God's Word Version, Chapter 21 Verse 8

Revelation Chapter 21 Verse 8 (God's Word^TM)

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⁸ But cowardly, unfaithful and detestable people, murderers, sexual sinners, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars will find themselves in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."

This preposition indicates that the list which follows does not include any of the VICTORS in the previous verse. Furthermore, this list is associated with seven demonic realms as detailed in Revelation 13:1.

COWARDLY, The Amplified Bible expands this with 'ignoble, contemptible, cravenly lacking in courage, and cowardly submissive'. We can see how this is tied to unfaithful (next item in the list), but most likely applies to nominal Christians also (Mark 8:31-38).

UNFAITHFUL and This is the only class of people for which there is no forgiveness (1 John 5:6-12, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, and John 3:16-18-21).

DETESTABLE PEOPLE, 'Depraved and defiled with abominations' is how the Amplified Bible expands this class. The detestable people are described in Titus 1:15-16. Furthermore, there was nothing good about the great prostitute whose cup held detestable and evil things (Revelation 17:4).

MURDERERS, Since this is the final list of those who will experience the second death, the broad definition of murder as John writes in an earlier letter (1 John 3:11-15-24) should be used.

The Amplified Bible calls this group 'lewd and adulterous'. This group is the only one where their sin is sexual in nature. Given how much is written about sexual sins in the Bible, it is rather surprising that this is only a small part of the condemned.

SORCERERS, 'Practicers of magic arts' is how the Amplified Bible identifies SORCERERS. Here's what God thinks about this group (Deuteronomy 18:9-13).

IDOLATERS, and With a broad brush, the Amplified Bible says this group are 'those who give supreme devotion to anyone or anything other than God'. The test for an idolater is found in 1 Timothy 4:1-10. If you don't have the word of God in you or don't practice an extensive time in non repetitious prayer, you are susceptible to IDOLATRY and LYING (next item in the list).

ALL LIARS, 'Those who knowingly convey untruth by word or deed' is how the Amplified Bible tags this group. The father of all liars is the devil (John 8:31-44-47), and the devil already is in the fiery lake (Revelation 20:10).

will find themselves in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the SECOND DEATH." This is probably the saddest list in the Bible for this SECOND DEATH is a permanent and everlasting death. You may have heard the expression, "He died a slow death"; while this is forever longer a slow death. Imagine all the evil that you can and then think how you would live within that evil (and much worse) forever. The alternative, asking for forgiveness for your sins and accepting Jesus Christ as your Master, would seem to me to be a better choice.

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