. Compare Matthew 14:3 ; Matthew 18:28 ; Matthew 21:46 ; Matthew 22:6 ; Matthew 26:4 . We can at once see the propriety of the use of this word in this connection. The great…
pulpitRevelation 20:2: "And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,"
Verses 2, 3. - And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan. These titles are an exact repetition of Revelation 12:9 (which see). And bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit. The abyss, as we have seen (on ver. 1), is the present abode of Satan; the act of binding, therefore, is now over. This fact opposes…
The text piles on descriptors for this enemy—dragon, ancient serpent, devil, Satan—not just to identify him, but to emphasize that all his varied forms of opposition and deception are being definitively brought under control by a superior power. It highlights that the one behind all the chaos is being personally seized and restrained.
An angel descends from heaven, holding a key to the abyss and a great chain, ready to subdue the ultimate enemy. This powerful, ancient being, identified by multiple names – the dragon, the old serpent, the devil, and Satan – is seized and bound for a thousand years, preventing him from deceiving the nations during this extended period of peace. This binding signifies a significant victory for God and a period of rest for His people, occurring after the destruction of the beast and false prophet.
An angel descends from heaven, holding a key to the abyss and a great chain, ready to subdue the ultimate enemy. This powerful, ancient being, identified by multiple names – the dragon, the old serpent, the devil, and Satan – is seized and bound for a thousand years, preventing him from deceiving the nations during this extended period of peace. This binding signifies a significant victory for God and a period of rest for His people, occurring after the destruction of the beast and false prophet.
"And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the…" — The text piles on descriptors for this enemy—dragon, ancient serpent, devil, Satan—not just to identify him, but to emphasize that all his varied forms of opposition and deception are being definit…
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Last reviewed October 2026
