Add parallel Print Page Options

The Beast out of the Sea

13 Then I saw a beast rising up out of the sea. It had seven heads and ten horns, with ten crowns on its horns. And written on each head were names that blasphemed God. This beast looked like a leopard, but it had the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion! And the dragon gave the beast his own power and throne and great authority.

I saw that one of the heads of the beast seemed wounded beyond recovery—but the fatal wound was healed! The whole world marveled at this miracle and gave allegiance to the beast. They worshiped the dragon for giving the beast such power, and they also worshiped the beast. “Who is as great as the beast?” they exclaimed. “Who is able to fight against him?”

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.

Read full chapter

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.

The Vision of the Beast from the Sea

13 I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns, seven heads, and ten royal crowns on its horns. On its heads were blasphemous names. The beast that I saw was like a leopard. Its feet were like bear’s feet, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. The dragon gave it his power, his throne, and complete authority.

One of the beast’s[a] heads looked like it had sustained a mortal wound, but its fatal wound was healed. Rapt with amazement, the whole world followed the beast. They worshipped the dragon because it had given authority to the beast. They also worshipped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight a war with it?” The beast was allowed[b] to speak arrogant and blasphemous things, and it was given authority for 42 months. It uttered[c] blasphemies against God, against his name, and against his residence,[d] that is, against those who are living in heaven. It was allowed to wage war against the saints and to conquer them.[e] It was also given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation. All those who had become settled down and at home, living on the earth, will worship it, everyone whose name had not been written in the Book of Life belonging to the lamb that had been slaughtered since the foundation of the world.

Let everyone listen:[f]
10 If anyone is to be taken captive,
        into captivity he will go.
If anyone is to be killed with a sword,
    with a sword he will be killed.

The Vision of the Beast from the Earth

Here is a call for endurance and faith of the saints:

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 13:3 Lit. its
  2. Revelation 13:5 Lit. was given a mouth
  3. Revelation 13:6 Lit. It opened its mouth to utter
  4. Revelation 13:6 Lit. tent
  5. Revelation 13:7 Other mss. lack It was allowed to wage war against the saints and to conquer them.
  6. Revelation 13:9 Lit. Let the one who has an ear