Revelation20:13

Translation

The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and

death

and hades

gave up the dead who were in them, and each of them

were judged according to their works.

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Paraphrase

That which causes death gave up those it had claimed, and death itself gave up those it had taken, and the place where the souls of the unrighteous go after death gave up the dead it had received,

and they were all judged

according to their deeds.

Footnotes

1: “According to their works”

There is a simple point being made here, and there is a deeper layer of meaning as well. The primary point is that no one who has lived and died will escape being judged by God for his actions. Absolutely all will be judged. The hints of symbolism in this passage also teach us that only God has the power over life and death. The things which cause death (persecution and martyrdom, represented by the sea), as well as death itself, and even the place to which the dead go after death, are all under God’s ultimate control. These were encouraging words for people facing death on a daily basis because of their faithfulness to Jesus.