| NET Bible | New International Version |
| 1Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, and on its horns were ten diadem crowns, and on its heads a blasphemous name. | 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. |
| 2Now the beast that I saw was like a leopard, but its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. The dragon gave the beast his power, his throne, and great authority to rule. | 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 beast's heads appeared to have been killed, but the lethal wound had been healed. And the whole world followed the beast in amazement; | 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 because he had given ruling authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast too, saying: "Who is like the beast?" and "Who is able to make war against him?" | 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 speaking proud words and blasphemies, and he was permitted to exercise ruling authority for forty-two months. | 5The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. |
| 6So the beast opened his mouth to blaspheme against God--to blaspheme both his name and his dwelling place, that is, 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. |
| 7The beast was permitted to go to war against the saints and conquer them. He was given ruling authority over every tribe, people, language, 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 those who live on the earth will worship the beast, everyone whose name has not been written since the foundation of the world in the book of life belonging to the Lamb who was killed. | 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. |
| 9If anyone has an ear, he had better listen! | 9Whoever has ears, let them hear. |
| 10If anyone is meant for captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed by the sword, then by the sword he must be killed. This requires steadfast endurance and faith from 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 coming up from the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but was speaking 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. |
| 12He exercised all the ruling authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and those who inhabit it worship the first beast, the one whose lethal 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. |
| 13He performed momentous signs, even making fire come down from heaven in front of people | 13And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people. |
| 14and, by the signs he was permitted to perform on behalf of the beast, he deceived those who live on the earth. He told those who live on the earth to make an image to the beast who had been wounded by the sword, but still 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 empowered to give life to the image of the first beast so that it could speak, and could cause all those who did not worship the image of the beast 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. |
| 16He also caused everyone (small and great, rich and poor, free and slave) to obtain 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, |
| 17Thus no one was allowed to buy or sell things unless he bore the mark of the beast--that is, his name or his number. | 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. |
| 18This calls for wisdom: Let the one who has insight calculate the beast's number, for it is man's number, and his 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. |
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