Revelation13
New King James Version
1Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.
2Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.
3And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast.
4So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”
5And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months.
6Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.
7It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.
8All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
9If anyone has an ear, let him hear.
10He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
11Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon.
12And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.
14And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived.
15He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.
16He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads,
17and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His 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