Revelation 13:1-10

1 And I sawe a best rise out of the see havinge vii. heddes and x. hornes and apon hys hornes x. crownes and apon his heed the name of blasphemy.

2 And the beast which I sawe was lyke a catt of the mountayne and his fete were as the fete of a bear and his mouth as the mouthe of a lyon. And the dragon gave him his power and his seate and grett auctorite:

3 and I sawe one of his heedes as it were wouded to deth and his dedly woude was healed. And all the worlde wondred at the beast

4 and they worshipped ye drago which gave power vnto the beest and they worshipped the beest sayinge: who is lyke vnto the beast? who is able to warre with him?

5 And ther was a mouth geve vnto him that spake great thinges and blasphemies and power was geve vnto him to do xlii. Monethes

6 And he opened his mowth vnto blasphemy agaynst God to blaspheme hys name and his tabernacle and them that dwell in heven.

7 And it was geven vnto him to make warre with the saynctes and to overcome them. And power was geven him over all kynred tonge and nacion:

8 and all that dwell apon the erth worshipt him: whose names are not written in the boke of lyfe of the lambe which was kylled from the begynnynge of the worlde.

9 Yf eny man have an eare lett him heare.

10 He that leadeth into captivite shall goo into captivite: he that kylleth with a swearde must be kylled with a swearde. Heare is the pacience and the fayth of the saynctes.

Revelation 13:1-10 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.