Translation
The great DRAGON,
that ANCIENT SERPENT,
Go to footnote numberwho is called
THE DEVIL
and SATAN, the one who is continually deceiving all the inhabitants of the earth, was thrown to the earth and the angels were also thrown out with him.
Paraphrase
The GREAT DECEIVER,
that CRAFTY TEMPTER FROM THE GARDEN,
who is called
the FALSE ACCUSER, and is ALWAYS OPPOSING GOD, the one who is continually deceiving all the
inhabitants of the earth, was thrown out; he was thrown down to the earth and the angels were also thrown out with him.
Footnotes
1
“Dragon” and “serpent,” mean basically the same thing. They both point to a crafty, deceitful nature. Above I have distinguished them a little bit so it will not sound odd, and because they have different adjectives describing them, but know that they mean the same thing. Deceit is the primary characteristic of the enemy of our souls.