Revelation 13:11-18

The Beast from the Earth

11 Then 1I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had 2two horns like a lamb and he spoke as a 3dragon.
12 He 4exercises all the authority of the first beast 5in his presence. And he makes 6the earth and those who dwell in it to 7worship the first beast, whose 8fatal wound was healed.
13 He 9performs great signs, so that he even makes 10fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men.
14 And he 11deceives 12those who dwell on the earth because of 13the signs which it was given him to perform 14in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the 15wound of the sword and has come to life.
15 And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would even speak and cause 16as many as do not 17worship the image of the beast to be killed.
16 And he causes all, 18the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a 19mark on their right hand or on their forehead,
17 and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the 20mark, either 21the name of the beast or 22the number of his name.
18 23Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that 24of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six *.

Revelation 13:11-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION 13

This chapter contains a description of the Romish antichrist, under the figure of two beasts, the one representing him in his civil power, the other in his ecclesiastical power. The first beast is described by its origin, the sea, and by the monstrous shape its several parts; its heads seven, in which were the name of blasphemy; its horns ten, on which were crowns; its skin like a leopard, its feet as a bear, and its mouth as a lion; and by its state and condition, having power, a throne, and great authority; and having one of its heads wounded, and healed; and by the great regard had unto him, being wondered at, and worshipped by all the world, and declared to be more powerful than any, and none to be like them, Re 13:1-4. Next an account is given of what he was suffered to have, a blaspheming mouth, and power to continue forty two months, Re 13:5; and of what he said or uttered, his blasphemy against God, his name, tabernacle, and the inhabitants of heaven, Re 13:6; and of what he did by permission, made war with the saints, overcame them, and had power over all people, Re 13:7; and of the worship given him by the reprobate part of the world, Re 13:8; and the whole is concluded with an exhortation exciting attention to what had been said, with a threatening to the beast, and a word of comfort to the saints, Re 13:9,10. And then follows the description of the second beast, by its original the earth; by its likeness to a lamb, and a dragon; to the former for its two horns, and to the latter for its speech, Re 13:11; and by the actions ascribed to it, which are many; as exercising all the power of the first beast; causing all the inhabitants of the earth to worship that; doing miracles, of which one is mentioned, thereby deceiving the men of the world; ordering them to make an image to the wounded beast; giving life to it, so that it could speak; putting to death all that refused to worship it; obliging men of all ranks and degrees to have a mark in their right hands or foreheads, and forbidding such that had not to buy or sell, Re 13:12-17. And the chapter is concluded with an epiphonema, exciting men of understanding to search out, and count the number of the beast's name, since it is possible to be done, being the number of a man, and easy to be done, consisting of three Greek letters, c x v, which are numerically 666, Re 13:18.

Cross References 24

  • 1. Revelation 13:1; Revelation 16:13
  • 2. Daniel 8:3
  • 3. Revelation 13:4
  • 4. Revelation 13:4
  • 5. Revelation 13:14; Revelation 19:20
  • 6. Revelation 13:8
  • 7. Revelation 13:15; Revelation 14:9, 11; Revelation 16:2; Revelation 19:20; Revelation 20:4
  • 8. Revelation 13:3
  • 9. Matthew 24:24; Revelation 16:14; Revelation 19:20
  • 10. 1 Kings 18:38; Luke 9:54; Revelation 11:5; Revelation 20:9
  • 11. Revelation 12:9
  • 12. Revelation 13:8
  • 13. 2 Thessalonians 2:9
  • 14. Revelation 13:12; Revelation 19:20
  • 15. Revelation 13:3
  • 16. Daniel 3:3f
  • 17. Revelation 13:12; Revelation 14:9, 11; Revelation 16:2; Revelation 19:20; Revelation 20:4
  • 18. Revelation 11:18; Revelation 19:5, 18
  • 19. Galatians 6:17; Revelation 7:3; Revelation 14:9; Revelation 20:4
  • 20. Galatians 6:17; Revelation 7:3; Revelation 14:9; Revelation 20:4
  • 21. Revelation 14:11
  • 22. Revelation 15:2
  • 23. Revelation 17:9
  • 24. Revelation 21:17

Footnotes 5

  • [a]. Or "by his authority"
  • [b]. Or "by the authority of"
  • [c]. One early ms reads "speak, and he will cause"
  • [d]. Lit "causes all,...that they give them a mark"
  • [e]. One early ms reads 616
New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California.  All rights reserved.