Revelation 13:15-18

Expanded Bible

¹⁵ The second beast was ·given power [or allowed] to give ·life [breath; a spirit] to the idol of the first one so that the idol could speak. And the second beast was ·given power [allowed] to ·command [cause; make] all who will not worship the ·image [idol] of the beast to be killed. ¹⁶ The second beast also ·forced [caused; made] all people, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to have a ·mark [brand; stamp; ^Cto show allegiance to the first beast] on their right hand or on their forehead [compare 7:2–4; 14:1]. ¹⁷ [^LSo that] No one could buy or sell without this mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name [^CGreek and Hebrew letters had a numerical equivalent, and so could represent names—a practice known as gematria]. ¹⁸ This ·takes [calls for; ^Lis] wisdom [Dan. 12:10]. Let the one who has understanding ·find the meaning of [calculate; figure out] the number [^Lof the beast], which is the number of a ·person [or man]. Its number is 666^[a] [^Ca symbolic number signifying imperfection and sin; some speculate it represents the name of a Roman emperor, perhaps Nero or Domitian].