The Beast from the Sea
Study note
A beast rises from the sea with seven heads, ten horns, and blasphemous names, combining features of a leopard, bear, and lion. The dragon gives it power and authority. One of its heads appears fatally wounded but heals, astonishing the world. People worship both the dragon and the beast, and it is given authority for forty-two months to blaspheme God and wage war against the saints. All whose names are not in the Lamb's book of life worship it. Believers are called to patient endurance and faith.
1 I stood on the sandy shore and watched a beast rise up out of the sea. It had seven heads and ten horns, with ten crowns on its horns and an evil name written on each head. And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
2 The beast looked like a leopard, but it had bear's feet and a lion's mouth. The dragon handed over his own power, his throne, and enormous authority to this beast. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
3 One of the beast's heads appeared to have been fatally wounded, but the deadly wound had healed. The whole world was amazed and followed the beast. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
4 People worshiped the dragon because he had given his authority to the beast. They also worshiped the beast, saying, "Nobody is like the beast! Who could possibly fight against it?" And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
5 The beast was given a mouth that spoke proud and blasphemous words. It was allowed to use its authority for forty-two months. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
6 It opened its mouth to curse God, to insult his name, his home in heaven, and everyone who lives there. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
7 It was allowed to make war against God's holy people and to defeat them. It was given authority over every tribe, language, and nation. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
8 Everyone on earth will worship the beast. The only ones who will not are those whose names were written in the Lamb's book of life since the world began. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
9 If you have ears, then listen carefully. If any man have an ear, let him hear.
10 Anyone who is supposed to go to prison will go to prison. Anyone who is supposed to die by the sword will die by the sword. This is where God's people need endurance and faith. He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
The Beast from the Earth
Study note
A second beast rises from the earth, looking like a lamb but speaking like a dragon. It exercises the authority of the first beast, performs great miracles, and deceives the world into worshiping the first beast's image. It forces everyone to receive a mark on their right hand or forehead, without which no one can buy or sell. The chapter closes with the famous riddle: the beast's number is 666, the number of a man, requiring wisdom to discern.
11 Then I saw a second beast coming up out of the ground. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke with the voice of a dragon. And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
12 It used all the power of the first beast. It made everyone on earth worship the first beast -- the one whose deadly wound had been healed. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13 This second beast did incredible wonders. It even made fire fall from the sky to earth while people watched. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14 It fooled the people of earth with the miracles it was allowed to perform for the first beast. It told people to build a statue of the beast that had been wounded by a sword but had survived. And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15 The second beast was given power to breathe life into the statue so it could speak. It ordered that anyone who refused to worship the statue would be killed. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
16 It forced everyone -- small and great, rich and poor, free and slave -- to receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
17 Nobody could buy or sell anything without the mark. The mark was the beast's name or the number that stands for its name. And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18 This calls for wisdom. If you have understanding, figure out the beast's number. It is a human number, and it is six hundred and sixty-six. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.