Revelation 13

1 Then I saw a beast with ten horns and seven heads rising out of the sea. There were ten royal crowns on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads.

And the dragon stood on the sea shore. Then I saw a beast rising out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten small crowns on his horns, and had blasphemous names on his heads.

2 The beast I saw was like a leopard, with the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.

The beast I saw looked like a leopard, but his feet looked like those of a bear, and his mouth looked like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power, his throne, and great authority.

3 One of the heads of the beast appeared to be mortally wounded. But the mortal wound was healed, and the whole world marveled and followed the beast.

One of his heads seemed to have suffered a death-blow, but this fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was filled with wonder at the beast,

4 They worshiped the dragon who had given authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can wage war against it?”

and they worshiped the dragon because he had given his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, asking “Who is like the beast? Who could defeat him?”

5 The beast was given a mouth to speak arrogant and blasphemous words, and authority to act for 42 months.

He was given the ability to make great boasts and speak blasphemies, and he was also given the authority to do this for forty-two months.

6 And the beast opened its mouth to speak blasphemies against God and to slander His name and His tabernacle—those who dwell in heaven.

As soon as he opened his mouth he spoke blasphemies against God, insulting his character, his sanctuary, and those who live in heaven.

7 Then the beast was permitted to wage war against the saints and to conquer them, and it was given authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation.

The beast was given power to attack believers and defeat them, and he was also given authority over every people, tribe, language, and nation.

8 And all who dwell on the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written from the foundation of the world in the Book of Life belonging to the Lamb who was slain.

Everybody living on earth will worship him, those whose names had not been written in the book of life—the book of life that belongs to the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world.

9 He who has an ear, let him hear:

If you have ears, listen!

10 “If anyone is destined for captivity, into captivity he will go; if anyone is to die by the sword, by the sword he must be killed.” Here is a call for the perseverance and faith of the saints.

Anyone who has to go into captivity will go into captivity; anyone who has to die by the sword will die by the sword. This demonstrates the patient endurance and confidence in God of the believers.

11 Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. This beast had two horns like a lamb, but spoke like a dragon.

Then I saw another beast, rising up from the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon.

12 And this beast exercised all the authority of the first beast and caused the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose mortal wound had been healed.

He imposed the same authority as the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and those who live there worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed.

13 And the second beast performed great signs to cause even fire from heaven to come down to earth in the presence of the people.

He performed great miracles, even bringing fire down from heaven to earth while people watched.

14 Because of the signs it was given to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived those who dwell on the earth, telling them to make an image to the beast that had been wounded by the sword and yet had lived.

He deceived those who live on the earth by the miracles he performed on behalf of the beast, ordering the people that they should make an image for the beast who had received the fatal sword wound but came back to life.

15 The second beast was permitted to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship it to be killed.

He was permitted to breathe life into the image of the beast so that it could speak, ordering anyone who did not worship it put to death.

16 And the second beast required all people small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead,

He made everyone, whether weak or powerful, rich or poor, free or slave, receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads.

17 so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark—the name of the beast or the number of its name.

Nobody was permitted to buy or sell except those who had the mark, which was the name of the beast or the number of his name.

18 Here is a call for wisdom: Let the one who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and that number is 666.

Wisdom is needed here. Whoever has understanding should calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is 666.