Revelation 20:14

Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — John records a vision of the final judgment scene immediately after the dead are judged from the books. The narrative moves from the individual assessment of souls to the definitive disposal of Death and Hades.

The words — ἐβλήθησαν (eblēthēsan) literally means "were cast," denoting the forced removal of Death and Hades into the lake of fire. θάνατος (thanatos) is treated as a personified entity rather than an abstract concept.

The thread — This event fulfills the pattern in 1 Corinthians 15:26, where death is named the last enemy to be destroyed. It directly parallels Revelation 20:6, which declares the second death powerless over the resurrected, and Revelation 21:8, which equates the lake of fire with the second death for the unfaithful.

Why it lands — The text explicitly defines the lake of fire as the second death, marking it as the permanent end for all who are not found in the Book of Life. It requires a reader to verify their standing before this final, irreversible judgment.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

Cross-references

1 Corinthians 15:26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
Revelation 20:6 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.
Revelation 21:8 But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.”
Revelation 1:18 the Living One. I was dead, and behold, now I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of Death and of Hades.
Revelation 19:20 But the beast was captured along with the false prophet, who on its behalf had performed signs deceiving those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. Both the beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.
Hosea 13:14 I will ransom them from the power of Sheol; I will redeem them from Death. Where, O Death, are your plagues? Where, O Sheol, is your sting? Compassion is hidden from My eyes.
Revelation 20:10 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.
Revelation 20:13 The sea gave up its dead, and Death and Hades gave up their dead, and each one was judged according to his deeds.
Revelation 21:4 ‘He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,’ and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.”
1 Corinthians 15:53 For the perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.