1And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea.13:1 Dn 7:3 It had ten horns and seven heads. On its horns were ten crowns,13:1 Or diadems13:1 Rv 12:3 and on its heads were blasphemous names.13:1 Other mss read heads was a blasphemous name13:1 Rv 17:3
2The beast I saw was like a leopard, its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth.13:2 Dn 7:4–6 The dragon gave the beast his power, his throne, and great authority.
3One of its heads appeared to be fatally wounded, but its fatal wound was healed.
The whole earth was amazed and followed the beast.13:3 Rv 17:8
5The beast was given a mouth to utter boasts and blasphemies.13:5 Dn 7:8,11,20 It was allowed to exercise authority13:5 Other mss read to wage war13:5 Or to rule for forty-two months.13:5 Rv 11:2
6It began to speak13:6 Or He opened his mouth in blasphemies against God: to blaspheme his name and his dwelling — those who dwell in heaven.
7And it was permitted to wage war against the saints and to conquer them.13:7 Rv 12:17 It was also given authority13:7 Jr 27:6; Dn 7:6,14; Lk 4:6; Jn 19:11 over every tribe, people, language, and nation.13:7 Rv 5:9; 7:9; 11:9; 14:6
8All those who live on the earth will worship it, everyone whose name was not written from the foundation of the world in the book13:8 Or scroll of life13:8 Ex 32:32–33; Ps 69:28; Php 4:3; Rv 3:5; 17:8; 20:12,15; 21:27 of the Lamb who was slaughtered.13:8 Or written in the book of life of the Lamb who was slaughtered from the foundation of the world13:8 1Pt 1:19–20; Rv 5:6,12; 7:14
10If anyone is to be taken captive,
into captivity he goes.
If anyone is to be killed13:10 Other mss read anyone kills with a sword,
This calls for endurance13:10 Or Here is the perseverance and faithfulness from the saints.13:10 Rv 14:12
The Beast from the Earth
11Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; it had two horns like a lamb,13:11 Or ram13:11 Dn 8:3 but it spoke like a dragon.
12It exercises all the authority of the first beast on its behalf and compels the earth and those who live on it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed.
13It also performs great signs,13:13 Dt 13:1–3; Mk 13:22; 2Th 2:9–11 even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in front of people.13:13 1Kg 18:38; 2Kg 1:10; Lk 9:54
14It deceives those who live on the earth13:14 Rv 12:9 because of the signs that it is permitted to perform in the presence of the beast,13:14 2Th 2:9–12; Rv 19:20 telling those who live on the earth to make an image13:14 Or a statue, or a likeness of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived.
15It was permitted to give breath13:15 Or a spirit, or life to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast could both speak and cause whoever would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.13:15 Dn 3:5–6; Rv 20:4
16And it makes everyone — small and great, rich and poor, free and slave — to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead,13:16 Rv 14:1,9,11; 16:2; 19:20; 20:4
17so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark: the beast’s name or the number of its name.
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