< Revelation 13 >

1 and he stood upon the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads names of blasphemy.
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 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as [the feet] of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him 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 And [I saw] one of his heads as though it had been smitten unto death; and his death-stroke was healed: and the whole earth wondered after 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 and they worshipped the dragon, because he gave his authority unto the beast; and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? and who is able to war with him?
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 and there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and there was given to him authority to continue forty and two 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 he opened his mouth for blasphemies against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, [even] them that dwell in the 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 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and there was given to him 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 that dwell on the earth shall worship him, [every one] whose name hath not been written in the book of life of the Lamb that hath been slain from the foundation of the world.
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 If any man hath an ear, let him hear.
If you have ears, listen!
10 If any man [is] for captivity, into captivity he goeth: if any man shall kill with the sword, with the sword must he be killed. Here is the patience and the 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 And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like unto a lamb, and he spake as 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 he exerciseth all the authority of the first beast in his sight. And he maketh the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose death-stroke was 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 he doeth great signs, that he should even make fire to come down out of heaven upon the earth in the sight of men.
He performed great miracles, even bringing fire down from heaven to earth while people watched.
14 And he deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by reason of the signs which it was given him to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, who hath the stroke of the sword, and 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 And it was given [unto him] to give breath to it, [even] to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as should not worship the image of the beast should 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 he causeth all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the bond, that there be given them a mark on their right hand, or upon 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 and that no man should be able to buy or to sell, save he that hath the mark, [even] the name of the beast or the number of his 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 wisdom. He that hath understanding, let him count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man: and his number is Six hundred and sixty and six.
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.

< Revelation 13 >