Revelation 13
13
The First Beast.#This wild beast, combining features of the four beasts in Dn 7:2–28, symbolizes the Roman empire; the seven heads represent the emperors; see notes on Rev 17:10 and Rev 17:12–14. The blasphemous names are the divine titles assumed by the emperors. 1Then I saw a beast come out of the sea with ten horns and seven heads; on its horns were ten diadems, and on its heads blasphemous name[s].#2 Thes 2:3–12. 2The beast I saw was like a leopard, but it had feet like a bear’s, and its mouth was like the mouth of a lion.#Satan (Rev 12:9), the prince of this world (Jn 12:31), commissioned the beast to persecute the church (Rev 13:5–7). #Dn 7:3–6. To it the dragon gave its own power and throne, along with great authority. 3I saw that one of its heads seemed to have been mortally wounded, but this mortal wound was healed.#This may be a reference to the popular legend that Nero would come back to life and rule again after his death (which occurred in A.D. 68 from a self-inflicted stab wound in the throat); cf. Rev 13:14; Rev 17:8. Domitian (A.D. 81–96) embodied all the cruelty and impiety of Nero. Cf. Introduction. Fascinated, the whole world followed after the beast. 4They worshiped the dragon because it gave its authority to the beast; they also worshiped the beast#Worshiped the beast: allusion to emperor worship, which Domitian insisted upon and ruthlessly enforced. Who can compare with the beast: perhaps a deliberate parody of the name Michael; see note on Rev 12:7. and said, “Who can compare with the beast or who can fight against it?”
5#Domitian, like Antiochus IV Epiphanes (Dn 7:8, 11, 25), demanded that he be called by divine titles such as “our lord and god” and “Jupiter.” See note on Rev 11:2. The beast was given a mouth uttering proud boasts and blasphemies,#Dn 7:8, 11, 25; 8:14; 9:27; 11:36; 12:7. and it was given authority to act for forty-two months.#Forty-two months: this is the same duration as the profanation of the holy city (Rev 11:2), the prophetic mission of the two witnesses (Rev 11:3), and the retreat of the woman into the desert (Rev 12:6, 14). 6It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling and those who dwell in heaven. 7It was also allowed to wage war against the holy ones and conquer them, and it was granted authority over every tribe, people, tongue, and nation.#Dn 7:21. 8All the inhabitants of the earth will worship it, all whose names were not written from the foundation of the world in the book of life, which belongs to the Lamb who was slain.#3:5; 17:8; 20:12.
9Whoever has ears ought to hear these words.#Mt 13:9.
10Anyone destined for captivity goes into captivity.
Anyone destined to be slain by the sword shall be slain by the sword.#Jer 15:2.
Such is the faithful endurance of the holy ones.
The Second Beast.#The second beast is described in terms of the false prophets (cf. Rev 16:13; 19:20; 20:10) who accompany the false messiahs (the first beast); cf. Mt 24:24; Mk 13:22; 2 Thes 2:9; cf. also Dt 13:2–4. Christians had either to worship the emperor and his image or to suffer martyrdom. 11Then I saw another beast come up out of the earth; it had two horns like a lamb’s but spoke like a dragon. 12It wielded all the authority of the first beast in its sight and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound had been healed. 13It performed great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in the sight of everyone.#Dt 13:2–4; Mt 24:24; 2 Thes 2:9–10. 14It deceived the inhabitants of the earth with the signs it was allowed to perform in the sight of the first beast, telling them to make an image for the beast who had been wounded by the sword and revived. 15It was then permitted to breathe life into the beast’s image, so that the beast’s image could speak and [could] have anyone who did not worship it put to death.#Dn 3:5–7, 15. 16It forced all the people, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to be given a stamped image on their right hands or their foreheads,#14:9; 16:2; 19:20; 20:4. 17so that no one could buy or sell except one who had the stamped image of the beast’s name or the number that stood for its name.
18#Each of the letters of the alphabet in Hebrew as well as in Greek has a numerical value. Many possible combinations of letters will add up to 666, and many candidates have been nominated for this infamous number. The most likely is the emperor Caesar Nero (see note on Rev 13:3), the Greek form of whose name in Hebrew letters gives the required sum. (The Latin form of this name equals 616, which is the reading of a few manuscripts.) Nero personifies the emperors who viciously persecuted the church. It has also been observed that “6” represents imperfection, falling short of the perfect number “7,” and is represented here in a triple or superlative form. #17:9. Wisdom is needed here; one who understands can calculate the number of the beast, for it is a number that stands for a person. His number is six hundred and sixty-six.
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Revelation 13: NABRE
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Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc
Revelation 13
13
1 And I saw a beast ascending from the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon its horns were ten diadems, and upon its heads were names of blasphemy.
2 And the beast that I saw was similar to a leopard, and its feet were like the feet of a bear, and its mouth was like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave his own power and great authority to it.
3 And I saw that one of its heads seemed to be slain unto death, but his deadly wound was healed. And the entire world was in wonder following the beast.
4 And they worshiped the dragon, who gave authority to the beast. And they worshiped the beast, saying: "Who is like the beast? And who would be able to fight with it?"
5 And there was given to it a mouth, speaking great things and blasphemies. And authority was given to him to act for forty-two months.
6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and those who dwell in heaven.
7 And it was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given to him over every tribe and people and language and nation.
8 And all who inhabit the earth worshiped the beast, those whose names have not been written, from the origin of the world, in the Book of Life of the Lamb who was slain.
9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear.
10 Whoever will be led into captivity, into captivity he goes. Whoever will kill with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the patient endurance and faith of the Saints.
11 And I saw another beast ascending from the land. And she had two horns like the Lamb, but she was speaking like the dragon.
12 And she acted with all the authority of the first beast in his sight. And she caused the earth, and those dwelling in it, to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13 And she accomplished great signs, even so that she would cause fire to descend from the sky to the earth in the sight of men.
14 And she seduced those living on the earth, by means of the signs that were given to her to perform in the sight of the beast, saying to those dwelling on the earth that they should make an image of the beast who had a wound of the sword and yet lived.
15 And it was given to her to give a spirit to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would speak. And she acted so that whoever would not worship the image of the beast would be slain.
16 And she will cause everyone, small and great, wealthy and poor, free and servant, to have a character on their right hand or on their foreheads,
17 so that no one may buy or sell, unless he has the character, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18 Here is wisdom. Whoever has intelligence, let him determine the number of the beast. For it is the number of a man, and his number is six hundred and sixty-six.
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