I saw the souls of those beheaded with the axe for the testimony of Jesus and for the Word of God, and who did nor adore the beast or his image, and did not accept the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand, and they lived and reigned with Christ.

That by 'the souls beheaded with the axe for the testimony of Jesus and for the Word of God' are signified those who were rejected by those who are in untruths derived from self-intelligence because they worshipped the Lord and lived in accordance with His precepts in the Word, may be seen above (n. 846, 847). That by 'they did not adore the beast or his image, and did not accept the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand' is signified that they rejected the heretical [doctrine] concerning faith alone may be seen above (n. 848); and that by 'they lived and reigned with Christ for the thousand years' is signified that they had conjunction with the Lord and an association with the angels of heaven may be seen above (n. 849). These therefore are the things that 'this is the first resurrection' involve. By 'resurrection' is signified salvation and eternal life, and by 'the first' is not understood the first resurrection but the very and primary thing of resurrection, thus salvation and eternal life; for there is only one resurrection to life, a second is not given. And therefore a second resurrection is not mentioned anywhere for they who have once been conjoined to the Lord have been conjoined to Him for ever and are in heaven, for the Lord says:-

I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me, though he were dead, shall live; every one who lives and believes in Me shall never John xi 25, 26.

'That these things are understood by 'the first resurrection' is established also from the verse now following.