The First Beast

13 And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, (A)with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and (B)blasphemous names on its heads. And the beast that I saw was (C)like a leopard; its feet were like (D)a bear's, and its mouth was like (E)a lion's mouth. And to it (F)the dragon gave his power and (G)his throne and great authority. One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and (H)the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, (I)“Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”

And the beast was given (J)a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for (K)forty-two months. It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling,[a] that is, those who dwell in heaven. Also it was allowed (L)to make war on the saints and to conquer them.[b] And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all (M)who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in (N)the book of life of (O)the Lamb (P)who was slain. (Q)If anyone has an ear, let him hear:

10 (R)If anyone is to be taken captive,
    to captivity he goes;
(S)if anyone is to be slain with the sword,
    with the sword must he be slain.

(T)Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.

The Second Beast

11 Then (U)I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. 12 It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence,[c] and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, (V)whose mortal wound was healed. 13 (W)It performs great signs, even (X)making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, 14 and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of[d] the beast (Y)it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast (Z)that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not (AA)worship the image of the beast (AB)to be slain. 16 Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave,[e] (AC)to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, 17 so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, (AD)the name of the beast or (AE)the number of its name. 18 (AF)This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number (AG)of a man, and his number is 666.[f]

The Lamb and the 144,000

14 Then I looked, and behold, on (AH)Mount Zion (AI)stood the Lamb, and with him (AJ)144,000 who (AK)had his name and his Father's name written (AL)on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven (AM)like the roar of many waters and (AN)like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of (AO)harpists playing on their harps, and they were singing (AP)a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. (AQ)No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for (AR)they are virgins. It is these (AS)who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as (AT)firstfruits for God and the Lamb, and (AU)in their mouth no lie was found, for they are (AV)blameless.

The Messages of the Three Angels

Then I saw another angel (AW)flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to (AX)those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. And he said with a loud voice, (AY)“Fear God and (AZ)give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and (BA)worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the (BB)springs of water.”

Another angel, a second, followed, saying, (BC)“Fallen, fallen is (BD)Babylon the great, (BE)she who made all nations drink (BF)the wine of the passion[g] of her sexual immorality.”

And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone (BG)worships the beast and its image and receives (BH)a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink (BI)the wine of God's wrath, (BJ)poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and (BK)he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And (BL)the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and (BM)they have no rest, day or night, these (BN)worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”

12 (BO)Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who (BP)keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.[h]

13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: (BQ)Blessed are the dead (BR)who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, (BS)“that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”

The Harvest of the Earth

14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one (BT)like a son of man, (BU)with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 And another angel (BV)came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, (BW)“Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for (BX)the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.” 16 So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.

17 Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, (BY)the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, (BZ)for its grapes are ripe.” 19 So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great (CA)winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And (CB)the winepress was trodden (CC)outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as (CD)a horse's bridle, for 1,600 stadia.[i]

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 13:6 Or tabernacle
  2. Revelation 13:7 Some manuscripts omit this sentence
  3. Revelation 13:12 Or on its behalf
  4. Revelation 13:14 Or on behalf of
  5. Revelation 13:16 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface
  6. Revelation 13:18 Some manuscripts 616
  7. Revelation 14:8 Or wrath
  8. Revelation 14:12 Greek and the faith of Jesus
  9. Revelation 14:20 About 184 miles; a stadion was about 607 feet or 185 meters

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