⁷ It was granted to him to wage war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe and tongue and nation.

¹⁴ He deceives those who dwell on the earth by the signs which he was granted to do in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by a sword and lived. ¹⁵ He was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. ¹⁶ He causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, ¹⁷ so that no one may buy or sell, except he who has the mark or the name of the beast or the number of his name.

¹⁸ Here is a call for wisdom: Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast. It is the number of a man. His number is six hundred and sixty-six.