And the beast was given (A)a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for (B)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 (C)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 (D)who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in (E)the book of life of (F)the Lamb (G)who was slain. (H)If anyone has an ear, let him hear:

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

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

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 13:6 Or tabernacle
  2. Revelation 13:7 Some manuscripts omit this sentence

Then the beast was allowed to speak great blasphemies against God. And he was given authority to do whatever he wanted for forty-two months. And he spoke terrible words of blasphemy against God, slandering his name and his dwelling—that is, those who dwell in heaven.[a] And the beast was allowed to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation. And all the people who belong to this world worshiped the beast. They are the ones whose names were not written in the Book of Life that belongs to the Lamb who was slaughtered before the world was made.[b]

Anyone with ears to hear
    should listen and understand.
10 Anyone who is destined for prison
    will be taken to prison.
Anyone destined to die by the sword
    will die by the sword.

This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently and remain faithful.

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Footnotes

  1. 13:6 Some manuscripts read and his dwelling and all who dwell in heaven.
  2. 13:8 Or not written in the Book of Life before the world was made—the Book that belongs to the Lamb who was slaughtered.

5-8 The Beast had a loud mouth, boastful and blasphemous. It could do anything it wanted for forty-two months. It yelled blasphemies against God, blasphemed his Name, blasphemed his Church, especially those already dwelling with God in Heaven. It was permitted to make war on God’s holy people and conquer them. It held absolute sway over all tribes and peoples, tongues and races. Everyone on earth whose name was not written from the world’s foundation in the slaughtered Lamb’s Book of Life will worship the Beast.

9-10 Are you listening to this? They’ve made their bed; now they must lie in it. Anyone marked for prison goes straight to prison; anyone pulling a sword goes down by the sword. Meanwhile, God’s holy people passionately and faithfully stand their ground.

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