1 And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. 13:1 Dn 7:3 It had ten horns and seven heads. On its horns were ten crowns, 13:1 Or diadems, 13:1 Rv 12:3 and on its heads were blasphemous names. 13:1 Other mss read heads was a blasphemous name, 13:1 Rv 17:32 The beast I saw was like a leopard, its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. 13:2 Dn 7:4–6 The dragon gave the beast his power, his throne, and great authority. 3 One of its heads appeared to be fatally wounded, but its fatal wound was healed.
The whole earth was amazed and followed the beast. 13:3 Rv 17:84 They worshiped the dragon 13:4 Rv 12:3 because he gave authority to the beast. And they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? 13:4 Ex 15:11; Is 46:5 Who is able to wage war against it? "
5 The beast was given a mouth to utter boasts and blasphemies. 13:5 Dn 7:8,11,20 It was allowed to exercise authority 13:5 Other mss read to wage war, 13:5 Or to rule for forty-two months. 13:5 Rv 11:26 It began to speak 13:6 Or He opened his mouth in blasphemies against God: to blaspheme his name and his dwelling — those who dwell in heaven. 7 And it was permitted to wage war against the saints and to conquer them. 13:7 Rv 12:17 It was also given authority 13:7 Jr 27:6; Dn 7:6,14; Lk 4:6; Jn 19:11 over every tribe, people, language, and nation. 13:7 Rv 5:9; 7:9; 11:9; 14:68 All those who live on the earth will worship it, everyone whose name was not written from the foundation of the world in the book 13:8 Or scroll of life 13:8 Ex 32:32–33; Ps 69:28; Php 4:3; Rv 3:5; 17:8; 20:12,15; 21:27 of the Lamb who was slaughtered. 13:8 Or written in the book of life of the Lamb who was slaughtered from the foundation of the world, 13:8 1Pt 1:19–20; Rv 5:6,12; 7:14
9 If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen. 13:9 Mt 11:15; Rv 2:7,11,17,19; 3:6,13,22
10 If anyone is to be taken captive,
into captivity he goes.
If anyone is to be killed 13:10 Other mss read anyone kills with a sword,
with a sword he will be killed. 13:10 Jr 15:2; 43:11
This calls for endurance 13:10 Or Here is the perseverance and faithfulness from the saints. 13:10 Rv 14:12
The Beast from the Earth
11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; it had two horns like a lamb, 13:11 Or ram, 13:11 Dn 8:3 but it spoke like a dragon. 12 It exercises all the authority of the first beast on its behalf and compels the earth and those who live on it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. 13 It also performs great signs, 13:13 Dt 13:1–3; Mk 13:22; 2Th 2:9–11 even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in front of people. 13:13 1Kg 18:38; 2Kg 1:10; Lk 9:5414 It deceives those who live on the earth 13:14 Rv 12:9 because of the signs that it is permitted to perform in the presence of the beast, 13:14 2Th 2:9–12; Rv 19:20 telling those who live on the earth to make an image 13:14 Or a statue, or a likeness of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 It was permitted to give breath 13:15 Or a spirit, or life to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast could both speak and cause whoever would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 13:15 Dn 3:5–6; Rv 20:416 And it makes everyone — small and great, rich and poor, free and slave — to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, 13:16 Rv 14:1,9,11; 16:2; 19:20; 20:417 so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark: the beast’s name or the number of its name.
18 This calls for wisdom: 13:18 Or Here is wisdom, 13:18 Rv 17:9 Let the one who has understanding calculate 13:18 Or count, or figure out the number of the beast, because it is the number of a person. Its number is 666. 13:18 Other Gk mss read 616