Revelation 21:8 (WEB)

Passage

But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Nearby Context

Revelation 21:6 He said to me, “I have become the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give freely to him who is thirsty from the spring of the water of life.

Revelation 21:7 He who overcomes, I will give him these things. I will be his God, and he will be my son.

Revelation 21:8 But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Revelation 21:9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls, who were loaded with the seven last plagues came, and he spoke with me, saying, “Come here. I will show you the wife, the Lamb’s bride.”

Revelation 21:10 He carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "cowardly", "unbelieving", "sinners", "abominable", "murderers", "sexually", "immoral", and "sorcerers". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "cowardly" and "unbelieving", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 7's "He who overcomes I will give him..." into verse 9's "One of the seven angels who had...", so "cowardly" and "unbelieving" belong inside that flow. In Revelation context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "cowardly" and "unbelieving" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.