³ And I will give power to my two ^(A)witnesses, ^(B)and they will prophesy ^(C)one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”

⁴ These are the ^(D)two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the ^[a]God of the earth. ⁵ And if anyone wants to harm them, ^(E)fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. ^(F)And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. ⁶ These ^(G)have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.

The Witnesses Killed

⁷ When they ^(H)finish their testimony, ^(I)the beast that ascends ^(J)out of the bottomless pit ^(K)will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. ⁸ And their dead bodies will lie in the street of ^(L)the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, ^(M)where also ^[b]our Lord was crucified. ^9 (N)Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations ^[c]will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, ^(O)and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. ^10 (P)And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, ^(Q)and send gifts to one another, ^(R)because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.

The Witnesses Resurrected

^11 (S)Now after the three-and-a-half days ^(T)the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. ¹² And ^[d]they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” ^(U)And they ascended to heaven ^(V)in a cloud, ^(W)and their enemies saw them. ¹³ In the same hour ^(X)there was a great earthquake, ^(Y)and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid ^(Z)and gave glory to the God of heaven.

The Beast from the Sea

13 Then ^[a]I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw ^(A)a beast rising up out of the sea, ^(B)having ^[b]seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a ^(C)blasphemous name. ² Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The ^(D)dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. ³ And I saw one of his heads ^(E)as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And ^(F)all the world marveled and followed the beast. ⁴ So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, ^(G)“Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”

⁵ And he was given ^(H)a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to ^[c]continue for ^(I)forty-two months. ⁶ Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, ^(J)His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. ⁷ It was granted to him ^(K)to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And ^(L)authority was given him over every ^[d]tribe, tongue, and nation. ⁸ All who dwell on the earth will worship him, ^(M)whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain ^(N)from the foundation of the world.

The Beast from the Earth

¹¹ Then I saw another beast ^(A)coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. ¹² And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, ^(B)whose deadly wound was healed. ^13 (C)He performs great signs, ^(D)so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. ^14 (E)And he deceives ^[a]those who dwell on the earth ^(F)by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword ^(G)and lived. ¹⁵ He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak ^(H)and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. ¹⁶ He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, ^(I)to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, ¹⁷ and that no one may buy or sell except one who has ^[b]the mark or ^(J)the name of the beast, ^(K)or the number of his name.

⁶ I saw ^(A)the woman, drunk ^(B)with the blood of the saints and with the blood of ^(C)the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.

The Meaning of the Woman and the Beast

⁷ But the angel said to me, “Why did you marvel? I will tell you the ^[a]mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. ⁸ The beast that you saw was, and is not, and ^(D)will ascend out of the bottomless pit and ^(E)go to ^[b]perdition. And those who ^(F)dwell on the earth ^(G)will marvel, ^(H)whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and ^[c]yet is.

^9 (I)“Here is the mind which has wisdom: ^(J)The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. ¹⁰ There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must ^(K)continue a short time. ¹¹ The ^(L)beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to ^[d]perdition.

^12 (M)“The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. ¹³ These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. ^14 (N)These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will ^(O)overcome them, ^(P)for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; ^(Q)and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”

¹⁵ Then he said to me, ^(R)“The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, ^(S)are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. ¹⁶ And the ten horns which you ^[e]saw on the beast, ^(T)these will hate the harlot, make her ^(U)desolate ^(V)and naked, eat her flesh and ^(W)burn her with fire. ^17 (X)For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, ^(Y)until the words of God are fulfilled. ¹⁸ And the woman whom you saw ^(Z)is that great city ^(AA)which reigns over the kings of the earth.”

Finality of Babylon’s Fall

²¹ Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, ^(A)“Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and ^(B)shall not be found anymore.

^23 (A)The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore, ^(B)and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore. For ^(C)your merchants were the great men of the earth, ^(D)for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived. ²⁴ And ^(E)in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who ^(F)were slain on the earth.”