Berean Study Bible | New International Version |
1Then I saw a beast with ten horns and seven heads rising out of the sea. There were ten royal crowns on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. | 1The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. |
2The beast I saw was like a leopard, with the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. | 2The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. |
3One of the heads of the beast appeared to be mortally wounded. But the mortal wound was healed, and the whole world marveled and followed the beast. | 3One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast. |
4They worshiped the dragon who had given authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can wage war against it?” | 4People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, "Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?" |
5The beast was given a mouth to speak arrogant and blasphemous words, and authority to act for 42 months. | 5The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. |
6And the beast opened its mouth to speak blasphemies against God and to slander His name and His tabernacle—those who dwell in heaven. | 6It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. |
7Then the beast was permitted to wage war against the saints and to conquer them, and it was given authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation. | 7It was given power to wage war against God's holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. |
8And all who dwell on the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written from the foundation of the world in the Book of Life belonging to the Lamb who was slain. | 8All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast--all whose names have not been written in the Lamb's book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world. |
9He who has an ear, let him hear: | 9Whoever has ears, let them hear. |
10“If anyone is destined for captivity, into captivity he will go; if anyone is to die by the sword, by the sword he must be killed.” Here is a call for the perseverance and faith of the saints. | 10"If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity they will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword they will be killed." This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God's people. |
11Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. This beast had two horns like a lamb, but spoke like a dragon. | 11Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. |
12And this beast exercised all the authority of the first beast and caused the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose mortal wound had been healed. | 12It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. |
13And the second beast performed great signs to cause even fire from heaven to come down to earth in the presence of the people. | 13And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people. |
14Because of the signs it was given to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived those who dwell on the earth, telling them to make an image to the beast that had been wounded by the sword and yet had lived. | 14Because of the signs it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth. It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. |
15The second beast was permitted to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship it to be killed. | 15The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. |
16And the second beast required all people small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, | 16It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, |
17so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark—the name of the beast or the number of its name. | 17so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name. |
18Here is a call for wisdom: Let the one who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and that number is 666. | 18This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666. |
|