< Revelation 13 >
1 And he stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads. On his horns were ten crowns, and on his heads, blasphemous names.
2 The beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The serpent gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.
3 One of his heads looked like it had been wounded fatally. His fatal wound was healed, and the whole earth was amazed and followed the beast.
4 They worshiped the serpent, because he gave his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?"
5 A mouth was given to him speaking proud words and blasphemies. There was given to him authority to act for forty-two months.
6 He opened his mouth for blasphemies against God, to blaspheme his name, and his dwelling, those who dwell in heaven.
7 It was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. Authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation was given to him.
8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the Book of Life of the Lamb who has been killed.
9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear.
10 If anyone is to go into captivity, he will go into captivity. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, he must be killed with the sword. Here is the endurance and the faith of the saints.
11 I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke like a serpent.
12 He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. He makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed.
13 He performs great signs, even making fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the sight of people.
14 He deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs he was granted to do in front of the beast; saying to those who dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast who had been wounded by the sword and yet lived.
15 It was given to him to give breath to it, to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast could both speak and cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.
16 He causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slave, to be given a mark on their right hand, or on their forehead;
17 and that no one could be able to buy or to sell, unless he has that mark, the name of the beast or the number of his name.
18 Here is wisdom. He who has understanding, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is six hundred sixty-six.