Revelation 13:4-14

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.

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.

Revelation 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.