---
title: Revelation 20:15
url: https://jw-apologetics.app/verses/revelation-20-15/
markdown: https://jw-apologetics.app/verses/revelation-20-15.md
type: verse
perspective: Protestant (historic Nicene) response to Jehovah's Witness teaching
reference: Revelation 20:15
testament: NT
section: Prophecy
index: https://jw-apologetics.app/llms.txt
---

# Revelation 20:15

## Text (Berean Standard Bible)

> And if anyone was found whose name was not written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

## NWT Wording of the Key Phrase

- NWT (2013 revision): "whoever was not found written in the book of life was hurled into the lake of fire"

## JW Usage

Watchtower commentary takes Revelation 20:15 as the final fate of those who fail the post-millennial test. Those whose names are not in the book of life are annihilated forever in the lake of fire — the "second death." The verse is read as decisive against any doctrine of eternal conscious suffering for humans, since the lake of fire is identified with death rather than with torment.

## Protestant Usage

The verse settles the basis of survival. The deeds-books in v12 condemned everyone with sins recorded; the Lamb's book of life is the only register that protects from the lake of fire. Salvation is by inclusion in the Lamb's book — bought by the Lamb's blood (Revelation 5:9) — not by deeds. As v10 placed the Devil in conscious "torment day and night forever and ever" in the same lake, those thrown in here share that destination. The lake of fire is not annihilation; it is enduring judgment. The good news is that the Lamb's book of life is open: 1 John 5:13 says believers may know they have everlasting life right now. That is the assurance the Watchtower's eschatology cannot give but the Lamb's blood already does.

## Arguments Using This Verse

- [Judgment According to Works](https://jw-apologetics.app/arguments/judgment-according-to-works.md) — Matthew 25, 2 Corinthians 5:10, Revelation 20 — evidence or basis? [Salvation]
- [One Death, One Judgment — No Second Chance in the Millennium](https://jw-apologetics.app/arguments/postmortem-salvation-rebuttal.md) — Hebrews 9:27 / Luke 16:26 / 2 Corinthians 6:2 — postmortem evangelism rebutted [Eschatology]