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Word Studies

thronos (G2362) -- Throne

Original: θρόνος Transliteration: thrónos Definition: From θράω thráō (to sit); a stately seat ("throne"); by implication, power or authority Part of Speech: Masculine noun Occurrences: 61 in NT

Translations

Translation Count Percentage
throne 47 77.0%
thrones 4 6.6%
seats 3 4.9%
seat 3 4.9%
the throne 2 3.3%
a throne 1 1.6%

Key Verses in Revelation

The word thronos occurs more frequently in Revelation than in any other NT book -- at least 40 of the 61 NT occurrences. Key distribution: - Rev 4-5 (throne room vision): 4:2,3,4(2x),5(2x),6(3x),9,10(2x); 5:1,6,7,11,13 -- approximately 18 occurrences - Rev 7 (great multitude): 7:9,10,11(2x),15(2x),17 -- 7 occurrences - Rev 20:4 -- "I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them" (saints' judgment thrones) - Rev 20:11 -- "I saw a great white throne" (θρόνον μέγαν λευκὸν) - Rev 22:3 -- "the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it"

Daniel 7 Connection

Dan 7:9 Aramaic כָרְסָוָן (karsavan, "thrones," plural) parallels Rev 20:4 (thrones for saints) and Rev 20:11 (the great white throne). The Ancient of Days' throne is "like the fiery flame" (Dan 7:9); the great white throne is "white" (leukos, Rev 20:11). Both are judgment thrones where books are opened.


thanatos (G2288) -- Death

Original: θάνατος Transliteration: thánatos Definition: Death (literally or figuratively) Part of Speech: Masculine noun Occurrences: 119 total (97 in Strong's translation DB)

Translations

Translation Count Percentage
death 55 56.7%
of death 26 26.8%
the death 5 5.2%
to death 3 3.1%
deadly 2 2.1%
Other forms 6 6.2%

All Revelation Occurrences (19 times)

Verse Context
Rev 1:18 "have the keys of hell and of death"
Rev 2:10 "be thou faithful unto death" (first death)
Rev 2:11 "shall not be hurt of the second death"
Rev 2:23 "I will kill her children with death"
Rev 6:8 "his name that sat on him was Death" (personified)
Rev 6:8 "to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death"
Rev 9:6 "shall seek death, and shall not find it" (2x)
Rev 12:11 "loved not their lives unto the death"
Rev 13:3 "as it were wounded to death"
Rev 13:12 "whose deadly [death] wound was healed"
Rev 18:8 "her plagues come in one day, death"
Rev 20:6 "the second death hath no power"
Rev 20:13 "death and hell delivered up the dead" (personified)
Rev 20:14 "death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death" (2x -- personified + identifier)
Rev 21:4 "there shall be no more death"
Rev 21:8 "which is the second death"

"Second Death" Formula

All four "second death" occurrences use the construction θάνατος + δεύτερος: - Rev 2:11: τοῦ θανάτου τοῦ δευτέρου (genitive -- "of/from the second death") - Rev 20:6: ὁ δεύτερος θάνατος (nominative -- "the second death has no power") - Rev 20:14: ὁ θάνατος ὁ δεύτερος (nominative -- "This is the second death") - Rev 21:8: ὁ θάνατος ὁ δεύτερος (nominative -- "which is the second death")

The text's own vocabulary for the lake of fire is DEATH (thanatos), not TORMENT (basanizo). The torment formula (Rev 20:10) applies to the devil/beast/false prophet (non-human/symbolic entities).


limne (G3041) -- Lake

Original: λίμνη Transliteration: límnē Definition: Probably from limen (shore); a pond (large or small) Part of Speech: Feminine noun Occurrences: 10 in NT

Translations

Translation Count Percentage
lake 10 100%

All Occurrences

Verse Context
Luke 5:1 "standing by the lake of Gennesaret" (literal)
Luke 5:2 "two ships standing by the lake" (literal)
Luke 8:22 "Let us go over unto the other side of the lake" (literal)
Luke 8:23 "there came down a storm of wind on the lake" (literal)
Luke 8:33 "ran violently down a steep place into the lake" (literal)
Rev 19:20 "cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone"
Rev 20:10 "cast into the lake of fire and brimstone"
Rev 20:14 "death and hell were cast into the lake of fire"
Rev 20:15 "was cast into the lake of fire"
Rev 21:8 "their part in the lake which burneth with fire"

Distribution Significance

  • 5 occurrences in Luke (literal lake/Sea of Galilee)
  • 5 occurrences in Revelation (lake of fire)
  • "Lake of fire" (limne tou puros) is unique to Revelation -- no OT, no Gospels, no Epistles
  • The concept is John's distinctive apocalyptic image

biblos (G976) / biblion (G975) -- Book

Original: βίβλος / βιβλίον Transliteration: bíblos / biblíon

G976 biblos -- "Book" (papyrus inner bark, hence scroll/codex)

  • Occurrences: 13
  • Key uses: Matt 1:1 (book of genealogy); Phil 4:3 (book of life); Rev 3:5 (book of life); Rev 20:15 (book of life)

G975 biblion -- "Book/Scroll" (diminutive of biblos)

  • Occurrences: 32
  • Key uses: Rev 13:8 (book of life); Rev 17:8 (book of life); Rev 20:12 (books opened; book of life); Rev 21:27 (Lamb's book of life)

Two Categories of Books in Rev 20:12

The verse distinguishes: 1. βιβλία (biblia, G975 plural) -- "books were opened" -- the judicial RECORDS of deeds 2. ἄλλο βιβλίον (allo biblion, G975 singular) -- "another book was opened, which is [the book] of life" -- the BOOK OF LIFE

In Rev 20:15, the "book of life" switches to βίβλῳ (biblo, G976) -- "if anyone was not found written in the BOOK of life." This may reflect the distinction between the record-scrolls (biblia) and the enrollment register (biblos).

The "Blotting Out" Motif

  • Exo 32:33: "Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book"
  • Psa 69:28: "Let them be blotted out of the book of the living"
  • Rev 3:5: "I will NOT blot out his name out of the book of life" (overcomer promise)
  • This implies names CAN be blotted out -- the book of life is the DOA determination of whose sins are covered

adikeo (G91) -- To Wrong/Harm/Hurt

Original: ἀδικέω Transliteration: adikéō Definition: From adikos; to be unjust; actively, do wrong (morally, socially, or physically) Part of Speech: Verb Occurrences: 28 in NT

Translations

Translation Count Percentage
hurt 4 11.4%
wrong 3 8.6%
to hurt 2 5.7%
Other forms 26 74.3%

Key Usage in Revelation

  • Rev 2:11 -- Ὁ νικῶν οὐ μὴ ἀδικηθῇ ἐκ τοῦ θανάτου τοῦ δευτέρου -- "He that overcometh shall absolutely not be harmed by the second death"
  • Rev 6:6 -- "Hurt not the oil and the wine"
  • Rev 7:2 -- "Hurt not the earth"
  • Rev 9:4 -- "should not hurt the grass"
  • Rev 9:10,19 -- "their power was to hurt men"
  • Rev 11:5 -- "if any man will hurt them"
  • Rev 22:11 -- "He that is unjust [adikeo], let him be unjust still"

Significance for Rev 2:11

The double negative οὐ μὴ with the aorist passive subjunctive (ἀδικηθῇ) is the strongest possible negation in Greek -- "will absolutely/certainly not be harmed." The verb adikeo means "to harm/injure/wrong" -- it is NOT a death verb. The second death CAN harm (adikeo), but overcomers receive absolute protection from it.


exousia (G1849) -- Authority/Power

Original: ἐξουσία Transliteration: exousía Definition: Privilege; subjectively force, capacity, competency, freedom; objectively mastery, authority Part of Speech: Feminine noun Occurrences: 103 in NT

Key Usage

  • Rev 20:6 -- "on such the second death hath no power [exousia]"
  • Rev 6:8 -- Death and Hell given "power [exousia] over the fourth part of the earth"
  • Rev 13:2 -- the dragon gave the beast "his power [exousia]"
  • 1 Cor 15:24 -- "when he shall have put down all rule and all authority [exousia] and power"

Significance for Rev 20:6

Exousia is AUTHORITY/JURISDICTION language, not mere "power" in the sense of ability. The second death has no JURISDICTION over first resurrection participants. This is legal language -- the second death's authority does not extend to those in the book of life.


katargeo (G2673) -- To Abolish/Destroy/Render Idle

Original: καταργέω Transliteration: katargéō Definition: From kata + argeo; to render entirely idle/useless; to abolish, destroy Part of Speech: Verb Occurrences: 27 in NT

Translations

Translation Count Notable
shall destroy 2 including 1 Cor 15:24
shall be destroyed 1 1 Cor 15:26
hath abolished 1 2 Tim 1:10
he might destroy 1 Heb 2:14
Other 22 done away, loosed, put down, etc.

Key Verses

  • 1 Cor 15:24 -- "when he shall have put down [katargeo] all rule and all authority and power"
  • 1 Cor 15:26 -- "The last enemy [that] shall be destroyed [katargeo] is death"
  • 2 Tim 1:10 -- "who hath abolished [katargeo] death"
  • Heb 2:14 -- "that through death he might destroy [katargeo] him that had the power of death, that is, the devil"

Significance

The same word (katargeo) is used for: 1. The destruction of DEATH (1 Cor 15:26) -- fulfilled in Rev 20:14 (death cast into lake) 2. The abolition of DEATH by Christ (2 Tim 1:10) -- the process completed in Rev 21:4 3. The destruction of the DEVIL (Heb 2:14) -- fulfilled in Rev 20:10 (devil cast into lake) Both death and the devil are subjected to katargeo, and both are cast into the lake of fire in Rev 20.


krisis (G2920) -- Judgment/Decision

Original: κρίσις Transliteration: krísis Definition: Decision (subjectively or objectively, for or against); by extension, a tribunal; by implication, justice Part of Speech: Feminine noun Occurrences: 48 in NT

Translations

Translation Count Percentage
judgment 18 52.9%
of judgment 8 23.5%
damnation 2 5.9%
the judgment 2 5.9%
accusation 2 5.9%
judgments 2 5.9%

LXX Connection to Dan 7:10

G2920 krisis is the LXX translation of Aramaic דִּין (diyn, H1780) in Daniel 7:10,26. - Dan 7:10: דִּינָא יְתִב "the judgment/court took its seat" -> LXX: κρίσις -> Rev 14:7: ἡ ὥρα τῆς κρίσεως αὐτοῦ "the hour of his judgment has come" - This linguistic chain (Aramaic diyn -> LXX krisis -> NT krisis) demonstrates that Revelation consciously connects its judgment vocabulary to Daniel 7.

Revelation Occurrences

  • Rev 14:7 -- "the hour of his judgment [krisis] is come" (the judgment announcement)
  • Rev 16:7 -- "true and righteous are thy judgments [krisis]"
  • Rev 18:10 -- "in one hour is thy judgment [krisis] come"
  • Rev 19:2 -- "true and righteous are his judgments [krisis]"

krima (G2917) -- Verdict/Judgment

Original: κρίμα Transliteration: kríma Definition: A decision; the function or the effect, for or against Part of Speech: Neuter noun Occurrences: 28 in NT

Key Usage

  • Rev 20:4 -- "judgment [krima] was given [edothe] unto them" -- the saints receive the VERDICT/JUDGMENT function during the millennium (Phase B review)
  • Rev 17:1 -- "the judgment of the great whore"
  • Rev 18:20 -- "God hath avenged you; your judgment [krima] upon her" (lit. "your verdict against her")

hades (G86) -- Hades/Grave/Unseen World

Original: ᾅδης Transliteration: háidēs Definition: From a (negative) + eido; properly, unseen; "Hades" -- the place/state of departed souls Part of Speech: Proper locative noun Occurrences: 11 in NT

Translations

Translation Count Percentage
hell 7 63.6%
of hell 2 18.2%
O grave 1 9.1%
Hell 1 9.1%

Key Occurrences

  • Rev 1:18 -- "have the keys of hell [hades] and of death [thanatos]"
  • Rev 6:8 -- "Death, and Hell [hades] followed with him"
  • Rev 20:13 -- "death [thanatos] and hell [hades] delivered up the dead"
  • Rev 20:14 -- "death [thanatos] and hell [hades] were cast into the lake of fire"
  • 1 Cor 15:55 -- "O grave [hades], where is thy victory?"

Significance: Death-Hades Pair

In Revelation, thanatos and hades always appear TOGETHER as a pair (Rev 1:18; 6:8; 20:13; 20:14). They represent the CONDITION (death) and the REALM (hades/grave) that hold the dead. When both are cast into the lake of fire (Rev 20:14), the condition-and-realm of death is itself destroyed -- fulfilled in Rev 21:4 ("no more death") and anticipated in 1 Cor 15:26 ("the last enemy destroyed is death").


pur (G4442) -- Fire

Original: πῦρ Transliteration: pŷr Definition: A primary word; "fire" (literally or figuratively) Part of Speech: Neuter noun Occurrences: 74 in NT

Revelation Occurrences (25 times)

Fire appears extensively throughout Revelation: Rev 1:14; 2:18; 3:18; 4:5; 8:5,7,8; 9:17,18; 10:1; 11:5; 13:13; 14:10,18; 15:2; 16:8; 17:16; 18:8; 19:12,20; 20:9,10,14,15; 21:8

Key fire-judgment connections: - Rev 20:9 -- "fire came down from God out of heaven" (katebe pur ek tou ouranou) -- echoes Eze 38:22; 39:6; Gen 19:24 - Rev 20:10,14,15; 21:8 -- "lake of fire" (limne tou puros) -- the final destiny

Dan 7:9-10 Connection

Dan 7:9: "his throne was like the fiery flame" (shbibin di-nur, "flames of fire"); "his wheels as burning fire" (nur daliq) Dan 7:10: "a fiery stream" (nehar di-nur, "river of fire") issued from before him The fire motif in Daniel 7 (theophanic fire of judgment) is distributed through Revelation: Rev 4:5 (fire before the throne), Rev 14:10 (fire of judgment), Rev 20:9 (fire from heaven), Rev 20:14 (lake of fire).


Gog (G1136) and Magog (G3098)

Original: Γώγ / Μαγώγ Transliteration: Gṓg / Magṓg Definition: Gog -- of Hebrew origin; a symbolic name. Magog -- of Hebrew origin; a foreign nation (figuratively). Occurrences: 1 each in NT (Rev 20:8)

OT Background

  • Gen 10:2 -- Magog = son of Japheth, grandson of Noah (alongside Gomer, Tubal, Meshech)
  • Ezekiel 38-39 -- Gog = ruler "of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal"; leads coalition against restored Israel; destroyed by fire and brimstone from heaven (Eze 38:22; 39:6)
  • 1 Chr 5:4 -- an unrelated "Gog" in a Reubenite genealogy

NT Usage (Rev 20:8)

"Gog AND Magog" is a PAIRED NAME in apposition to "the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth." John transforms Ezekiel's ruler-and-territory ("Gog, THE LAND OF Magog") into a collective designation for the final global rebellion.


diyn (H1780) -- Judgment (Aramaic)

Original: דִּין Transliteration: dîyn Definition: (Aramaic) corresponding to Hebrew din -- judgment Part of Speech: Masculine noun Occurrences: 5 in OT (all Aramaic sections)

All Occurrences

Verse Form Context
Dan 4:34 דִּין (absolute) justice (of God's ways)
Ezra 7:26 דִּינָה (emphatic + prep) "judgment be executed upon him"
Dan 7:10 דִּינָא (emphatic) "the court/judgment took its seat"
Dan 7:22 דִּין (absolute, text disputed) "judgment was given to the saints"
Dan 7:26 דִּינָא (emphatic) "the judgment shall sit"

Significance

The emphatic form דִּינָא (dina) in Dan 7:10 means "THE court/judgment." The phrase דִּינָא יְתִב (dina yetib) = "the court took its seat" -- a formal judicial proceeding. This is the Aramaic source that the LXX translates with krisis (G2920), which Revelation uses in Rev 14:7 for "the hour of his judgment is come." The books opened in Dan 7:10 (סִפְרִין פְּתִיחוּ, siphrin pethichu) directly parallel Rev 20:12 (βιβλία ἠνοίχθησαν, biblia enoichthesan).