JOSEPH W. TKACH
August 1987
Dear Friend:
Thank you for your recent inquiry in which you asked about
Revelation 20:10.
Some misunderstanding of this verse has resulted from a
translation error in the King James Version of the Bible. You
will notice that the word "are" is in italics. This means that
the word was supplied by the translators and is not in the
original Greek.
According to the chronology of Revelation itself, both the
Beast and the false prophet will be cast alive into the lake of
fire at the beginning of God's thousand-year reign on the earth
(Rev. 19:20). By merely using God's explanation of what happens
to human bodies when they are cast into fire, we find that they
will be burned up (Ps. 37:20). Therefore, the phrase in
Revelation 20:10 should be translated "where the beast and the
false prophet WERE."
In Matthew 25:41 Jesus said, "Then shall he say also unto
them on the left hand, Depart from me, YE CURSED, INTO
EVERLASTING FIRE, prepared for the devil and his angels." Jesus
here plainly shows that the everlasting fire was prepared for
Satan and his angels. Yet He goes on to say that human beings who
are ultimately judged unfit for eternal life are also to be cast
into this very lake of fire. "And these shall go away into
everlasting punishment" (verse 46).
When these people are cast into the lake of fire, it is by
God's definition "the second DEATH," from which there is no
resurrection. "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" (Rev.
21:8).
Thank you for your interest. We appreciate the opportunity
to help you with your study of the Bible.
PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE DEPARTMENT
PASTOR GENERAL