Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
And they sat upon them (kai ekaqisan ep autouv). First aorist active indicative of kaqizw. Another period here apparently synchronous (verse Revelation 20:7) with the confinement of Satan in the abyss. No subject is given for this plural verb. Apparently Christ and the Apostles (Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30) and some of the saints (1 Corinthians 6:3), martyrs some hold.
Judgment was given unto them (krima edoqh autoiv). First aorist passive of didwmi. Picture of the heavenly court of assizes.
The souls (tav yuxav). Accusative after eidon at the beginning of the verse.
Of them that had been beheaded (twn pepelekismenwn). Genitive of the articular perfect passive participle of pelekizw, old word (from pelekuv an axe, the traditional instrument for execution in republican Rome, but later supplanted by the sword), to cut off with an axe, here only in N.T. See Revelation 6:9; Revelation 18:24; Revelation 19:2 for previous mention of these martyrs for the witness of Jesus (Revelation 1:9; Revelation 12:17; Revelation 19:10). Others also besides martyrs shared in Christ's victory, those who refused to worship the beast or wear his mark as in Revelation 13:15; Revelation 14:9 ff.; Revelation 16:2; Revelation 19:20.
And they lived (kai ezhsan). First aorist active indicative of zaw. If the ingressive aorist, it means "came to life" or "lived again" as in Revelation 2:8 and so as to verse Revelation 20:5. If it is the constative aorist here and in verse Revelation 20:5, then it could mean increased spiritual life. See John 5:21-29 for the double sense of life and death (now literal, now spiritual) precisely as we have the second death in Revelation 2:11; Revelation 20:6, Revelation 20:14.
And reigned with Christ (kai ebasileusan meta tou Xristou). Same use of the first aorist active indicative of basileuw, but more clearly constative. Beckwith and Swete take this to apply solely to the martyrs, the martyrs' reign with Christ.
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
John 5:24
2 Peter 3:8
Revelation 1:2
Revelation 3:7
Revelation 4:2
Revelation 7:3
Revelation 9:4
Revelation 11:18
Revelation 12:17
Revelation 13:14
Revelation 13:16
Revelation 15:2
Revelation 19:20
Revelation 20:5
Revelation 20:9
Revelation 20:11
Revelation 22:5
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