Revelation 13:11-18

11 And I behelde another best commynge vp oute of the erth and he had two hornes like a lambe and he spake as dyd the dragon.

12 And he dyd all that the fyrste beest coulde do in his presence and he caused the erth and them which dwell therin to worshippe the fyrst beest whose dedly woude was healed.

13 And he dyd grett wonders so that he made fyre come doune from heven in the syght of men.

14 And deceaved them that dwelt on the erth by the meanes of those signes which he had power to doo in the sight of the beest sayinge to the that dwelt on the erth: that they shuld make an ymage vnto the beest which had the woude of a swearde and dyd lyve.

15 And he had power to geve a sprete vnto the ymage of the beest and that the ymage of the beest shuld speake and shuld cause that as many as wolde not worshyppe the ymage of the beest shuld be kylled.

16 And he made all bothe smale and grett ryche and poore fre and bond to receave a marke in their right hondes or in their forheddes.

17 And that no ma myght by or sell save he that had the marke or the name of the beest other the nombre of his name.

18 Here is wisdome. Let him that hath wytt count the nombre of the beest. For it is the nombre of a man and his nombre is sixe hondred threscore and sixe.

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.