Revelation13
New International Version
1The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.
2The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.
3One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast.
4People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, “Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?”
5The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months.
6It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven.
7It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.
8All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.
9Whoever has ears, let them hear.
10“If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity they will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword they will be killed.” This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people.
11Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon.
12It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed.
13And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people.
14Because of the signs it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth. It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived.
15The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed.
16It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads,
17so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.
18This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Revelation 13.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: A wild beast rises out of the sea, to whom the dragon gives his power. (1–10). Another beast, which has two horns like a lamb, but speaks as a dragon. (11–15). It obliges all to worship its image, and receive its mark, as persons devoted to it. (16–18).
vv1-10
The apostle, standing on the shore, saw a savage beast rise out of the sea; a tyrannical, idolatrous, persecuting power, springing up out of the troubles which took place. It was a frightful monster! It appears to mean that worldly, oppressing dominion, which for many ages, even from the times of the Babylonish captivity, had been hostile to the church. The first beast then began to oppress and persecute the righteous for righteousness' sake, but they suffered most under the fourth beast of Daniel, (the Roman empire,) which has afflicted the saints with many cruel persecutions. The source of its power was the dragon. It was set up by the devil, and supported by him. The wounding the head may be the abolishing pagan idolatry; and the healing of the wound, introducing popish idolatry, the same in substance, only in a new dress, but which as effectually answers the devil's design. The world admired its power, policy and success. They paid honour and subjection to the devil and his instruments. It exercised infernal power and policy, requiring men to render that honour to creatures which belongs to God alone. Yet the devil's power and success are limited. Christ has a chosen remnant, redeemed by his blood, recorded in his book, sealed by his Spirit; and though the devil and antichrist may overcome the body, and take away the natural life, they cannot conquer the soul, nor prevail with true believers to forsake their Saviour, and join his enemies. Perseverance in the faith of the gospel and true worship of God, in this great hour of trial and temptation, which would deceive all but the elect, is the character of those registered in the book of life. This powerful motive and encouragement to constancy, is the great design of the whole Revelation.
vv11-18
Those who understand the first beast to denote a worldly power, take the second to be also a persecuting and assumed power, which acts under the disguise of religion, and of charity to the souls of men. It is a spiritual dominion, professing to be derived from Christ, and exercised at first in a gentle manner, but soon spake like the dragon. Its speech betrayed it; for it gives forth those false doctrines and cruel decrees, which show it to belong to the dragon, and not to the Lamb. It exercised all the power of the former beast. It pursues the same design, to draw men from worshipping the true God, and to subject the souls of men to the will and control of men. The second beast has carried on its designs, by methods whereby men should be deceived to worship the former beast, in the new shape, or likeness made for it. By lying wonders, pretended miracles. And by severe censures. Also by allowing none to enjoy natural or civil rights, who will not worship that beast which is the image of the pagan beast. It is made a qualification for buying and selling, as well as for places of profit and trust, that they oblige themselves to use all their interest, power, and endeavour, to forward the dominion of the beast, which is meant by receiving his mark. To make an image to the beast, whose deadly wound was healed, would be to give form and power to his worship, or to require obedience to his commands. To worship the image of the beast, implies being subject to those things which stamp the character of the picture, and render it the image of the beast. The number of the beast is given, so as to show the infinite wisdom of God, and to exercise the wisdom of men. The number is the number of a man, computed after the usual manner among men, and it is 666. What or who is intended by this, remains a mystery. To almost every religious dispute this number has yet been applied, and it may reasonably be doubted whether the meaning has yet been discovered. But he who has wisdom and understanding, will see that all the enemies of God are numbered and marked out for destruction; that the term of their power will soon expire, and that all nations shall submit to our King of righteousness and peace.
Key Words
καί (kaí): and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
εἴδω (eídō): used only in certain past tenses, the others being borrowed from the equivalent G3700 (ὀπτάνομαι) and G3708 (ὁράω); properly, to see (literally or figuratively); by implication, (in the perfect tense only) to know
θηρίον (thēríon): a dangerous animal
ἀναβαίνω (anabaínō): to go up (literally or figuratively)
ἐκ (ek): literal or figurative; direct or remote)
θάλασσα (thálassa): the sea (genitive case or specially)
ἔχω (échō): to hold (used in very various applications, literally or figuratively, direct or remote; such as possession; ability, contiuity, relation, or condition)
δέκα (déka): ten
κέρας (kéras): a horn (literally or figuratively)
ἑπτά (heptá): seven
Cross References
Revelation 13Daniel's vision of the four great beasts rising from the sea, directly inspiring John's composite beast description.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
The 'little horn' with a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies directly matches the first beast's mouth.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Speaking blasphemies against the Most High and wearing out the saints for a specified prophetic period.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
The rising of the 'man of sin' or Antichrist, widely associated with the beasts of Revelation 13.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
The son of perdition who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, mimicking blasphemy.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
The dragon with seven heads and ten horns, whose form and authority are inherited by this beast.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The beast that 'was, and is not, and yet is,' whose revival causes the earth to wonder.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The horn that made war with the saints and prevailed against them, directly paralleled here.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
The coming of the lawless one is with all power, signs, and lying wonders to deceive.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
The interpretation of the ten horns as ten kings who receive authority with the beast.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Identifies the dragon who gives his power to the beast as the old serpent, the Devil.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Identifies the second beast as the false prophet who worked miracles and deceived those with the mark.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Jesus' warning that false Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
The Old Testament warning against prophets who perform signs to lead people after other gods.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Another explicit call for 'the mind which hath wisdom' to understand the symbolic heads and hills.
Supported by JFB
All nations and languages fall down and worship Nebuchadnezzar's image, foreshadowing universal beast worship.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The foundational principle that whoever sheds man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Pharaoh's magicians using secret arts to mimic signs, typical of the false prophet's deceptive miracles.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The false beast mimics Elijah's true sign of calling down fire from heaven to deceive.
Supported by Matthew Henry