Revelation 12:13-13:10

New International Version

¹³ When the dragon^(A) saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.^{(B) 14} The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle,^(C) so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time,^(D) out of the serpent’s reach. ¹⁵ Then from his mouth the serpent^(E) spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. ¹⁶ But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. ¹⁷ Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war^(F) against the rest of her offspring^(G)—those who keep God’s commands^(H) and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.^(I)

The Beast out of the Sea

13 The dragon^[a] stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea.^(J) It had ten horns and seven heads,^(K) with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.^{(L) 2} The beast I saw resembled a leopard,^(M) but had feet like those of a bear^(N) and a mouth like that of a lion.^(O) The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.^{(P) 3} One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed.^(Q) The whole world was filled with wonder^(R) and followed the beast. ⁴ People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, “Who is like^(S) the beast? Who can wage war against it?”

⁵ The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies^(T) and to exercise its authority for forty-two months.^{(U) 6} It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven.^{(V) 7} It was given power to wage war^(W) against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.^{(X) 8} All inhabitants of the earth^(Y) will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life,^(Z) the Lamb^(AA) who was slain from the creation of the world.^[b](AB)

⁹ Whoever has ears, let them hear.^(AC)

This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness^(AE) on the part of God’s people.^(AF)