The Revelation of the Apostle John

Chapter 13

A beast rises out of the sea with seven heads, ten horns, and ten crowns, 1. His description, power, blasphemy, cruelty, etc., 2-10. Another beast comes out of the earth with two horns, deceiving the world by his false miracles and causing everyone to receive his mark, 11-18.

1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea and saw a beast rise up out of the sea having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 2 And the beast which I saw was like 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, his seat, and great authority. 3 And I saw one of his heads as if it were wounded to death, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world wondered after the beast. 4 And they worshiped the dragon which gave power to the beast. And they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?" 5 And there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and power was given to him to continue forty-two months. 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name, his tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.

7 And it was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And power was given to him over all kindreds, languages, and nations. 8 And all who dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 9 If any man has an ear, let him hear. 10 He 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.

11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and he spoke as a dragon. 12 And he exercises all the power of the first beast before him and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 And he does great wonders, so that he makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 14 And deceives those who dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast, saying to those who dwell on the earth that they should make an image to the beast which was wounded by the sword and lived. 15 And he had power to give life to the image of the beast so 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. 16 And he causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 So that no man might buy or sell, except him who had the mark, the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding count the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. And his number is six hundred and sixty-six.

Commentary

Matthew Henry Commentary - Revelation, Chapter 13[➚]

Notes

[v.7] - "war with the saints" - The Greek text for this phrase exactly matches the Greek of the Septuagint in Daniel 7:21.

[v.16] - "on" - The WBS/KJV states that the mark will be "in" the right hand and the foreheads; however the Greek agrees more with the rendering of "on" or "upon." Greek: ἐπί (epi)—upon the surface of.

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