Revelation 13:13

13 And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people.

Revelation 13:13 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
English Standard Version (ESV)
13 It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people,
New Living Translation (NLT)
13 He did astounding miracles, even making fire flash down to earth from the sky while everyone was watching.
The Message Bible (MSG)
13 This second Beast worked magical signs, dazzling people by making fire come down from Heaven.
American Standard Version (ASV)
13 And he doeth great signs, that he should even make fire to come down out of heaven upon the earth in the sight of men.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
13 The second beast performs spectacular signs. It even makes fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
13 He also performs great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth before people.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
13 The second beast did great and miraculous signs. He even made fire come from heaven. It came down to earth where everyone could see it.

Revelation 13:13 Meaning and Commentary

Revelation 13:13

And he doeth great wonders
Or miracles; not real, but pretended ones, lying wonders, which the Popish legends are full of the accounts of, as done by the priests, or by this or the other saint:

so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the
sight of men;
in imitation of Elijah, ( 2 Kings 1:9-14 ) ; and this single instance is put instead of all others, it being usual with the Jews to express all wonderful and miraculous operations by this miracle of Elijah's: and this may be understood mystically, of the pretensions of the Papacy to confer the Holy Ghost, and his gifts upon men, by breathing on them, which on the day of Pentecost were represented by cloven tongues, as of fire, coming down from heaven; or of their anathemas, curses, and excommunications, at which time burning torches and candles are cast up, and fall down, as emblems of divine wrath, which is called cursing men with bell, book, and candle; or else of the fire of persecution: "from heaven"; the secular powers of the empire: "upon the earth"; the common people: or this may be understood literally; so they tell us, that Pope Zachary, once on a journey to Ravenna, had in the daytime a cloud to protect him from the heat, and in the night time armies of fire appeared in the clouds to go before him; and as Pope Innocent was at Mass, a golden crown was seen, and on it a dove, and under it a smoking censer, and hard by them two burning firebrands: and it is reported of Pope Hildebrand, that, whenever he pleased, he could shake his sleeves, and sparks of fire would come out; and by these miracles deluded the eyes of the simple with a show of holiness, which, with other instances, are taken notice of by Napier, Brightman, and other writers: and so here this is said to be done "in the sight of men"; to their apprehension, seemingly, in their view; they being cheated and deluded with an appearance and show of things which were not real.

Revelation 13:13 In-Context

11 Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon.
12 It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed.
13 And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people.
14 Because of the signs it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth. It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived.
15 The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed.

Cross References 2

  • 1. S Matthew 24:24
  • 2. 1 Kings 18:38; 2 Kings 1:10; Luke 9:54; Revelation 20:9
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