Apocalipsis 13:4-14

4 Adoraron al dragón por haberle dado semejante poder a la bestia y también adoraron a la bestia. «¿Quién es tan grande como la bestia? —exclamaban—, ¿quién puede luchar contra ella?».

5 A la bestia se le permitió decir grandes blasfemias contra Dios, y se le dio autoridad para hacer todo lo que quisiera durante cuarenta y dos meses.

6 Y abrió la boca con terribles blasfemias contra Dios, maldiciendo su nombre y su habitación, es decir a los que habitan en el cielo.

7 Además se le permitió a la bestia hacer guerra contra el pueblo santo de Dios y conquistarlo; y se le dio autoridad para gobernar sobre todo pueblo y toda tribu, lengua y nación.

8 Y adoraron a la bestia todos los que pertenecen a este mundo cuyos nombres no estaban escritos en el libro de la vida antes de la creación del mundo, el libro que le pertenece al Cordero, que fue sacrificado.

9 Todo el que tenga oídos para oír
debe escuchar y entender.

10 Todo el que esté destinado a la cárcel,
a la cárcel será llevado.
Todo el que esté destinado a morir a espada,
morirá a filo de espada.
Esto significa que el pueblo de Dios tiene que soportar la persecución con paciencia y permanecer fiel.

11 La bestia que sale de la tierra
Luego vi a otra bestia; esta salía de la tierra. Tenía dos cuernos como los de un cordero, pero hablaba con la voz de un dragón.

12 Ejercía toda la autoridad de la primera bestia y exigía que toda la tierra y sus habitantes adoraran a la primera bestia, la que se había recuperado de su herida mortal.

13 Hacía milagros asombrosos, incluso que cayera fuego del cielo a la tierra mientras todos observaban.

14 Con los milagros que se le permitió hacer en nombre de la primera bestia, engañó a todos los que pertenecen a este mundo. Les ordenó que hicieran una gran estatua de la primera bestia, la que estaba herida de muerte y después volvió a la vida.

Apocalipsis 13:4-14 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.