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.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The speaker is the one who just declared "I will be his God" (v. 7), addressing the reader at the moment of final judgment. This verse is the negative counterpart to the inheritance promise, bracketed between the overcomer's reward and the vision of the bride.

The words — δειλοῖς (deilois) literally means "wretched, pitiful" rather than specifically "cowardly," and ἁμαρτωλοῖς (hamartōlois) is the plain Greek word for "sinners," rendered "abominable" in the BSB. Both show a translation layer that broadens the category beyond what the Greek states.

The thread — The same exclusion list appears in 1 Corinthians 6:9 and Ephesians 5:5, where the consequence is "no inheritance in the kingdom of God." Revelation 2:11 uses the identical overcomer language, framing this as the fate of those who do not overcome.

Why it lands — The verse states a final placement ("their place will be") rather than describing a process, and it asks the reader to check themselves against the list without assuming the categories apply only to others.

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

τοῖςtois<the>δὲdeBut δειλοῖςdeiloisto [the] cowardly καὶkaiand ἀπίστοιςapistoisto [the] unbelieving καὶkaiand ἁμαρτωλοῖςhamartōloisto sinners καὶkaiand ἐβδελυγμένοιςebdelugmenoishaving made themselves abominable καὶkaiand φονεῦσινphoneusinto murderers καὶkaiand πόρνοιςpornoisto the sexually immoral καὶkaiand φαρμάκοιςpharmakoisto sorcerers καὶkaiand εἰδωλολάτραιςeidōlolatraisto idolaters καὶkaiand πᾶσινpasinto all τοῖςtois<the>ψευδέσιν,pseudesinliars,τὸtothe μέροςmerosportion αὐτῶνautōnof them ἐνen[is] in τῇtēathe λίμνῃlimnēlake τῇtēawhich καιομένῃkaiomenēis burning πυρὶpuriwith fire καὶkaiand θείῳ,theiōwith brimstone,ὅhowhich ἐστινestinis ὁhothe θάνατοςthanatosdeath ὁho<the>δεύτερος.¶deuterossecond.

King James Version

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Cross-references

1 Corinthians 6:9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts,
Revelation 2:11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who overcomes will not be harmed by the second death.
Ephesians 5:5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure, or greedy person (that is, an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Revelation 22:15 But outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
Revelation 20:14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire.
Galatians 5:19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery;
John 12:42 Nevertheless, many of the leaders believed in Him. But because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue.
1 John 3:15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that eternal life does not reside in a murderer.
Proverbs 19:9 A false witness will not go unpunished, and one who pours out lies will perish.
1 Corinthians 10:20 No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be participants with demons.