But the fearful, and unbelieving, and 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.
8. But the fearful ] The cowards would express the sense more accurately, at least in modern English. Those condemned are those who are afraid to do their duty, not those who do it, though timidly and in spite of the fears of nature: still less those who do it “with fear and trembling” in St Paul’s sense.
unbelieving ] It is, as usual, questionable whether this word or “unfaithful” expresses the sense most accurately. He who believes God’s Word is “faithful” to God: the character here condemned is the exact opposite.
abominable ] Lit. abominated; probably alluding to crimes yet fouler than those named.
sorcerers ] Not the same word as that applied to Simon and Bar-jesus in the Acts, but cognate with that used above, Rev 9:21, and rendered “witchcrafts” in Gal 5:20. The natural meaning of the word would rather be “poisoners;” and in fact in St John’s days the two generally went together, and no line could be drawn between them. It is therefore no wonder that both the Apostles speak of it as a real crime connected with murder and other “works of the flesh,” as well as with idolatry. For of course professed sorcery involved devil-worship, the basest idolatry of all, even if the devil had no more direct communication with the sorcerers than he has with all liars and impostors.
liars ] The word is a little more general, all the false.
shall have ] Lit. But to the fearful, &c. their portion [ shall be ] in the lake &c.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
But the fearful – Having stated, in general terms, who they were who would be admitted into that blessed world, he now states explicitly who would not. The fearful denote those who had not firmness boldly to maintain their professed principles, or who were afraid to avow themselves as the friends of God in a wicked world. They stand in contrast with those who overcome, Rev 21:7.
And unbelieving – Those who have not true faith; avowed infidels; infidels at heart; and all who have not the sincere faith of the gospel. See the notes on Mar 16:16.
And the abominable – The verb from which this word is derived means to excite disgust; to feel disgust at; to abominate or abhor; and hence the participle – the abominable – refers to all who are detestable, to wit, on account of their sins; all whose conduct is offensive to God. Thus it would include those who live in open sin; who practice detestable vices; whose conduct is suited to excite disgust and abhorrence. These must all, of course, be excluded from a pure and holy world; and this description, alas! would embrace a lamentably large portion of the world as it has hitherto been. See the notes on Rom 1:26 ff.
And murderers – See the Rom 1:29 note; Gal 5:21 note.
And whoremongers – See the notes on Gal 5:19.
And sorcerers – See the word used here – pharmakeusi – explained in the notes on Gal 5:19, under the word witchcraft.
And idolaters – 1Co 6:9; Gal 5:19.
And all liars – All who are false in their statements, their promises, their contracts. The word would embrace all who are false toward God Act 5:1-3, and false toward human beings. See Rom 1:31.
Shall have their part in the lake which burneth, … – notes on Rev 20:14. That is, they will be excluded from heaven, and punished for ever. See the 1Co 6:9-10 notes; Gal 5:19-21 notes.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 8. But the fearful] Those who, for fear of losing life or their property, either refused to receive the Christian religion, though convinced of its truth and importance; or, having received it, in times of persecution fell away, not being willing to risk their lives.
And unbelieving] Those who resist against full evidence. And sinners, , is added here by about thirty excellent MSS., and is found in the Syrian, Arabic, some of the Slavonic, and in Andreas and Arethas. On this evidence Griesbach has admitted it into the text.
The abominable] Those who are polluted with unnatural lust.
And murderers] Those who take away the life of man for any cause but the murder of another, and those who hate a brother in their heart.
And whoremongers] Adulterers, fornicators, whores, prostitutes, and rakes of every description.
Sorcerers] Persons who, by drugs, philtres, fumigations, c., pretend to produce supernatural effects, chiefly by spiritual agency.
Idolaters] Those who offer any kind of worship or religious reverence to any thing but God. All image worshippers are idolaters in every sense of the word.
And all liars] Every one who speaks contrary to the truth when he knows the truth, and even he who speaks the truth with the intention to deceive i.e., to persuade a person that a thing is different from what it really is, by telling only a part of the truth, or suppressing some circumstance which would have led the hearer to a different end to the true conclusion. All these shall have their portion, , their share, what belongs to them, their right, in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone. This is the second death, from which there is no recovery.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
All those who are without the church invisible, whether protime persons, (such are murderers, whoremongers, sorcerers, liars), or idolaters, or unbelievers and hypocrites, shall all be cast to hell.
The fearful, who, through fear of losing their reputation, estates, honours, or lives, deny me, or shall not dare to own me.
And unbelieving; such as will not agree to the proposition of my gospel; or will not come to me that they might have life.
The abominable; sodomites, and such as live in beastly lusts.
Murderers; such as, without any warrant from God, take away mens lives wilfully,
Whoremongers; such as defile their neighbours wives.
Sorcerers; such as exercise witchcraft, consult the devil, and trade with familiar spirits.
Idolaters; whether they commit the idolatry of Ahab, giving Divine adoration to the creatures, as the term of their worship; or the idolatry of Jeroboam, worshipping the true God by images.
And all liars; and all such as are liars with their tongues, speaking what they know to be false; or liars in practice, that is, hypocrites, seeming to be what they are not.
Shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death: all these, and all such like, shall be eternally damned.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
8. the fearfulGreek,“the cowardly,” who do not quit themselves like menso as to “overcome” in the good fight; who have the spiritof slavish “fear,” not love, towards God; and who throughfear of man are not bold for God, or “draw back.” CompareRev 21:27; Rev 22:15.
unbelievingGreek,“faithless.”
abominablewho havedrank of the harlot’s “cup of abominations.”
sorcerersone of thecharacteristics of Antichrist’s time.
all liarsGreek,“all the liars”: or else “all who areliars”; compare 1Ti 4:1;1Ti 4:2, where similarly lyingand dealings with spirits and demons, are joinedtogether as features of “the latter times.”
second death Re20:14: “everlasting destruction,” 2Th 1:9;Mar 9:44; Mar 9:46;Mar 9:48, “Where THEIRworm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But the fearful,…. Not the timorous sheep and lambs of Christ, the dear children of God, who are sometimes of a fearful heart, on account of sin, temptation, and unbelief; but such who are of cowardly spirits, and are not valiant for the truth, but who, through fear of men, either make no profession of Christ and his Gospel, or having made it, drop it, lest they should be exposed to tribulation and persecution; these are they that are afraid of the beast, and live in servile bondage to him.
And unbelieving; meaning not merely atheists, who do not believe there is a God, or deists only, that do not believe in Christ; but such who profess his name, and are called by it, and yet do not truly believe in him, nor embrace his Gospel and the truths of it, but believe a lie; these are condemned already, and on them the wrath of God abides, and they will be damned at last; though it may have a regard to such also who are infidels as to the second coming of Christ to judgment, and who are scoffers and mockers at it:
and the abominable: every sinful man is so in the sight of God; but here it denotes such who are the worst of sinners, given up to sinning; who are abominable, and to every good work reprobate; who are addicted to the worst of crimes, as were the Sodomites and others; the Ethiopic version renders it, “who pollute themselves” with unnatural lusts. The Syriac and Arabic versions express it by two words, “sinners and polluted”, filthy sinners; the character well agrees with Babylon, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth, and to all that adhere to her, and join with her in her abominable idolatries.
And murderers; of the saints, and prophets, and martyrs of Jesus, with whose blood Babylon, or the whore of Rome, has made herself drunk, and in whom it will be found.
And whoremongers; all unclean persons, that indulge themselves in impure lusts, in fornication, adultery, and all lewdness; as the clergy of the church of Rome, who being forbidden to marry, and being under a vow of celibacy, and making great pretensions to chastity and singular holiness, give up themselves to all lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
And sorcerers; conjurers, dealers with familiar spirits, necromancers, and such as use the magic art, as many of the popes did to get into the chair, and poisoners of kings and princes; whoredoms and witchcrafts go together sometimes, as they did in Jezebel, an emblem of the Romish antichrist.
And idolaters; that worship devils, idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, representing God, and Christ, and the virgin Mary, and saints departed, Re 9:20.
And all liars; in common, and particularly such who speak lies in hypocrisy, as the followers of the man of sin, and who are given up to believe a lie, that they might be damned; all lies being of the devil, and abominable to God. All and each of these
shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone. The Jews a speak of several distinct places in hell, for several sorts of sinners, as particularly for sabbath breakers, adulterers, and liars; and say of the wicked, that when he is condemned he shall take , “his part” in hell b; [See comments on Re 19:20]
which is the second death; [See comments on Re 2:11].
a Raya Mehimna in Zohar in Lev. fol. 7. 2. b T. Bab. Chagiga, fol. 15. 1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Their part shall be ( ). In contrast to the state of the blessed (verses 3-7) the state of “those who have disfranchised themselves from the Kingdom of God” (Charles) is given. They are with Satan and the two beasts, and are the same with those not in the book of life (20:15) in the lake of fire and brimstone (Rev 19:20; Rev 20:10; Rev 20:14), that is the second death (Rev 2:11; Rev 20:6; Rev 20:14). See also 14:10. There are eight epithets here used which apply to various sections of this direful list of the doomed and the damned, all in the dative (case of personal interest).
For the fearful ( ). Old word (from , to fear) for the cowardly, who recanted under persecution, in N.T. only here, Matt 8:26; Mark 4:40.
Unbelieving (). “Faithless,” “untrustworthy,” in contrast with Christ “ ” (1:5). Cf. Rev 2:10; Rev 2:13; Rev 3:14; Rev 17:14. Disloyalty is close kin to cowardice.
Abominable (). Perfect passive participle of , old verb, in N.T. only here and Ro 2:22, common in LXX, to pollute (Ex 5:21). Those who have become defiled by the impurities of emperor-worship (Rev 7:4; Rev 21:27; Rom 2:22; Titus 1:16).
Murderers (). As a matter of course and all too common always (Mark 7:21; Rom 1:29; Rev 9:21).
Fornicators (). Again all too common always, then and now (1Cor 5:10; 1Tim 1:9). These two crimes often go together.
Sorcerers (). Old word, in N.T. only here and 22:15. Closely connected with idolatry and magic (Rev 9:21; Rev 13:13).
Idolaters (). See 1Cor 5:10; 1Cor 10:7; Eph 5:5; Rev 22:15. With a powerful grip on men’s lives then and now.
All liars ( ). Repeated in 22:15 and stigmatized often (Rev 2:2; Rev 3:9; Rev 14:5; Rev 21:8; Rev 21:27; Rev 22:15). Not a “light” sin.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
The fearful [] . The dative case. Hence, as Rev., for the fearful. Only here, Mt 8:26, and Mr 4:40.
Abominable [] . See on abomination, Mt 24:15. Properly, defiled with abominations.
Whoremongers [] . Much better, as Rev., fornicators.
Sorcerers. See on sorceries, ch. 9 21.
Shall have their part [ ] . Lit., the whole passage reads : to the fearful, etc., their part. shall be is supplied.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “But the fearful and unbelieving,” (tois de deilois kai apistois) “Yet (but) there awaits the cowardly and unbelieving;” Those who have rejected salvation, been obsessed of fear all their lives, yet not repented or believed, all their lives, Isa 57:20-21; Heb 2:15; 1Jn 4:18; Rom 8:15.
2) “And the abominable and murderers,” (kai ebdelugmenois kai phoneusin) “And those who have become morally foul and murderers,” those polluted, morally unclean, degraded in soul and life like beasts, and murderers with malice, having held such in heart and life till death, Joh 3:18.
3) “And whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolators,” (kai pornois kai pharmakois kai eidololatrais) “And fornicators and sorcerers and idolators,” moral sex libertines with unrestrained lusts, drug addicts who prophecy as sorcerers, and worshippers of idols (dead, lifeless gods).
4) “And all liars,” (kai pasintois pseudesin) “And all the false (lying) ones; all who have lived and died loving and speaking and living lies as their refuge until death Who never repented or trusted in Jesus Christ, Luk 13:5; Joh 8:24; Rev 21:27.
5) “Shall have their part in the lake,” (to meros auton en te limne) “Shall have or possess their part(provided place) in the lake; the debased abode of the Devil, his angels, and them that forget God, Mat 25:41; 2Pe 2:4; Jud 1:6; Psa 9:17; Mat 10:14-15.
6) “Which burneth with fire and brimstone,” (te kaiomene puri kai theio) “The (lake) burning continually with fire and sulphur (brimstone), Rev 19:20; Rev 20:15.
7) “Which is the second death “ (ho estin ho thanatos ho deuteros) “Which exists as the second death,” the death that is to be (to exist) on and on for all unbelievers,” Rev 20:6; Rev 20:14.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(8) But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable . . .Better, But for the cowardly and unfaithful (or, unbelieving) and defiled with abominations, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and for all the false, their part (is) in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone; which thing is the second death. The list here given points to those classes of character which cannot find a place in the Holy City. Nothing that defileth shall enter in. The less glaring faults stand first, the cowardly and unbelieving. There is a high and holy fear in which the Christian passes the time of his sojourn here (1Pe. 1:17); but there is a base and selfish fear, a fear of man, which brings a snare; those who have faith enter boldly the strife, following the Lamb whithersoever He goeth, and conquering by faith. The cowardly sink into companionship with the faithless and unbelieving, with the workers of iniquity. The abominations spoken of here have reference to those mentioned in Rev. 17:4. The characters, it has been thought, form four pairs. Fear and unbelief go hand in hand (Deu. 20:1-8; Mat. 8:26); the workers of abomination and the murderers, the fornicators and the sorcerers are united as those who sin in secret; the idolaters and the false, as those who change Gods truth into a lie. (Comp. Eph. 5:5; Col. 3:5; Php. 3:19.) These who are thus shut out from the heavenly city stand in contrast to those who are admitted; yet among those admitted arc such who have sinned through fear, faithlessness, and fleshliness. Sin indeed excludes from the city, but it is sin loved sin unrepented of, which alone can close the gate of the city whose gates lie open day and night.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
8. The fearful The moral coward who overcometh not, because he shrinks from fight. Thousands are lost for want of exercising moral courage against the persecutions and contempt of the world.
Unbelieving Who deny the reality of the battle and reward, and so never overcome.
Abominable Guilty of unnameable vices.
Sorcerers Seducers, who win to crime by guilty fascinations.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘But for the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and those who involve themselves in the occult, and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone. This is the second death.’
In contrast are unsaved sinners as outlined. These lose the inheritance (Eph 5:5). The two verses are in deliberate contrast outlining the choice of men in the face of what is, at the time of writing, to come. The fearful are those who withdraw in the face of persecution. The unbelieving are those who fail to stand in the name of Christ. The abominable are those who follow the abominations of the beast. The murderers are especially those who martyr God’s people, because they do not abide in the truth. They are like the Devil (Joh 8:44). The fornicators are those who follow Jezebel and the harlot. Those who involve themselves in the occult (‘sorcerers’) are those who respond to Satan and his powers. Idolaters are those who worship the beast and his image. All liars are they who support ‘The Lie’ instead of the truth (2Th 2:11) and who are like the father of lies (Joh 8:44). For these there can be only one destiny, the fires of destruction, the second death (see Rev 20:6; Rev 20:14).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
8 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.
Ver. 8. But the fearful ] Cowardly recreants, white livered milk sops, that pull in their horns for every pile of grass that toucheth them, that are afraid of every new step, saying as Caesar at Rubicon, “Yet we may go back;” that follow Christ afar off, as Peter; that tremble after him, as the people did after Saul, 1Sa 13:7 , and the next news is, “They were scattered from him,” 1Sa 13:11 . These lead the ring dance of this rout of reprobates; and are so hated of Christ, that he will not employ them so far as to break a pitcher, or to bear a torch, Jdg 7:3-7 .
And unbelieving ] Therefore fearful, because unbelieving, for faith fears no fray bugs; a but why do ye fear, ye little faiths? saith our Saviour.
a An object of fear; a bogy, spectre. D
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
The reverse side of the picture ( cf. Rev 20:12-15 and below on Rev 21:27 ): a black list of those who have not conquered. = “cowards” or apostates, who deny Christ in the persecution and worship Caesar (Introd. 6) through fear of suffering; “ does not of course itself allow that it is timorous, but would shelter its timidity under the more honourable title of ” (Trench, Synonyms , x.). It embraces further all those who draw back under the general strain of ridicule and social pressure (Heb 6:4-8 ; 2Ti 4:16 , etc.), like Bunyan’s Pliable , but unlike his Mr. Fearing ( cf. 1MMal 3:16 ). not = incredulous (so e.g. , Dittenberger’s Sylloge , 802 32 , 3 cent. B.C.) but, as in Luk 12:46 ( cf. Sir. ii. 12 f.), = “faithless,” untrustworthy, those who are not (Rev 1:5 , Rev 2:10 ; Rev 2:13 , 2Ti 2:13 ). All are ( cf. Introd. 6), but not all are . There are more reasons for disloyalty to Christ than cowardice, and some of these are hinted at in the following words, which suggest that includes the further idea of immorality (as in Tit 1:15-16 , where it is grouped with ). Lack of faith is denounced also in Apoc. Bar. liv. 21, 4 Ezr 9:7 , etc. for (as for , etc., cf. Field on Gal 2:11 ; Simcox, Lang. N.T. 128, 129), “detestable” because “defiled and fouled” by the impurities of the pagan cults (Rev 17:4 , Rev 18:3 , etc.; cf. Hos 9:10 ; Slav. En. x. 4) including unnatural vice. Murder (and fornication, Jas 2:11 ) in the popular religions of the ancient world caused ritual impurity and disqualified for access to God, unless atoned for. = “poisoners” or “sorcerers” (Rev 22:15 ), cf. Dan 2:27 LXX, and above on Rev 9:21 , where (as here and in Gal 5:21 ) witchcraft or magic is bracketed with idolatry. Idolaters, in Apoc. Pet. 18, have a special place . = “liars,” primarily recreant Christians who deny their faith and Lord, or worship false gods (Rom 1:25 ); but also untruthful Christians who cheat (Act 5:3 ) and lie to one another (Col 3:9 , cf. Rev 14:5 ); further perhaps to be taken in its general ethical sense (Slav. En. xlii. 13; cf. Did. Rev 5:2 ) = Oriental duplicity. : as in LXX, the subject of the principal clause is thrown forward into the dative (Viteau, ii. 41, 42). The special standpoint of the Apoc. renders the terms of exclusion rather narrower than elsewhere ( cf. Volz, 313). Thus there is no allusion to sins of omission, especially as regards justice and kindness between man and man (as Slav. En. x., xlii. 8 9, Mat 25:41 f. the former apocalypse finely excluding from heaven all guilty of “evil thoughts” and magic, all harsh or callous men, and finally all idolaters). The parallels with the rest of the Apocalypse, as well as the general style, indicate that Rev 21:1-8 comes from the pen of the prophet himself; there is no evidence sufficient to support the conjecture that Rev 21:5-8 is a Christian editor’s gloss in a Jewish original (Vischer, von Soden, S. Davidson, Rauch = Rev 21:6-8 , Spitta). The catalogue of vices, not unparalleled in ethnic literature ( cf. Dieterich, pp. 163 f., 174 f., Heinrici on 2Co 6:4 f.), diverges from those of Rev 9:20-21 and Rev 22:15 . The second agrees with Sap. 14:22 28 in making idolatry the fontal vice, and with Did. v in putting theft after ( cf. Heb 13:4-5 , Eph 5:5 , etc.). Paul, again, invariably starts with the blighting touch of or ( cf. Seeberg’s Catechismus d. Urc. 9 29, and von Dobschtz, pp. 406 f.) as in Rev 22:15 . No special significance attaches to the lists of the Apocalypse beyond the obviously appropriate selection of idolatry (Rev 9:20 ) as the outstanding vice of paganism, with cowardice (Rev 21:8 ) as the foil to victorious confession (Rev 21:7 , Rev 2:13 ; Rev 2:17 , Rev 15:2 ); note the division of Rev 22:15 into the repulsive or filthy (first three) and the wicked (second three), corresponding to Rev 22:11 . The of Rev 22:15 roughly answer to the “abominable” of Rev 21:8 . Rev 21:1-8 are a summary of what follows: Rev 21:1-2 = Rev 21:9-21 , Rev 21:3-4 = Rev 21:22 to Rev 22:5 , Rev 21:5-8 = Rev 22:16-21 .
Rev 21:9 to Rev 22:5 : the new Jerusalem (resuming the thought of Rev 21:2 , cf. Rev 19:7 ), corresponding to the new universe (Rev 21:1 ). The fall of Jerusalem accentuated the tendency to rise from the expectation of a new or renovated city on earth to the hope of a heavenly, transcendent city ( cf. Apoc. Bar. iv. 2 6, etc.), though the passionate desire for a restoration of city and temple in the messianic age was still strong ( cf. R. J. 226 f., Volz, 334 f.). John introduces the definitely Christian identification of the heavenly Jerusalem with the bride of the messiah, and combines the various features of a renovated, a heavenly, and a pre-existent city features which occasionally reflect the mythological background of such earlier ideas in Judaism. The whole conception, if not the passage itself, is satirised by Lucian ( Vera Hist . ii.) in his account of the golden city with its emerald wall, its river, and the absence of night, to say nothing of vines . Rev 21:11-21 describe the exterior, Rev 21:22-27 the interior.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
fearful. Greek. deilos. Only here; Mat 8:26, and Mar 4:40. In Septuagint Deu 20:8. Jdg 7:3, Jdg 7:10.
unbelieving. Greek. apiatoa. First occurance: Mat 17:17 (faithless).
abominable. Greek. bdelussomai. Only here and Rom 2:22. Frequently in Septuagint. See the noun in Rev 17:4.
sorcerers. Greek. pharmakos. Only here and Rev 22:15 (pharmakos). See Rev 9:21; Rev 18:23 and Gal 1:5, Gal 1:20 (witchcraft). Those who have commerce with evil spirits, as modern “Spiritists”. Occurs in Septuagint
all liars = all the false (Greek. pseudes). Here; Rev 2:2. Act 6:13 (false).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Rev 21:8.[227][228]) The Dative expresses the Hebrew : that is, as far as relates to the fearful, etc. So the word , their, shortly afterwards, coheres with this.-[229] , sorcerers) is a word of middle signification; but it is often used, together with its derivatives, to signify injurious medicine, witchcraft, which often sets itself off as salutary to men and beasts, but it is most pestilential, whether taken by itself, or even when joined with an express compact or secret intercourse with devils. Hence it is joined with idolatry, Gal 5:20.
[227] 6, 7. – , that thirsteth-he that overcometh) A twofold class of men; a twofold kind of gifts.-V. g.
[228] Supported by AB. But Rec. Text, without authority, omits .-E.
[229] , but) There is the same antithesis, ver. 27, ch. Rev 22:15.-V. g.
– , of life) No death now remains, ver. 8.-V. g.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
second death
Second death, Summary: “The second death” and the “lake of fire” are identical terms Rev 20:14 and are used of the eternal state of the wicked. It is “second” relative to the preceding physical death of the wicked in unbelief and rejection of God; their eternal state is one of eternal “death” (i.e. separation from God) in sins Joh 8:21; Joh 8:24. That the second death is not annihilation is shown by a comparison of; Rev 19:20; Rev 20:10. After one thousand years in the lake of fire the Beast and False Prophet are still there, undestroyed. The words “forever and forever” (“to the ages of the ages”) are used in Heb 1:8 for the duration of the throne of God, eternal in the sense of unending.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
the fearful: Deu 20:8, Jdg 7:3, Isa 51:12, Isa 57:11, Mat 8:26, Mat 10:28, Luk 12:4-9, Joh 12:42, Joh 12:43, 1Pe 3:14, 1Pe 3:15, 1Jo 5:4, 1Jo 5:5, 1Jo 5:10
and the: Rev 22:15, Mal 3:5, 1Co 6:9, 1Co 6:10, Gal 5:19-21, Eph 5:5, Eph 5:6, 1Ti 1:9, 1Ti 1:10, Heb 12:24, Heb 13:4, 1Jo 3:15
and idolaters: 1Co 10:20, 1Co 10:21
and all: Rev 2:2, Pro 19:5, Pro 19:9, Isa 9:15, Joh 8:44, 2Th 2:9, 1Ti 4:2, 1Jo 2:22
the lake: Rev 19:20, Rev 20:14, Rev 20:15
which is: Rev 20:14
Reciprocal: Gen 2:17 – surely Gen 19:28 – General Gen 39:9 – how then Exo 20:14 – General Exo 34:7 – that will by no means clear the guilty Lev 11:10 – they shall be Lev 13:57 – shalt burn Lev 19:11 – lie one Lev 19:31 – General Num 19:13 – purifieth Deu 31:6 – fear not Jos 23:6 – very 1Sa 15:23 – stubbornness 1Sa 15:24 – I feared 1Ki 21:26 – very abominably 2Ki 5:22 – My master Neh 6:13 – that I should Job 18:15 – brimstone Psa 5:6 – destroy Psa 9:17 – The wicked Psa 14:1 – abominable Psa 15:2 – speaketh Psa 31:18 – the lying Psa 50:19 – tongue Psa 52:5 – God Psa 120:4 – arrows Psa 140:10 – into deep Pro 2:18 – General Pro 5:11 – thou Pro 12:22 – Lying Pro 13:5 – and Pro 20:10 – abomination Pro 24:28 – deceive Isa 1:28 – the destruction Isa 30:9 – lying Isa 34:9 – General Isa 47:9 – for the multitude Jer 7:9 – steal Jer 23:14 – walk Jer 27:9 – hearken Jer 50:36 – upon the liars Eze 24:9 – I will Eze 33:26 – work Eze 47:11 – shall be Zep 3:13 – nor Zec 5:3 – the curse Zec 8:16 – Speak Mal 1:14 – cursed Mal 2:11 – and an Mat 13:42 – cast Mat 15:20 – which Mat 18:8 – everlasting Mat 25:25 – General Mat 25:30 – outer Mat 25:46 – everlasting Mat 26:70 – General Mar 9:44 – the fire Mar 16:16 – but Luk 9:26 – of him Luk 13:28 – you Joh 3:36 – see Joh 9:22 – because Joh 14:27 – afraid Joh 15:6 – he Act 28:4 – a murderer Rom 3:10 – none Rom 6:23 – For the wages 1Co 5:1 – fornication 1Co 5:11 – fornicator 1Co 10:14 – flee 2Co 12:21 – uncleanness Eph 4:25 – putting Eph 5:3 – fornication Phi 3:2 – evil Phi 3:19 – end Col 3:5 – fornication Col 3:9 – Lie 1Th 4:3 – that 2Th 1:8 – flaming 2Th 1:9 – be Tit 1:16 – being Heb 11:6 – without Heb 12:16 – any fornicator Jam 5:3 – and shall Rev 2:11 – the second Rev 2:14 – to commit Rev 9:17 – brimstone Rev 9:21 – their sorceries Rev 14:10 – be Rev 18:23 – for Rev 20:6 – the second Rev 21:27 – or maketh
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Rev 21:8. Fearful is from DEMOS, which Thayer defines, “timid, fearful,” and he then explains it to denote “Christians who through cowardice give way under persecutions and apostatize [deny their Lord]. This definition or explanation is justified by the next word in the text, namely, Heb 9:27 lieving. Abominable is from BDELUSSO, and Thayer’s definition is “to render foul, to cause to be abhorred.” It is a word that would have a general meaning, hence the apostle follows up with a number of specifications. Whoremongers areRev 21:8 do not merely commit adultery on some specific occasion ( which of itself would be wrong), but who are regular patrons of women whose business is to receive men either for lust or money. Sorcerers is from PHARMAKENS, and Thayer’s lexicon defines it, “one who prepares or uses magical remedies; a sorcerer.” It could well be classed with the “dope” trade of our day. Idolaters is defined, “A worshipper of false gods.” That is its literal meaning and makes it apply to any conduct where a man shows a perference for something over the true God. Hence Paul declares in Eph 5:5 that a covetous man is an idolater. All liars is rendered “liars of all kinds” by Moffatt. That rendering is evidently correct for it would be unnecessary to state that every liar is meant in the sense of not allowing some of them to escape; that would be taken for granted. But it means to include not only those who in the direct sense make Rev 17:4 statements that are false, but also everyone who says or does anything for the purpose Mat 23:31-36 faAct 7:52 ession. When Ananias and his wife deposited some money before Peter there is no evidence that they actually said anything about it until Peter forced them to speak. But yet he accused them of lying because they intended to make a false impression upon the apostle. Therefore we should understand that all deliberate attempts to deceive another will be regarded as lies. It can be done even by stating a part of the truth in such a way as to make a false impression. Paul doubtless was thinking of this when he declared he was not “handling the word of God deceitfully” (2Co 4:2). Have their part. They will not receive any part of the good things that have just been promised to the faithful. Their fate will be to be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, which is the place designated by the Greek word GEHENNA. Which is the seconRev 19:20 IRev 20:10 ed this because all mankind are bound to die physically (Heb 9:27) on account of the sin of AdaRev 19:20 e wicRev 20:10 die (be separated) from God for ever and have to remain in this lake of fire away from God.
Comments by Foy E. Wallace
Verse 8.
(2) The characters cast into the brimstone lake– Rev 21:8.
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and the 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–verse 8.
Here was the pronouncement of doom on all classes of the persecutors and all parties and accomplices to the persecutions, implying also a warning to any among the overcomers against falling into any of this catalog of things condemned.
1. The fearful were those who shrank from the conflict who were put here in contrast with the overcomers.
2. The unbelievers were not those who were apostates from Christ, but the dwellers of the earth (Palestine) in the heathen world hostile to Christ; and who in their perversRev 21:9 l to accept Christianity remained under condemnation.
3. The abominable were the characters who practiced the defilements of the heathen world and the harlot woman (Rev 17:4).
4. The murderers were the ones who had killed the prophets and had slain the saints (Mat 23:31-36; Act 7:52); and who were guilty of the blood of the martyrs who were in this vision avenged.
5. The fornicators (whoremongers) were figurative of all who were affiliated with the practices of the harlot woman which had been described.
6. The sorcerers and idolaters were terms figurative of heathen practices and worship.
7. The phrase all liars included all of the deceivers and means of deception which influenced the people of the earth (Palestine) to worshipRev 21:9-17 -image, or to yield to any form of heathen philosophy that would prevenPsa 76:2 ceptance of Christ.
It is said that all of these classes of promoters of evil practices would be cast into the brimstone lake. This lake which burneth with fire and brimstone signified the complete destruction of the heathen powers that had persecuted Christ and his church. (See comments on Rev 19:20 Rev 20:10)
This would be the partMat 23:37-38 tion, of all the unbelievers. The explanations here and in Rev 19:20 and Rev 20:10 do not deny, destroy or modify the resurrection and judgment of the wicked at the second coming of Christ, nor of the eternal punishment of the wicked, which doctrines are clearly taught in numerous portions of the scriptures of both the old and the new testaments. The purpose of the comments here is merely to place these apocalyptic passages in proper contextual perspective and relation to the symbolism of the Book Of Revelation and its message. In this context the second death was a figurative description of the punishment of the persecutors in contrast with the deaths of the martyrs of the first resurrection. All these would have part in this second death in suffering the same destruction. The ones who had part in it came to the same end as the persecuting beast–a figurative description of complete destruction and annihilation of all persecuting powers opposed to the church whose opposition was crushed.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Rev 21:8. The happiness of the saints of God has been described. In contrast with this, the verse before us presents us with the fate of the ungodly, who are classified first in general terms, and then by the particular sins which they commit. The fearful are mentioned first as occupying a position the reverse of them that overcome; they have shrunk from the struggle; they have
yielded to the foe instead of conquering him. Upon the description of the other classes it is unnecessary to dwell. They are such as have chosen the darkness rather than the light; as have loved the lie rather than the truth (Joh 8:44); as have deliberately resisted and cast aside the grace that might have been theirs,their part can be only in the second death.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
After a description given of the celestial happiness of the righteous at the day of judgment, here follows the eternally miserable condition of the wicked; and eight several sorts of sinners are here summed up, who shall be excluded out of heaven, and cast into hell, namely,
the fearful, such as dare not own Christ, or for fear of suffering, have disowned him, or apostatized and revolted from him;
unbelievers, such especially as have sat under the dispensation of the gospel, but have rejected our Lord Jesus Christ, and have refused to come unto him that they might have life;
the abominable, such as live in the practice of sins against nature, sodomy, and such uncleanness as renders them abominable in the sight of God and man, Rom 1:26;
murders, such as destroy either the soul, body, or good name, of their neighbours, especially persecutors; the whore and her followers, who are drunk with the blood of the saints;
whoremongers of all sorts, both spiritual and corporal, particularly such as are guilty of uncleanness in a conjugal state;
sorcerers, such as exercise witchcraft, consult with the devil, and trade with familiar spirits;
idolators of all sorts and kinds, such as worship false gods, or the true God after a false manner; covetous persons, who make the world their god; and sensual persons, who make their belly their god; lastly,
all liars, those which lie with the lip, and talk falsely; those that lie in their lives, as all hypocrites do, whose practice gives their profession the lie; those who are the inventors of the doctrine of lies, which is no better than the doctrine of devils;
these, all these, shall have their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone, that is, in exquisite torments, and everlasting.
From the whole note, 1. How the timorous and fearful stand in the front of all those vile sinners, whose ways lead down to the chambers of death and hell.
Behold here! God’s martial law executed upon cowards and renegadoes, whose fear makes them revolt from Christ in time of danger. Think of this, all you timorous and faint-hearted professors! who cannot bear the thought of lying in a nasty dungeon for owning Christ, how will you endure to lie in a lake of fire and brimstone for disowning of him! Is not the little finger of an angry God heavier than the loins of all the tyrants and persecutors in the world?
Note, 2. That although eight sorts of sinners only are here reckoned up, yet all others who live and die impenitently in any known sin, besides these, of what kind soever, are certainly included, and their damnation implied also, as well as these: for whoever lives in the habitual practice of any known sin, without converting from from it unto God, is certainly in a state of damnation.
Note lastly, That the sins here mentioned must not be understood copulatively, but disjunctively; we must not suppose that such as are guilty of all the before-mentioned sins, are the persons threatened with hell-fire; but such as are with allowance guilty of any one of these, or of any other besides these, and continuing impenitently in them.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
In contrast to the rewards of those who overcome is the punishment of the wicked in the lake burning with fire and brimstone. John now gives a list of some who will be included in that group. The fearful are those who run when the battle is joined. ( Heb 10:38-39 ) The unbelieving are those who know the Lord’s will but do not do it in preparation for his return. ( Luk 12:45-48 ) Those who are foul and polluted because of association with idolatry and the sins surrounding it would be considered abominable. Murderers willfully take lives of others with no respect for life or law. Whoremongers are fornicators or those who participate in any illicit sexual activity. Sorcerers use drugs and magical arts to control others. Worshippers of anything but the true God would be known as idolaters. Liars can lie by word, through intimation or silence. ( Act 5:1-11 )
Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books
Verse 8
The fearful; those who are afraid to encounter the dangers involved in the service of God.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their {a} part in the lake which burneth with fire and
(a) Their lot, and inheritance as it were.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The sins mentioned here are some that typically characterize unbelievers, the other group in contrast to overcomers. While these sins do mark some believers who follow the dictates of their flesh (1Co 6:9-10; Gal 5:19-21), they more generally identify the lost. That the unsaved are in view seems clear since their part (i.e., their destiny) will be in the lake of fire.
Since the lake of fire still exists after the passing of the present heaven and earth, hell is probably not in the center of the present earth nor is it connected to this earth spacially. It will exist separate from the new heaven and earth and the New Jerusalem. [Note: See Peterson, "Does the . . .," pp. 25-26.] Even though this passage does not say that sin will be absent in the eternal state, is seems quite clear that there will be none since the consequences of sin will be absent.