And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. (Revelation 20:12)
Literally, “books.” The Greek has no definite article. These are the books containing the record of the lives of men. No sentence passed upon any wicked person will be arbitrary, biased, or unfair. For a classification of these books see on Dan. 7:10.
Before God.
Textual evidence attests (cf. p. 10) the reading “before the throne” (see on v. 11).
Small and great.
Station in life has no weight in this meeting with God. Many of high position in the world escaped, while alive, the fitting reward for their evil deeds. In this final accounting with God there will be no evasion of full justice.
The dead.
This obviously refers to those raised in the second resurrection (see on vs. 5, 7).