Revelation 13

The Beast From the Sea

1Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads. There was a crown on each of its horns. It had an evil name written on each head. 2This beast looked like a leopard, with feet like a bear’s feet. It had a mouth like a lion’s mouth. The dragon gave the beast all of its power and its throne and great authority.

3One of the heads of the beast looked as if it had been wounded and killed, but the death wound was healed. All the people in the world were amazed, and they all followed the beast. 4People worshiped the dragon because it had given its power to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast. They asked, “Who is as powerful as the beast? Who can make war against it?”

5The beast was allowed to boast and speak insults against God. It was allowed to use its power for 42 months. 6The beast opened its mouth to insult God—to insult his name, the place where he lives, and all those who live in heaven. 7It was given power to make war against God’s holy people and to defeat them. It was given power over every tribe, race of people, language, and nation. 8Everyone living on earth would worship the beast. These are all the people since the beginning of the world whose names are not written in the Lamb’s book of life. The Lamb is the one who was killed.

9Anyone who hears these things should listen to this:

10Whoever is to be a prisoner,

will be a prisoner.

Whoever is to be killed with a sword,

will be killed with a sword.

This means that God’s holy people must have patience and faith.

The Beast From the Earth

11Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he talked like a dragon. 12This beast stood before the first beast and used the same power the first beast had. He used this power to make everyone living on the earth worship the first beast. The first beast was the one that had the death wound that was healed. 13The second beast did great miracles.#13:13 miracles False miracles—amazing acts done by the power of the devil. He even made fire come down from heaven to earth while people were watching.

14This second beast fooled the people living on earth by using the miracles that he had been given the power to do for the first beast. He ordered people to make an idol to honor the first beast, the one that was wounded by the sword but did not die. 15The second beast was given power to give life to the idol of the first beast. Then the idol could speak and order all those who did not worship it to be killed. 16The second beast also forced all people, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to have a mark put on their right hand or on their forehead. 17No one could buy or sell without this mark. (This mark is the name of the beast or the number of its name.)

18Anyone who has understanding can find the meaning of the beast’s number. This requires wisdom. This number is the number of a man. It is 666.

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Revelation 13: ERV

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