Revelation 13
1and he stood upon the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads names of blasphemy. 2And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his throne, and great authority. 3And I saw one of his heads as though it had been smitten unto death; and his death-stroke was healed: and the whole earth wondered after the beast; 4and they worshipped the dragon, because he gave his authority unto the beast; and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? and who is able to war with him? 5and there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and there was given to him authority to continue forty and two months. 6And he opened his mouth for blasphemies against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, even them that dwell in the heaven. 7And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and there was given to him authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation. 8And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him, every one whose name hath not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that hath been slain. 9If any man hath an ear, let him hear. 10If any man is for captivity, into captivity he goeth: if any man shall kill with the sword, with the sword must he be killed. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. 11And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like unto a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 12And he exerciseth all the authority of the first beast in his sight. And he maketh the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose death-stroke was healed. 13And he doeth great signs, that he should even make fire to come down out of heaven upon the earth in the sight of men. 14And he deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by reason of the signs which it was given him to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast who hath the stroke of the sword and lived. 15And it was given unto him to give breath to it, even to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as should not worship the image of the beast should be killed. 16And he causeth all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the bond, that there be given them a mark on their right hand, or upon their forehead; 17and that no man should be able to buy or to sell, save he that hath the mark, even the name of the beast or the number of his name. 18Here is wisdom. He that hath understanding, let him count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man: and his number is Six hundred and sixty and six.
What is Revelation 13 about?
The dragon, cast down to the earth, now summons his agents, and John sees a beast rise out of the sea with seven heads and ten horns, to whom the dragon gives his power and his throne. The world wonders after the beast and worships it as it blasphemes God and makes war on the saints for forty-two months, while a second beast rising out of the earth compels men to worship the first, works wonders, and marks all with its number, which is six hundred threescore and six. Here the persecuting power of the age is exposed as a counterfeit of Christ, demanding the allegiance owed to God alone. The call is to the patience and faith of the saints, who must not receive the mark of the beast even at the cost of their lives.
Matthew Henry on Revelation 13