What Does Revelation 20:6 Mean?
Flourishing and set apart is the one who has a share in the first standing up. The second death has no hold on them, for they are priests of God and of the Anointed One, and they reign with him for a thousand years.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.THE KEY
The first resurrection makes its participants more than survivors: the second death loses authority over them, and they share the Anointed One’s reign.
THE MEANING
You are flourishing and set apart as one who shares in the first resurrection. The second death has no authority over you, and you will be a priest of God and the Anointed One, reigning with him through the thousand years.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The lie that death has final authority over every life is undone: the second death has no claim over the person who shares the first resurrection.
THE ROOT
μέρος
meros
GROWS FROM
μερ-
mer-
A part, portion, or share.
“has a share in” in this verse is meros. The phrase points to a share in the resurrection, not a distant spectacle someone merely watches. English “part” can sound small, but the word marks participation in the resurrection and all that follows.
ALSO GROWS
merizō: Divide, distribute, or apportion.
μερίζω
It carries the sense of something being divided into shares, illuminating the participation named in “hath part.”
meris: A share or portion.
μερίς
This related form makes clear that the participant has a place within what the first resurrection brings.
ἐξουσίαν
exousian
GROWS FROM
ἐξουσί-
exousi-
Authority, right, or jurisdiction to act.
“no hold” in this verse is exousian. English “power” can suggest force, while ἐξουσία names authority or jurisdiction. The second death is barred from governing those who share the first resurrection.
ALSO GROWS
exousiazō: Exercise authority or control.
ἐξουσιάζω
The related verb shows the kind of rule the second death cannot exercise over them.
exousiastēs: One who holds authority; a ruler.
ἐξουσιαστής
This form links ἐξουσία with the right to govern, sharpening the force of “hath no power.”
βασιλεύσουσιν
basileusousin
GROWS FROM
βασιλευ-
basileu-
To act as king or rule.
The future verb gives the resurrection’s participants an active place: they reign with him. In this word family, kingship and kingdom are the language of rule they share.
ALSO GROWS
basileus: King.
βασιλεύς
The shared word family ties their reigning to kingship.
basileia: Kingdom or reign.
βασιλεία
This branch names the realm or rule in which their participation takes shape.
THE PATTERN
Resurrection moves those who share God’s life from death’s claim into life, service, and rule with him.
And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground shall awake, some to the life of the ages, and some to exposure and contempt for the ages.Truly, truly, I say to you, Whoever hears and responds to my word, and leans his full weight on him who sent me, has the life of the ages, and does not come under the judgment, but has crossed over from death into life.If we remain under it, we will also reign together with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us.THE THREAD
Knowing that the Anointed One, having been raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer masters him.Both verses use θάνατος (thanatos, death), and Romans says death no longer has dominion over the one raised. Revelation extends that loss of rule to everyone who shares the first resurrection: the second death has no authority over them.
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